oany years ago I worked with a woman who was constantly off sick with a variety of complaints.
She left after just six months in the job, claiming the office was making her ill. The rest off us weren’t very sympathetic, I have to admit, and said, “Yeah, right”. Now it seems she may have had a point.
Researchers have found that your office can be a health hazard. Here are some of the dangers of sitting at your desk and how to avoid them.
Back problems As many as 50% of office workers who use a computer complain of lower-back pain, according to international research. The biggest causes are not sitting properly or not having a suitable chair.
How to fix it
Get a good chair. It should be able to be adjusted to fit your lower back, and you should also be able to change the height and armrests. It should also have five feet in a star shape and be able to move freely.
Sit properly. Your lower back should be supported and your elbows near your waist, with your hands parallel to the floor and resting on your desk at keyboard height. Your shins should be at a 90-degree angle to the floor.
Get up and move around frequently.
Neck strain one of the biggest causes of neck strain is incorrect telephone use. Constantly cradling the handset in the crook of your neck and holding it in place with your shoulder could lead to long-term damage to neck muscles. This abnormal pressure can also gradually wear away the cartilage between the bones in your neck and eventually the bones themselves, causing osteoarthritis.
Cocking your head to read papers on your desk can also contribute to neck problems.
How to fix it
If using the phone a lot, get a headset.
Use a document stand which holds papers straight and in front of you, so you don’t have to bend your neck.
ooS (occupational overuse Syndrome) occupational overuse Syndrome can be devastating – some people are unable to drive a car, cut their food or brush their hair because of severe ooS.
Small continuous motions, like hitting keyboard keys or using a mouse, can cause it.
How to fix it
Get wrist supports, especially if you have to raise your wrists to type.
An ergonomically designed keyboard may also help. Adjusting the height of your keyboard can make a difference.
Leave a small gap between your keyboard and the edge of your desk to make typing more comfortable.
Take frequent breaks.
Eye strain Staring at a computer all day can impact on your eyes. If you strain to read the screen, you could end up suffering headaches and feeling sick.
Reflection from windows and lights can also affect your sight if you find it hard to read what’s on your screen.
How to fix it
Take a break every 20 minutes and try to look at something roughly 10 metres away for around 20 seconds. This will exercise your eye muscles and bring a fresh supply of blood to the eyes.
If reflections are a problem, get an antiglare screen or move your computer. Lightdiffusing blinds or curtains may also help.
Make sure your head is no closer than 35cm to 70cm from the computer screen.
If you find it hard to see what’s on the screen, try changing the colours. Using yellow text on a blue background may be easier to read.
Stress Feeling stressed at work can affect your ability to do your job and may cause physical symptoms like headaches and neck pain.
Being upset, wired up and overtired is also bad for your mental health. Increased stress means we produce extra cortisol, a hormone in the blood. If your cortisol levels are constantly high, this can hinder your immune system from working properly, making you more susceptible to colds and flu.
How to fix it
Learn to recognise the first signs of stress, such as headaches, inability to concentrate, dry mouth and feeling irritable and “edgy”. Do something about it before it gets worse or affects your health.
Work out what’s making you stressed and come up with ways of changing the situation so you will find it easier to cope. This could mean delegating work or taking extra training, for example.
Talk to your boss about how you are feeling. They can’t help if they don’t know what you’re going through, and it’s in their best interests for you to be working as efficiently as possible.
Learn techniques for dealing with stress, such as meditation and controlling your negative thinking.
obesity Sitting on your backside all day can lead to it getting bigger and bigger, along with the rest of your body. If you have a sedentary job and don’t make the effort to exercise outside of work hours, you’re increasing your risk of being overweight and suffering related health problems, like diabetes and heart disease.
How to fix it
Get up and move every 20 minutes. Go over and to talk to your co-worker instead of picking up the phone.
Go out at lunchtime and do some exercise, such as walking, tai chi or yoga. Going with a workmate will help to motivate you.
Try to walk some of the way to work. If that’s not possible, get off the bus a couple of stops early, park as far away from the office as possible or take the stairs up to your desk instead of the lift.
Look into whether it’s practical to get some kind of exercise class going after or before work, in the premises. Tell your boss it’s good for the health of their staff.
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