#1 tip for desk workers
/I was recently asked, “If you had to pick one tip to support sedentary desk workers which one would you choose?”
Before I can give you my answer… let’s go over some background info.
When we interact with the world in front of us (typing, riding bikes, driving, washing dishes, childcare, you name it) for prolonged periods of time we tend to lean our heads forwards, collapse through our chests, and round our shoulders. Slouch city! But slouching in itself isn’t the issue. In fact, I don’t mind slouching at all, as long as you can also take on other positions in stride.
What’s going on physiologically? Over time, our whole system adjusts itself to support our ability to sustain positions that we demand of it. Let’s break down how this works in simple terms. The nervous system of humans is uniquely interconnected and plastic. Our fascia is highly sensitive connective tissue which envelopes organs, muscles, blood vessels, nerve. Healthy fascia is supple, fluid, and allows for movement of layers of connective tissue as they slide over one another to produce movement and allow us to interact with the environment fluently.
When we move in specific repetitive patterns or stay still in one distinct shape, our fascia literally reorganizes itself to support our ability to access those shapes. It’s actually quite an efficient trick! For example, if your selected position is sitting still at your desk, your body adapts to support your ability to sit still. You may experience the attempt at reorganizing that takes place once when you go to stand up again. It may seems like you have to dust off all the cobwebs. It may take a few minutes or longer to start to feel like you have movement fluency once again. I know I’m not alone on this one!
So back to the original question… “If you had to pick one tip to support sedentary desk workers which one would you choose?”
Here it is:
THE BEST POSITION IS YOUR NEXT POSITION
Shifting frequently throughout the day is the best way to keep your system on its toes and avoid that amazing adaptation that occurs when we preferentially hang out in the same position for too long. While you might not be able to ditch the chair and roll onto the floor due to physical limitations or what seems socially acceptable in your work environment, here are some ideas to try:
find a wiggle in your chair while at work
stand up once in a while
enjoy a stretch break between emails
give up your seat on the train during your commute and do a tiny dance instead …
Whichever way you can incorporate movement into your work flow, your body will thank you!
