motd Monday March 12, 2012 - posture

[Guest guest]

SIT UP STRAIGHT!

Monday, 12 March 2012

Okay, how many times did you receive that

order from one of your parents or maybe from a teacher

at school? Most kids don't think much about it but

when they're told to do so, they immediately

straighten up for that teacher or parent. But then,

within a few minutes, they've slouched right back into

their "comfortable" positions.

A poor sitting position can

eventually lead to bad posture.

Hey, that order may have gotten on your nerves a bit

when you were younger but, let me tell you, it was good

advice. And

it becomes even better advice as you get older. See,

the way you sit, over time, can affect how you

stand or even walk as you get older. That's right,

a poor sitting position can eventually lead to bad

posture. And you want good

posture throughout

your life. It'll help keep your spine in shape. And

a healthy, well-aligned spine is extremely important

as we age. Which brings me to you and your computer

keyboard.

Like me, you probably spend hours everyday at your

computer. Because we spend so much time in that

position, it's doubly important we practice good

sitting and body movements as we're typing away. Here

are some tips for you to follow.

Make sure your chair has a

comfortable back and good arm support.

Make sure your chair has a comfortable back and good

arm support. Adjust the height so that you can keep

your feet flat on the floor and make sure you have

plenty of leg room.

Position the screen an arm's length away, avoiding

glare from windows and lights. Use the desk or your

chair's arm wrests to support your forearms.

Keep your mouse close to the keyboard. To avoid

dragging your mouse, which can lead to arm pain, clean

the roller ball regularly. If you don't have a mouse

pad, invest in one. They're inexpensive and better

for your arm while moving that mouse around.

Check your posture. (Oh, oh. Looks like we're back

to our parents and teachers orders. LOL.) Relax the

muscles in your forearms, shoulders and neck by

sitting straight up. And...try

to get up and stretch every 20 or 30 minutes, too.

I'm not just asking you to

take my advice. I follow it!

Okay, time to start my own day at the computer. And

by the way, I'm not just asking you to take my

advice. I follow it! So, the next time

you're at that computer and find yourself slumping,

it's not your imagination. Oh yes, that's my voice

you hear in your head reminding you to...

SIT UP STRAIGHT!

Love,