WASHINGTON — Commuters across the area are returning to work after a New Year’s break. And those who have resolved to have a happy and healthy 2015 might want to take a second look at their desk chairs.
The wrong fit can leave you with an aching neck or back, and too many people — especially those on the short side — feel the effects.
“You can have the best, most expensive chair in the world, but if your lower back doesn’t reach the back of the chair, and your feet can’t reach the floor, then you are not going to sit properly on the chair,” says physical therapist Anne Wendel, clinic director for the MedStar NRH Rehabilitation Network in Lorton, Virginia.
She says it is important to adjust the chair for proper lumbar support, adding, “If you can’t reach the floor because of the depth of the seat, you would want to use something like a box or a little footstool.”
Anyone who sits for an extended period of time needs to get off that chair at least every 30 minutes or so and just move — and that goes double for those who don’t have proper low-back support.
“Your muscles are holding you in that sustained posture for a long time and they fatigue — our muscles and our joints need to move in order to get nourishment and blood supply,” Wendel says.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has more tips on its website, including information on backrests, seats and armrests to ensure the perfect desk-chair fit.
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