Abrams Chiropractic publishes helpful tips on maintaining healthy posture, circulation and metabolism during long shifts at a desk

Seattle, WA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/25/2014 --Abrams Chiropractic of Seattle has released a breakdown of helpful tips for improving posture, maintaining healthy circulation and keeping up metabolism during workdays for those who sit at a desk for extended periods of time. It’s well-known that remaining seated for long days at the office can have detrimental effects on a person’s overall health and well-being. Conditions caused by inferior chairs, long hours and lack of movement can include a decrease in healthy metabolism, blood flow and strain on the back, neck, shoulders and arms, as well as wrist and elbow pain, numbness in the legs and musculoskeletal soreness. Many people will suffer chronic back pain after months or years of sitting at work. This happens when the spine and nervous system suffer fatigue and injury after sitting for too long without getting up for periodical spells of movement. When the spinal joints don’t experience enough normal movement, the muscles and joints become tight, leading to soreness that lasts long after the workday is done, and can lead to restless sleep and pain during other activities.

It’s imperative to get up and move around every 20 minutes, stretch the legs and rotate the arms, allowing the body to strengthen and activate those muscles which get sore after extended stasis. In addition to regular bouts of movement and stretching, the position and setting of the office chair used throughout the day can have an effect on overall health as well. When adjusting height and attitude of the chair, see that the thighs remain parallel to the floor, level with the hips, and that the knees bend at a 90-degree angle or more. When positioning the arm to correctly reach the computer mouse, see that the wrist rests in a natural position, level with the forearm, which should feel comfortable while resting on the desk. A soft wrist cushion will help reduce stress on the arm over time. Center the torso in front of your monitor and maintain an upright sitting position, as slouching causes an enormous amount of strain on the back, neck and shoulder muscles and results in detrimental long-term pain symptoms.

Many people will neglect to consume enough water during the day. This is most evident at work, when water is often traded out for coffee, which dehydrates the body even faster. Remember to drink plenty of water, starting a routine of grabbing a large water bottle or using exercise breaks to fetch fresh water from a filtered fountain or pitcher stored in the office fridge. Keeping the body properly hydrated not only ensures better overall physical health, but is connected with improving focus, mood and stamina when focusing on work projects for long periods of time, and can contribute to healthier skin, hair, eyes and sleep patterns. Proper hydration will also help control the appetite, improving one’s diet. These factors and more contribute to a better way to treat the body while sitting at a desk for 40 hours a week. To learn more, visit Abrams Chiropractic online at www.abramschiropractic.com.