Okay, if this headline caught your eyes, you’ve likely experienced some form of pain or discomfort during your workday. AND… you are probably wondering if your chair or desk set up could be contributing to the sore neck or back you’ve had the past few weeks.
Let’s dive straight into the common workplace postures I see when I’m onsite doing ergonomic assessments for local businesses around Geelong (see if any of these are YOU).
- The Knee Bender
- The Huncher
- The Sloucher
- The Ergonomist




And let’s not forget those who might also be studying at the moment
- The Uni student
- The Thinker


Depending on the time of day, some will be reading this and thinking ‘I do all of these’. So, what is the best advice when it comes to sitting at work? Let me share:
Your Next Posture Is Your Best Posture
Our bodies weren’t designed to sit all day. Frequent movement helps nourish our joints, produce contractions in our muscles and tendons and reduce load/stress through passive structures like ligaments and spinal discs.
When we stand, postural muscles are continually contracting to hold our body upright and prevent us from losing our balance. When we sit for long periods, contractions in these large muscle groups are mainly absent. This means our muscles switch off, and the passive structures like ligaments and joints absorb more stress. Hence the sore lower back!
What can you do? Reduce sitting time by taking regular micro breaks from the desk. Get up to go grab a glass of water from the kitchen, schedule walking meetings, and remove the bin under your desk so you have to go to a central bin when disposing of rubbish. Implementing strategies around postural change like these are the most recognised strategies to reduce the likelihood of developing musculoskeletal symptoms. And if you’re still working from home, you know exactly what I mean when I say we don’t get up and move around as much as when we’re in the office.
Want to know more about home or workplace office ergonomics? Organise an office ergonomic assessment. Contact me directly to discuss admin@oceansideergonomics.com.au.