The PILATES theme of the week is SITTING POSTURE:
WHAT IS SITTING CORRECTLY?
In sitting you may have a tendency to slouch or perch or do both at different times. However, the healthy way to sit is with your back supported by the back of the chair. In the car your back should be flat against the car seat. On the sofa you should support your back with cushions if the sofa seat is too deep and your bottom does not reach the back cushion of the sofa.
SITTING AT A DESK:
When working at a desk, the top line of text on the screen should be at eye level. If you use a lap top for work, it should be used only as a screen and you should have a separate key board and mouse with a wrist rest in front of your keyboard and a mouse mat with a wrist rest.
When writing, you should use a writing slope or lean on an empty A4 thick arch lever file to enable you to sit upright against the back of your office chair.
Your office chair should be adjustable and have 5 wheels and either short arms or no arms so that you can sit close to the desk.
You should take a 10 minute break from your screen every hour or 5 minutes every 30 minutes to prevent eye strain. British law states that you should not look at your screen for longer than 50 minutes without a 10 minute break. It is your responsibility to schedule these breaks and not your employer’s responsibility. However, you can schedule tasks into your day away from your screen eg phone calls, walking to the printer, taking a coffee or toilet break, or talking to work colleagues.
You can try this 5 minute video – Take a Work Break With Pilates – see video below:
Have a great week and remember to think about how you sit in different chairs and in your car this week..