Since I work with patients in the Entertainment Industry (not with A-lister actors, but the important people behind the scenes), I see an array of patients that work in sedentary jobs, where they have to sit hours on end while at the computer, editing, drawing, emailing etc., in order to complete deadlines.

Many of them can be working at their computer for 12-16 hours a day, which as you know and has been a recipe for disaster. So in order to combat this dilemma, I have a few tips and suggestions to keep your mind and body healthy and to be able to complete the work day without setting up your body for disaster (PAIN!)

• AWARENESS of you posture

As we know as human beings, every day we fight the battle against gravity and as we sit for prolonged periods of time, our awareness of body positioning and posture tends to lose the battle. We tend to slouch and bring our forward head, which is not an optimal position for your spine. In order for our spine to be most optimal, one must think that the vertebrae as “building blocks.” As we build a stable base and then continue to put the “blocks” in a stable and supported position from the low back all the way up to the neck, the blocks are able to function better and have improved stability, much like building a tall building. So the spine has natural “curves” as part of its anatomy and most optimal function and we need to support them to maintain optimal positioning for our muscles, vertebrae, discs and surrounding structures. So making sure you have good lumbar support and a good back supported chair is imperative.

Shoulder positioning is another important aspect of maintaining optimal function and prevention in pain, tight musculature and poor posture. Shoulders should be retracted to “open and stretch” the chest muscles as well as bring our shoulders back where they are most optimal in terms of joint space and function. In order for our head to be supported for static positions such as sitting at the computer, the head needs to be alignment above our trunk so the forces can be disturbed equally through the cervical and thoracic spine as well as the torso.

Over time, most people tend to bring their forward, which puts greater stress on cervical musculature and over time these muscles fatigue especially since they are small muscles that are not meant for sustaining prolonged positions. That’s when we start to get pain. Being aware of your position and maintaining your head over your shoulders will enable to forces to be distributed through the spine versus the muscles and maintain optimal health.

When working at a desk or work station, ideally your shoulders should be back and ears in line with the shoulders. Shoulders and elbows position should be at 90 degrees. Wrists should be 0 degrees. Back should be supported with lumbar support to support the natural curve lumbar curve. There should be equal weight bearing through the “sit bones” and thighs. The hip to knee angle should be 0 degrees and the knee to ankle alignment should be at 90 degrees.  Feet should flat and be equally weight bearing on the floor.

Even with optimal posture while sitting, as human beings we are not meant to be in static position for greater than 20 minutes. Movement provides lubrication to our joints and circulation to the muscles which can help our body function more efficiently. So ideally when working on project, standing, walking and stretching breaks are recommended every 15 to 20 minutes.

While the breaks are frequent, the breaks do not have to last even more than 1 minute. Just getting up and doing some shoulder rolls, head turns and squats can take less than 30 seconds, but have a lasting benefit for the body.

A tip for remembering breaks is having a time set to go off every 15 minutes to remind you to change positions and keep your body moving. Think of your spine as building blocks. With a stable base and proper alignment, the building blocks are more stable but also movement provides necessary fluid to the joints for easier movement.

• EVERYDAY exercises for posture:

  1. Chin tucks: neck retraction: is an exercise to position the head in order for the trunk and thoracic spine to help redistribute the load of the head versus when the head is in the forward position, which is very common with prolonged sitting, driving, working at the computer, the neck muscles take the load of supporting the weight of the head. Since the neck muscles are relatively small, these muscles fatigue quickly causing neck pain and big overused muscles like the upper trap compensate, which alter one’s posture.

  2. Pectoralis major stretch: I recommend this a foam roller because you can do many things with it especially stretching your pectoralis muscles. It aligns your spine with the use of gravity and it feels good! I tend to do this stretch as often as I can and it’s so easy to do!

  3. Scapular retraction: squeezing your shoulder blades together is twofold. It stretches your pectoralis muscles as well as strengthens your shoulder blade muscles, which in terms improve your posture! It also easy to do and you do not need any equipment. You can do it while you are sitting, standing, driving and walking so there is no excuse not to do it!

  4. Self-thoracic spine mobilizations on foam roll: With poor posture our thoracic spine (middle of the spine) becomes more curved in a “C” shape. To stretch and mobilize the thoracic spine, you lie horizontal the foam roll and stretch into position with use of hand support to the neck. You can hold position for 3-5 seconds and then move up or down 1 vertebra and then repeat the hold. This helps open up the chest and moves the vertebrae anteriorly and thus can improve posture and also improve shoulder movements overhead.

  5. Sometimes people have significant difficulty or pain with chin tucks due to tight cervical and thoracic spine musculature so muscles need to be stretched and range of motion need to be emphasized before continuing with chin tucks

While these exercises are great for postural alignment, the NUMBER ONE thing that can help your posture alignment over the long run is POSTURAL AWARENESS and how you are positioned throughout the day!