Back pain is one of the most common reasons for taking time off work. The HSE has run a campaign over the last three years looking at ways in which employers and workers can combat the ever increasing incidences of industrial injury and work related pain.

Office workers generally spend the majority of the day seated in an office chair at a computer  and very often slumped over a desk . It is the effects of these everyday activities , and repetitive actions that are contributory factors in the occurrence of repetitive strain injury,carpel tunnel syndrome and chronic back pain.

We cannot escape the changes in our working lives  and medical research suggests that the once recommended solution of bed rest may in fact be aggravating the problem. Apparently what we should be considering is the art of office ergonomics which looks at ways of reducing the risk of injury and adopting best office practices and risk assessment to ensure that we adopt responsible attitudes towards our own health.

You wouldn't walk around in a pair of shoes two sizes too big or squeeze into a pair of of size 3 stilettos if you were a six foot three rugby player now would you ,so it is hardly surprising if our bodies are screaming out in pain after a day in a badly fitted chair not designed for its purpose. Take a good look at the chair that you are sitting in now , are you sitting up straight , is the seat the right length and width for your body size, do you experience pain or discomfort in any part of your body , if it doesn't feel right the chances are that either your chair is incorrectly adjusted or is the wrong size for you.

The right chair isn't the end of the story, our bodies were not designed to sit in a chair for eight hours or longer in many cases so you must ensure that you take regular breaks and walk around . Avoid sitting at your desk for the entire lunch break, some fresh air and exercise will make a huge difference to your health and well being . If you have back pain then swimming will help to strengthen your muscles and ease them back into suppleness. Some enlightened companies even employ the services of a chiropractor to ensure the fitness and comfort of their employees as a cost effective alternative to the huge costs of having staff off work.

Our own chiropractic advisor Dr Richard Bonamy-Price of Witney Chiropractic Clinic has the following advice 

“The main thing to remember these days is that most individuals are too sedentary so 20-40 mins sitting is max, they must then get up and move even if for 30 seconds, sitting for 2-3 hours plus is a disaster on the spine especially the lower back....”

For people who do not fit an average chair size we suggest looking at the following models.

• Small Petite Frame size  (Requiring a smaller seat for a shorter leg)
• Very tall Frame up to 6’ 4” (Requiring a high back adjustable head rest)
• Additional weight requirements (Upto 18 stone)
• Chair designed for long working hours (up to 24 hour use i.e. Security Guards)
• Posture chair (Additional lumbar support)