INSPO Fitness Journal March 2018

PRACTISE
YOUR POSTURE
A large percentage of us spend a significant amount of our
day sitting at a desk. So as a physiotherapist based in CBD
Hamilton, with plenty of desktime in between clients, I can
empathise with one of the most common questions I get -
‘what is the best chair for my office?’
BY JOHN APPEL
Office ergonomics is a science unto
itself and a simple Google search will
give you hundreds of diagrams of
good office posture - so which ones are right?
When faced with this question, my answer
over the years has been standard. However, in
the past six months, I’ve modified my answer
due to new equipment becoming available
for yhe office space.
One of the first things to remember if you
are a desk jockey is that the human body was
designed to move. As a simple rule of thumb,
you should never be stationary at your desk
for more than 45 minutes at a time. Even a
perfect posture can become dysfunctional if
the body doesn’t move. Staying locked in a
posture is simply asking for trouble.
If you work in an office building, take the
stairs at least once per day, for lunch make
sure you get outside and get some fresh air
and stretch/move the body. If possible, try
and squeeze in a lunchtime exercise session
at least once per week. Movement is the key
to wellness.
With regards to sitting posture; if I was
stuck behind a desk I would have three options
available to me throughout the day and
would move between these postures at least
every 90 minutes.
Posture #1: Standing desk.
Research shows that sitting for six or
more hours a day can makes you up to 50%
likelier to die within 15 years than someone
who sits for less than three hours. Even if you
exercise.
This is the main reason I would be using
a standing desk for at least 40 percent of
my day. However, it’s important to note
that standing all day in a single posture can
produce other issues, so the new standing
desks that can quickly drop down to allow
the user to change to a sitting posture would
be my pick.
Posture #2: Swiss ball
If I’m going to sit at my desk, I would use
a Swiss ball as my seat. The pelvic position is
better, the bouncing allows movement and
the instability of the ball forces core muscles
around the spine to work at a constant
low-grade contraction. This is all good for
posture, movement, and comfort.
Posture #3: Saddle stool
Up until a year ago, my third option
for office posture was a well-designed office
chair. However, in the last 12 months, the
saddle stool with a back has become more
readily available and has some good research
around it.
The saddle stool has been used for ages in
the dental industry, but only recently some
bright spark decided to put a back on it, and
in some cases even armrests.
The saddle stool is fantastic for pelvic
position, hip position and putting the spine
in a relatively neutral position. The back rest
is important because the other two postures
don’t allow me to really relax. With this
posture I can rest the spine against the back
of the chair while still holding a safer posture
for my back.
So, if you are an office worker, I hope I see
you on the stairs and out and about during
lunch. Remember to keep moving, keep well
and enjoy life.
JOHN APPEL Physiotherapist John Appel is is dedicated to helping everyone function
fully and enjoy everyday life without the restriction of pain. With a Masters in Physiotherapy,
a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology, an Athletic Training degree, and
as a Myofascial Release therapist, he works with a wide range of clients from professional
athletes to chronic fibromyalgia clients. John Appel Physiotherapy is based in central
Hamilton. johnappelphysio.trainingtiltapp.com
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