When carrying out the majority of daily tasks (driving, ironing, sleeping, working with a computer, watching television, reading, etc.) we usually adopt postures that do a good deal of harm to our cervical vertebrae. Even other seemingly normal activities, such as vigorously drying our hair with a towel, can lead to neck tension.
We would like to recommend a very simple exercise so as to show you how our posture is usually incorrect and how difficult it is to strike a good balance as regards our cervical vertebrae. Sit down on a chair and balance a book on your head. Then gently rock your head backwards and forwards, and left to right, while taking care not to let the book fall. If you have succeeded and, in addition, managed to walk while doing so, your cervical vertebrae are in pretty good shape.
Among the many activities that can cause cervical pain, working with a computer is probably one of the most common.
The bad postures that we adopt at work finally lead to cervical pain. But how does this complaint develop? The first symptom is slight discomfort in the nape, which bit by bit shifts to the back of the head and both arms. The discomfort disappears when we change our posture or go to bed.
With time, the mobility of our neck is restrained and we feel a prickling sensation, or a lack of strength, in our arms and hands. Other frequent symptoms include dizziness and, in the final phase, instability.
The following recommendations for preventing and/or treating this kind of complaint might help you to adopt the correct posture when working with a computer:
1. Screen: at eyelevel and 40-50cm away.
2. Arms: at a right angle, with your shoulders relaxed and wrists resting on the desk.
3. On sitting down, place your lumbar region against the backrest. Your feet should be resting on the floor and your knees slightly higher than your hips.
4. Adjust your position every 15 minutes. Be aware of your posture.
5. Don’t forget to take an active pause every two hours. Do stretching exercises and move your joints to free the tension in the areas that support the greatest stress. Click here for stretching exercises. You only need three minutes!
