Monday, June 11, 2012

Ergonomic Chair - Achieving Non-Stop Relaxation While Working









Guest Blogger:   Paula Preston

If you are constantly in front of the computer, writing a document or finishing a report or two, you might have experienced situations when your body suddenly gets numbed and your current sitting position, regardless of how comfortable it may seem, becomes a source of body pains you can't comprehend. These are signs that your body is experienced some form of stress and injury.

Three of the most common parts easily hit by stress and related injuries are the wrists, the neck, and shoulders down to your waist. If these parts of your body are in pain, you might find it difficult to stand, sit, and even perform even basic bodily functions. Furthermore, the pain occurring in these parts of your body could develop to sciatica, RSI, carpal tunnel or worse, paralysis.

To combat body aches and pains, you need to find a more comfortable sitting position as you use the computer and give the use ergonomics a chance in your hurried life. You will be surprised at the difference it can make! Ergonomics can protect your muscles and bones from cramps and injuries caused by too much sitting and it can also minimize the onset of stress.

Neck strain is probably the most common type of injury that is often felt around your neck and shoulders. You might find it difficult to tilt your head to certain angles if you've been hit by neck strain. You might also feel inconvenienced when sleeping in certain positions; neck strain causes this phenomenon. The longer you remain in front of the computer without exercising your body from time to time could inflict damage on your joints too. To lessen the possibility of getting neck strain, stretch a little after a few hours of computer use and use neck ergonomics to support your neck and shoulders from unnecessary stress.

Aside from neck strain, you are also prone to back pains caused by wrong sitting postures. If you are usually in front of the PC, try to observe regular periods of rest. A 20-minute break can do you good.

You should try a few stretching exercises during your short break to loosen up the tension in your muscles, and joints. You should also observe proper sitting position.

This can be achieved by maintaining right sitting posture with the use of ergonomic chairs and lumbar support. Make sure your feet are well rested on the ground or use a foot rest if you find it difficult to settle your feet on the ground without slouching.

Bad posture could mean back aches and body problems for you in the future so it is important to maintain a good sitting position when using the PC. To arrest joint problems and RSI before they worsen, use ergonomic systems to support your body.


Photo credit:   sixninepixels/freedigitalphotos.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4327720

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Smart Tips on How to Relieve Back Pains without Surgery or Drugs




 A common cause of back pain among office employees is their sitting on non-ergonomic chairs too long.  Yes, their chairs may have caused their troubles.

How to Easily Spot a Bad Chair

It does not involve rocket science to distinguish a bad chair from a good one; just don’t let your guard down when you make your final choice.   Always choose a chair that offers back support, appropriate for your own body size, weight and height.  Do not buy a chair simply because a neighbor bought it, or your favorite celebrity has endorsed it.  Avoid the trappings of aesthetics; attractive designs should go well with the benefits you can derive from the use of your new chair.

Four Tips on How to Relieve Backache

Obviously, the most important tip is in choosing a chair.  This is not an easy feat as “not all chairs are created equal”. 

#1:  Don’t just sit on any chair.  Choose an ergonomic chair.

Ergonomics is the science of finding a “fit” between the tool and the person who uses the tool for work.  Citing the chair as an example, if you sit on a non-ergonomic chair, one that has no lumbar support and crafted for just any user, it is very possible that you will experience lower back pain, leg cramps and discomfort.  On the other hand, if your chair has lumbar support and has its height and width suited to your body size, weight and height, you will less likely experience back pain, neck pain and leg cramps.

ErgonomicsMadeEasy.com is a great site for all ergonomic chairs, desks, mini keyboards and other ergonomic equipments and accessories.

#2:   See a Doctor or a Chiropractor.  Most body ailments carry the symptom of pain.  Your back ache could be something serious.  Before you attempt at alternative therapies, it is best to consult your doctor.  Only a licensed, medical professional can properly diagnose your condition and give you assurance that it is not life-threatening.

#3:  Avoid the coach potato syndrome.

Do not sit on your chair for long hours without taking a break.  Exercise your cramp leg muscles by taking a leisurely walk.

#4:  Sit properly.  Do not slouch.

Backache is a real job threat; it is something you should not take sitting down.
It disrupts work and adversely affects your performance.  It lowers productivity, diminishes efficiency at work; may cause your frequent absences or recurring sick leaves.  Before long, you might find yourself a candidate for lay-off!

Invest in your Health:  Sit only on Ergonomic Chair

Ergonomic chair saves you money from medical costs; it also protects you from the debilitating effects of back pains that when left untreated may cause disability.  Why risk your health?

The little extra amount you put in for an ergonomic chair goes a long, long way to save you from medical cost, disability, and worse from losing your job due to low productivity, inefficiency and outright poor performance.

For ergonomic chairs that are just right for you and your budget, please ErgonomicsMadeEasy.com is one legit and verified good source of quality and cost-efficient ergonomic mini keyboards, ergonomic chairs, ergonomic mice and desks, including ergonomic accessories.

Relieve back pain without breaking the bank – use ergonomic tools today!


Photo credit:   Ambro/freedigitalphotos.net

Sit on Good Health: Five Benefits of Ergonomic Chair





You could be sitting on your problem – your chair.

Your poor sitting posture on an equally ill-fitted chair may be causing your lower back pains.  At the onset of pain, a pain reliever or ibuprofen may provide temporary relief; however, it is always advisable to consult your trusted medical professional when your back pain persists, or when there are other attending physical symptoms that may signal a serious ailment.

Sit on Good Health

Recently, internet searches indicated a growing interest on ergonomic chair.  Chiropractors have advised their patients to prefer ergonomic chairs over stylish or ornate standard chairs, obviously for health reasons. The science of ergonomics has proven that it is not another “cash cow idea”, one that milks dry the purse of gullible consumers.  Ergonomics works, and ergonomic chair is an innovative solution to the growing list of employees who suffer from chronic back aches.

Ergonomic Chair Benefits

Lumbar support:  lower back pain is often the chief complaint of people who sit before their computers for longer hours.  Most standard office chairs are not equipped with lumbar support.
On the other hand, ergonomic chairs have built-in comfort available in every chair with its lumbar support. Simply choose an ergonomic chair that is proportionate to your height with the lumbar support positioned exactly on the hollow part of your lower back for optimum results.

Minimizes work stress:  A comfortable sitting position minimizes the risk of putting too much strain on your back muscles as you sit for longer hours while at work before your PC.  Ergonomic chair comes with adjustable settings; you can adjust the height of your chair to make sure that both your feet rest flat on the floor, and avoid leg cramps.  You can also adjust the height of your chair proportionate to the height of your desk and eliminate the need to exert more effort to reach out for things on your desk.

Enhances productivity at work:  Fewer aches =lesser absences.  With no discomfort or nuisance at work, you can focus more on your tasks meet the desired results.

Improves efficiency.  Work-related stress diminishes a person’s ability to think through a problem or situation clearly.  His ability to calculate or come up with logical decisions while on his feet may be impaired.  His efficiency level can go down and he may develop a propensity to commit mistakes in his work.  This can go unnoticed for a few months, but inefficiency never gets very far.  Glaring errors may pull the business down, and along with it your job.

Promotes ease of movement.  Sitting on a chair that is proportionate to your height, weight, body size and with lumbar support for added comfort on your lower back – what more can you ask for?
Ergonomic chair is not anybody’s chair – it’s yours.  This is the concept behind the science of ergonomics; to fit the tool to the user.  One-size-fits all chairs do not provide the same level of comfort that ergonomic chairs deliver; in fact, your body pains may be caused by sitting on one of these non-ergonomic chairs.

Make sure that you are buying an ergonomic chair and not a chair that is just ergonomically-designed.  The former is the “real thing”, while the other sounds like a “knock off”.

You would want to invest in something that gives you back your money’s worth, right?  Choose an authentic ergonomic chair and reap all the benefits.

Ergonomicsmadeeasy.com  is a trusted source of ergonomic mini keyboards, ergonomic mouse and other ergonomic office tools and equipments.

When buying your mini keyboards or ergonomic mouse, please choose according to your own body type, size and specific needs.  The science of ergonomics supports the principle that tools and equipments should fit the needs and bodily requirements of its user.



Photo credit:   Ambro/freedigitalphotos.net

Ergonomic Chair and Other Pain Relief Tips that Work



 

People all over the world have searched far and wide on pain relief remedies that do not cost much, have no known side effects, and deliver instantaneous and permanent relief.  Oriental medicine and therapies have showed encouraging results; however, their cost when done for the long term can “break the bank”, so to speak.  

Medical professionals are also adamant in warning those who immediately seek alternative therapies, before seeing their doctors, to exercise caution.  Pain is a symptom associated with a host of ailments; only a trained and licensed medical professional can make an accurate diagnosis if pain, as your symptom, is not associated with an ailment that could be life-threatening.  It is therefore wise to seek proper medical advice before plunging into other alternative pain relief remedies, such as the following:

Yoga.  A series of yoga sessions may offer pain relief on your lower back.  Those who suffer from chronic arthritis may find relief on yoga exercises, too.

Acupuncture.  The use of needles during treatment was met with initial adverse reaction among those who sought treatment using this Oriental method; however, positive reviews have diminished people’s fear of needles.  Today, acupuncture is one of the few most sought-after alternative treatments against body pains. 

Massage.  A long-time favorite of most people, massage is reliably helpful in relieving stress and chronic pain, but only for the short-term.  Unless the cause of chronic pain is left unchecked, pain persists and massage may not be cost-effective, if sought for the long-term.

Innovative Solutions that Make a Big Difference

Repetitive strain injuries, sustained at the work place, have caused billions of dollars paid out to medical costs and sick leaves, annually; work-related stress is the most common template of repetitive strain injury that lowers productivity and as a consequence, the company’s revenue.

Anxiety at the work place is often caused by complex reasons, ranging from poor working conditions to pressure on the job.  These can have immense effects on the manner at which employees react to stress. Work stress produces a plethora of health conditions, such as depression, panic attacks and carpal tunnel syndrome that hamper productivity and adversely affect performance. 

Recent studies have revealed some simple solutions you can do, right where you are, at work.  In fact, all it takes is maybe just an ergonomic chair, an ergonomic keyboard or a sound masking system to chase your pain away – for good.

In general, repetitive stress injuries CAN be avoided by using ergonomic products, and totally avoiding “one-fits-all” office equipments.

Ergonomic keyboard and ergonomic mouse prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or wrist pain.  When left untreated and allowed to persist for a long-time, chronic wrist pain may cause permanent deformity.

Ergonomic chair prevents chronic back pain, as it is equipped with lumbar support.

Sound masking system masks office noise that may cause headaches, anxiety attacks, etc. and increases speech privacy (read:  confidential matters are kept confidential even in high traffic areas inside the office), even if you’re not watching!

In-depth research and study has revealed these simple solutions you can avail of, right where you are, at work.  In fact, all it takes is maybe just an ergonomic chair, an ergonomic keyboard or a sound masking system to chase your pain away for good, improve on your performance, increase your productivity and become this year’s Model Employee of your company.   Invest in a good buy!

VoiceArrest Speech Privacy Systems is the most cost-efficient and highly effective sound masking tool you can purchase at SpeechPrivacySystems.com.  Visit their online showroom for more product info.



Photo credit:  Photostock/freedigitalphotos.net

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Ergonomic Chair and Smart Tips on How to Avoid Back Problems


 
Have you seen an ergonomic chair?  If you haven’t, it’s about time you should take a look at some photos on the internet, and buy one that suits your budget.  Don’t scrimp on the little amount of money you will shell out for the purchase of your first-ever ergonomic chair.  You are making an investment in your own health.  Using just any chair will cause your back to ache; if left untreated, it might cause deformity and seeking treatment from a licensed chiropractor may already be too late, if not more costly. 

The Rising Incidence of Back Problems

The most common cause of back problems among office employees is sitting on chairs with no lumbar support, or chairs that are either too small or too big for their body frames.  Even the height of chairs matters; sitting on a chair that is too high for a person’s actual height will put strain on his legs and feet.  For a more comfortable sitting position, feet should rest flat on the floor.

Using ergonomic chair will actually save you more money than the cash outlay you will make for the purchase of your chair.  It will save you from backache that can put your whole life on hold, albeit temporary, whenever pain strikes.  It can hamper your work, diminish your efficiency and lower your productivity.  It can put your life and career on perilous waters more so at this point in time, when retrenchment is very much in the news.

First Things First

When your back aches, more likely the first person you would see is your doctor, or a chiropractor.  This is a wise move.  Only a licensed professional can make a correct diagnosis of your symptom.  There are other ailments with an aching back as one of its symptoms, and it is risky to proceed with alternative remedies without a medical professional ruling out more serious ailments.

Don’t take chances.  Why put your health at risk when all you need to do is put in a little extra for a new ergonomic chair with lumbar support? 

Invest in ergonomic chair that suits your height and body frame.  Avoid back problems, even before it starts.

Here are additional tips on how to avoid a lifetime inconvenienced by backaches and possible deformity:

1.  Avoid sitting on your office chair over a long period of time.  Occasionally, stand up; take a walk or a leisurely stroll to exercise those tired or cramped leg muscles.

2.  Do not cross your legs when you sit in front of your PC or desk.  Crossing your legs constricts your blood vessels, and this puts more stress on your leg muscles;

3.  Observe good posture at all times.

4.  Do not settle for just any chair; look for an ergonomic chair with back or lumbar support.

You need not suffer from chronic back problems that may endanger your health and your job.  Do not wait for the “right time” when to make a purchase.  The time is NOW.  Maybe tomorrow’s too late.

For ergonomic chairs that are just right for you and your budget, please visit ErgonomicsMadeEasy.com.  It is one good source of all ergonomic home and office equipments and accessories.


Photo credit:   imagerymajestic/freedigitalphotos.net

Monday, July 4, 2011

You Could be Sitting on Your Problem: How to Spot a Bad Chair



 
Is backache spoiling your fun? You are not alone. Chronic back pain can alter your life’s choices for the worse, and all this time you could be sitting on the cause!
 
Nobody truly cared for a chair, provided it was aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. This was years ago when most people believed that a chair by any design, style or make was one and the same – until their backs ached. Today, the internet is buzzing with searches about “ergonomics” and “ergonomic chair”. 

ErgonomicsMadeEasy.com has noted these searches have given them more traffic than the past two years, and their cash registers have also showed improvement. Ergonomics has indeed “shaken up” the way people do things, nowadays. And ergonomic chairs have taken the vanguard position on sales charts.

A Sit on Good Health

At any angle, an ergonomic chair looks like an ordinary chair, but it has features that set it apart by thousands of dollars on sick leaves and medical costs. For one, it protects its user from chronic back ache that when left untreated may cause disability or even deformity.
By comparison therefore, and using health as a yardstick, any chair that is not ergonomic is a bad chair for your back, most especially for those who sit for long hours before the PC. But how can you tell?

Features of an Ergonomic Chair

Every ergonomic chair is built upon the objective of “fitting the tool with its user”. This is the principle behind the science of ergonomics. Proponents of ergonomics believe that stress-related injuries, such as back pains, may be avoided if a person sits on an ergonomic chair that is suitably fitted for his particular height, weight and body size, instead of sitting on a chair that is either too low or too small for his body. Long hours on that chair will definitely cause the body more stress, which will eventually lead to chronic disabling symptoms like a back ache.

Here’s how to spot a “bad chair”:

No lumbar support. This feature sets the benchmark for an ergonomic chair, and that not all chairs are created equal.

Lumbar support protects you from back pain as you sit for long hours before your PC as it supports the arch of your lower back that carries the body’s full weight when seated.

No adjustable settings. These settings “customize” the chair depending on your height. Ideally, your feet should be positioned flat on the floor most times while you are seated. Without adjustable settings, and seated on chairs that are too high for your height and therefore elevates the feet off the ground, may cause leg cramps. 

A “Misfit”. Obviously, a chair that is not appropriate for your body size, height and weight may cause you more body aches. Not even the three bears on Goldilocks story sat on chairs not appropriate for their size, remember?

Armrest not included. Most ergonomic chairs come with armrests for more ergonomic benefits.

Online ergonomic stores carry different styles and designs of ergonomic chairs, but you have to select one that is suited for your needs and budget. ErgonomicsMadeEasy.com has budget selections for students and professionals; they also provide free information on how other ergonomic tools, like ergonomic keyboards and mouse, desks and accessories can speed up your work and increase your productivity.


 Photo credit:  adamr/freedigitalphotos.net

Tips on How to Sit for Good Health





The way you sit may be causing you health trouble. Back ache is often the result of poor sitting posture, but lately even the chair you sit on can cause the problem.

For sure you want this monkey off your back, for good – right? Back pain is disabling; it can alter moods easily when it strikes, and it can ruin dates. Now, count that last one as the worst effect of back ache!
Seriously, back ache is something that you should deal with by the horns – immediately. It is a symptom of many ailments, therefore you should consult a medical practitioner BEFORE you attempt on dealing with it by alternative means. 

Deal with the Chair

If you are sitting long hours before your desk, back pain is not your strange bed-fellow; in fact, most back pain sufferers have reported to be working 8-10 hours straight on their PC, daily. This gives you the grim picture of how bad back ache gets for these people, if they sat too long on chairs not suited for them.

Not All Chairs are the same

Ergonomic chair is not everyone’s chair. It has adjustable settings that you can use to “customize” the chair depending on your body height. Your feet should lay flat on the floor when you are seated; “just any chair” does not have settings that will allow you to elevate or lower the chair to meet this criterion.

Ideally, an ergonomic chair should have lumbar support fitted on the arch of your lower back to give your body the support it needs as you sit long hours at work. Non-ergonomic chairs do not have this feature, the main reason why it is too stressful for your back if you were to sit long hours on this type of chair.

With all the benefits that your body, your back most especially, can derive from using an ergonomic chair, there is no reason you should skip from investing in one. The little extra you put in pales in comparison to the expense of pain relievers, doctor’s fees and other related costs that come along when your chronic back ache becomes more disabling as it gets worse.

The following tips may also help you avoid back ache:

1. Sit straight against the back rest of your chair. If necessary to shift weight a little forward, or sideways, make sure that you don’t do this repetitively, as this may cause stress-related injuries. 

2. Avoid reaching out for things that you need frequently by organizing your desk in a manner that limits this repetitive action. 

3. Do not sit on your chair for long hours, save for a few minutes on a bathroom call. You need to walk around, stretch your leg muscles and relieve stress building on your shoulder blades.

4. Avoid crossing one leg over another for long periods as this limits blood flow to your legs and feet. Leg cramps are as bad as back ache.

5. Sit on ergonomic chair. 

Ergonomic tools and equipments, such as ergonomic keyboards, ergonomic mini keyboard, desks and ergonomic chairs are available online. Don’t miss out on budget-friendly options at ErgonomicsMadeEasy.com. This is one store that has all ergonomic tools and equipments, including accessories – in one place.



Photo credit:  akeeris/freedigitalphotos.net