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Working in a Sitting Position |
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Working in a Sitting Position - What to Avoid while Sitting
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Why is body position or posture important while sitting? Poor arrangement of the workstation encourages an awkward body position. A poor body position or posture can hinder breathing and blood circulation and contribute to injuries affecting people's ability to move. What should I avoid while sitting? - Sitting on a chair that is too high.
- Tilting the head forward. This helps prevent neck injury.
- Sitting without lumbar support. This helps prevent back pain.
- Working with arms raised. This helps prevent neck and shoulder pain.
- Bending wrists. This helps prevent muscle cramps.
- Working with unsupported forearms. This helps prevent shoulder and back pain.
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| - Cramming thighs under a worktable. This reduces blood circulation.
- Working with legs dangling. This destabilizes the body causing tiredness.
- Pressure on an underside of thighs. This reduces back flow of blood and can cause swelling in the legs.
- Sitting on a chair that has poor support. It can overturn and cause injuries.
How does sitting on a chair that is too low affect your body? - It disrupts blood circulation in lower legs, causing swelling.
- It puts pressure on internal organs.
- It creates too much pressure on buttocks and causes discomfort.
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| How does work at a worktable that is too high affect your health? - It prevents use of proper lumbar support and can cause back injury.
- It over-stretches spine and can cause back injury.
- It forces the head to tilt forward and can cause neck injury.
- It stresses shoulders and causes pain.
- It tires the whole body.
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Document last updated on June 18, 1998
Copyright ©1997-2008 Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety
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