Healthy Back Through Choosing the Right Desk

Having a standing desk is now not a luxury but a necessity if you take proper care of your health. Recent research shows that a sedentary lifestyle is harmful indeed, it is the main cause of 21-25% of breast and colon cancer, 27% of diabetes cases, and approx. 30% of ischaemic heart disease.

Therefore, sitting for prolonged periods is harmful to your health not only in the short term. It can cause long-lasting harm and cause serious medical conditions that are either curable with difficulty or incurable at all. And this is one of the main reasons why using a custom height adjustable desk is becoming a popular trend.

Benefits You Get by Using a Standing Desk

Along with those grave medical conditions that can be prevented in the long run, you can count on almost immediate health improvements when you are using a height-adjustable desk. What about pains in the back? We bet you have been experiencing these annoying and extremely unpleasant sensations every day.

What about getting rid of them? Even if you work in an office, you can get rid of pains in the back and neck without attracting too much attention from your colleagues. And if you work from home, you are free to include a real workout in your working routine. With a height-adjustable desk, it is easy. Let us have a look at some exercises that you can do without leaving your working place. And yes, if you use the desk correctly, this item might become an essential item in your home-office-gym renovation plans. So, consider getting one, and now, let us have a look at how it can be used to get rid of constant pains in the back.

Changing Between the Sitting and Standing Positions

If you are sitting or standing only, your back suffers. In both cases, the spine almost doesn’t move and thus, doesn’t relax, let alone the fact that your back is not in its natural position. Therefore, constant back pains accompany you whenever you work.

A standing desk is used to work in both a standing and a sitting position. When doing so, you let your back stretch and relax. And it, in turn, helps to prevent pain.

Do not limit yourself to working only: a standing desk is a perfect tool to do some exercises. Here are just some of those that can be extremely beneficial for your back.

Shoulder Stretch

In a standing position, put your arm across your chest. Stretch the arm. Bring the other arm under and in front of the stretched arm as if you are hugging it. Bring your arms as close to your chest as possible, and hold them in the same position.

Reverse the arms and repeat the exercise.

As you can see, you do not need to look for free space to perform this exercise. You are getting enough space for exercising if you are using a standing desk. If you repeat the exercise a couple of times, you will feel relief not only in the shoulders’ area but in the back, too. Doing shoulder stretches doesn’t require any special equipment or effort, and your back will be grateful for it.

Chest Stretch

Chest stretch is another exercise that helps to relax your back joints and muscles. Clasp your hands behind the back. Stretch the arms, the hands are clasped. Lift the arms, the shoulders blades are down. Stay in the position for 10-20 seconds, and repeat it again.

Back Stretch

In a standing position, bend your right knee and lift it to the hip. Now you are balancing on the left leg. Place the left hand on the bent knee and turn your body to the right. Stay in this position for approx. 10-15 seconds, and repeat the same with another leg.

Arm Stretch

It is one of the simplest exercises but also one of the most efficient. Clasp your hands together in front of you. Lift your hands up, above your head. Stretch the arms while keeping the hands clasped. Stay in this position for approx. 10-15 seconds, lower the arms and relax. Repeat the exercise when needed. This exercise is useful not only for your back but for your arms, too.

In the short term, these exercises will help you to forget about pains in the back and neck. In the long run, they will assist you with preserving your good health for ages and preventing complex medical conditions. Do not limit yourself with the described exercises – there are many of them, and you can combine your favorite ones into a perfect workout to enjoy every moment of your office life.

Bottom Line

While those office-workers who do not use advanced technologies such as standing desks suffer from consequences of insufficient mobility accompanied by the deterioration of their physical and mental health caused by the COVID pandemic, you can benefit from the situation if you have a height-adjustable desk in your home office. This item helps you to be ok physically and it means that your mental health will stay in good condition, too.

Author:

Hayley Mann is a technology enthusiast specializing in automation methods of ergonomics devices. Her engineering background helps her to create interesting articles on technical topics, making them understandable for all readers.

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