Sitting

Following are a few guidelines for sitting - whether at work, study,

Keep the computer mouse close enough that the elbow remains close in to the body.
Do you suffer from "mouse creep", where you arm ends up extended? Then I recommend adding a little blue-tak (removeable putty) to the bottom of your mouse mat and placing it in close to the keyboard, so your elbow is at your waist. There's a high chance you will automatically keep the mouse on the mouse-pad and therefore work more ergonomically.

Distribute all frequently used desk items evenly between left and right hand’s reach

Keep feet comfortably flat on the floor - don't cross your legs. Use a foot-rest if your feet don't reach the floor.

Men: don't keep your wallet in your back pocket when sitting as it gives you an unbalanced seat.

Ensure the chair has a relatively high and straight back rest, which is well adjusted and use a lumbar support. Check the seat tilt and arm-rest height also. For more ergonomic tips check out: http://www.ergonomics.com.au/pages/400_useful_info/420_how_to_sit.htm

Do not hold the phone receiver between shoulder and ear – use a headset.
Also stand up on long phone calls, or when you don't have to be in front of your computer screen ... the change helps relieve stresses on your body.

Other things to do:
* walk the long way to the toilet, kitchen, meeting room etc;
* stretch every hour - even a few minutes will help;
* when walking, turn your hand so your thumb is pointing forward. This gently externally rotates your shoulder (backwards);
* transporting your laptop? Don't carry a heavy bag on one shoulder. Use a well-balanced back-pack, using both straps, or a bag-on-wheels;
* when travelling to or from work practise your pelvic-floor and gluteal (butt muscle) activation exercises ... both boys and girls please!