The Link Between Posture and Technology: How Your Gadgets May Lead to Injuries

 

Hunched over, slouched shoulders, with rounded backs is how most people use their gadgets in a working atmosphere. Leaning off desks, necks slouched forwards to see what is on the screen, with the mouse hand scrunched up on their dominant side. Our bodies were not designed to be sat like this for extended periods. Your weight can also play a big role in how good or bad your posture is during these daily activities which we cannot avoid. 

 

 

When using a mobile device, avoid slouching over and instead use your arms to hold your phone in front of your face. Keep your phone at eye level. When talking on the phone, avoid balancing your phone between your shoulder and your ear at all costs. Keep your head up straight, literally, and you’ll find that you can easily control the effects of technology on your posture. 

 

Sit up with your back straight and your shoulders back. Your shoulders should be relaxed and your body supported against the back of your chair with perhaps a chair rest. Try putting a pillow or a small rolled towel between your lower back and your seat. Keep your feet flat on the floor and the top of your computer screen in line with your eyes. 

 

Consider using a special headset or earphones if you spend a lot of time on the phone, as holding a handset between your head and shoulder can strain muscles and cause headaches. Just make sure to give your ears regular breaks from your headset to avoid ear pain. 

 

It can be incredibly beneficial to get up every 30 minutes from your sitting position and go for a small walk round the office or room to stretch off your limbs. To ease off your shoulders, try rolling your shoulders forward a few times and then back and rolling your head first in one direction and then in the opposite. 

 

It’s a good idea to have a daily routine of stretching and mobilisation exercises in the mornings and evenings and even on your breaks. Even if you only spend 10 minutes going through your stretches, it will be massively beneficial for your body. Set goals to help improve your dysfunctions and try to avoid making excuses like not having enough time. If time is something you think you’ll struggle with, try turning off your technology 15 minutes before you sleep and going to sleep earlier so you can get up half an hour earlier to do exercises or stretching! 

 

These are all just bad habits which we don’t need in our lives. It’s actually very easy to make time for exercise and incorporating different activities into our lives, on top of having busy careers and families. Try and sit down one day and note down how many unnecessary things you do on your day to day basis and highlight them with a pen. Find something to replace them or slowly try to break those habits.