ERGONOMICS AND WELLNESS: 5 USEFUL EXERCISES TO IMPROVE OFFICE HEALTH
Those who work in the office every day know how much a proper workstation can affect their health: in fact, an incorrect posture, combined with little movement and not paying attention to some small expedients, are conditions that can lead, in the long run, to posture problems and chronic physical pain.
ITEM in this comes to our aid with its ergonomic office products, made specifically to remedy these kinds of problems.
When we are in the office (or when we are working in our smart workstation) and we are focused on the various jobs to be done, we do not pay special attention to the positions we take, how we sit, the distance between us and the computer, the relationship between the height of our seat and the work surface, and details like that.
ITEM has always developed ergonomic solutions to improve office lifestyles, where it is easier to inadvertently assume incorrect postures, thus risking subjecting our bodies to greater stress.
This is precisely why the ergonomic principles that ITEM applies to its products are fundamental to being able to live without these kinds of worries. The products and solutions that ITEM develops serve to help us carry on good, healthy habits that can save us from future physical complications and discomfort.
Health and well-being must come first, let’s never forget that! Especially in the workplace (along with safety).
Fortunately, there are many companies wondering how to improve these kinds of issues, and we at UTR, as ITEM representatives and dealers, want to give you some suggestions.
Human beings and work: are we really made to assume the same position for so many hours a day?
The answer is NO: human beings are not made to spend many hours in the same position. It is precisely by following this principle that ITEM develops its products and makes them usable for everyone: ergonomic solutions that are indispensable for those who want to maintain good health over time and designed for all those companies and entrepreneurs who care about the health of their employees and collaborators.
Five practical tips to improve office life.
Word of mouth? Stretching!
What solutions, then, should be adopted to maintain good health in the workplace?
ITEM comes to the rescue by suggesting some simple exercises you can do at the office during the workday, or at home.
How many times have we heard this over the course of our lives? Stretching is a fundamental activity to be able to keep our bodies in a healthy state and with good muscle elasticity: stretching the calf muscles, the Hamstring muscle group (back area of the thigh) and the lateral muscles of the torso – Quadratus quadratus of the loins and the Psoas – are good habits to incorporate into our daily routine if we want to age in the best possible way, free from pain and harmful postural attitudes.
Staying healthy at work is easier than you think, which is why ITEM recommends exercises designed not only for those who find themselves working at fixed workstations but for anyone who wants to counteract the negative effects of holding the same position for long periods of time.
- Standing exercise: Stand up straight, keeping your neck straight and extended, gaze straight ahead. Your feet should be positioned about the same as the width of your hips. Hold the position for about 15 seconds.
- Seated exercise: Sit with your back straight, resting both feet on the floor. The ideal sitting height is with your thighs slightly tilted down toward your knees. Hold the position for about 15 seconds.
- Calf muscle stretch: stance with one leg forward (as if you were to step). Shift all your weight to your front (bent) leg and keep the heel of your back leg on the floor. Slowly extend the knee of the back leg. Hold for 15 seconds and then switch sides.
- Spine and arm stretches: interlace fingers and bring arms up so palms face up. Try to keep elbows straight. Shoulders should stay down, relaxed (don’t lift them!).
- Neck Stretching: Tilt your head downward. Interlock your fingers and place your hands behind your head. Move elbows forward by stretching them carefully.
NB: Don’t forget that by choosing ITEM solutions you will already find everything you need to maintain an ergonomically correct position, whether on a desk or an industrial workbench. These exercises are recommended to implement good habits and to help us maintain a youthful physique, trying to ward off the onset of muscle problems in the future.
To find out all the ergonomic exercises recommended by ITEM and see figures to help you do the exercise correctly, download this brochure from their official website.
