New Year’s Resolution are too trendy so I gave them up. Instead, I set resolutions and goals frequently and display them in obvious places. A new resolution prompted me to pick the brain of our roommate Nick – a physical therapist intern and bodybuilder.
What can the average person do to improve well being? He said, “health (fitness) is not a destination. It’s a journey, a change, a habit. Ask yourself if you really want to change. If you’re not ready, it’s not going to work.”
He says a drastic overhaul is nearly impossible to maintain, while building on small changes leads to success. In 21 days, that small change becomes a habit. Good, I am not ready for a drastic overhaul; I’m already doing that on the career front. Before sharing his advice on workouts and eating habits, I need a basic change – better posture.
Nick says poor posture lands more people in physical therapy than trauma. Hunching over while typing, lifting incorrectly even doing exercises improperly. My other friend, a PT assistant, reminds me constantly to unlock my knees. Her comments sparked the habit of watching how I stand. I really need a habit of proper body alignment. Yoga does me wonders, but it’s not 24-7. I struggle to keep my ears in line with my shoulders, standing and sitting. When I see an elderly lady with osteoporosis, I want to kick myself.
Nick offered these tips:
1) Set a reminder (on computer or cell phone) to check your posture hourly.
2) When sitting, your hip, shoulder and ear should be inline.
3) The low back should have an inward curve; this may require a rolled towel. A great trick he demonstrated is to put a soft belt in a dishtowel, roll the towel around it and then tie the roll to your chair so it stays. Cheap and comfy!
4) Keep knees and arms bent at 90 degrees; arms close to your body.
5) Bring things (like the mouse and monitor) closer to you; don’t reach for them.
6) Adjust the monitor so the top is at eye level; this keeps the chin up.
It’s not rocket science, yet I keep catching myself in bad posture. I hope good habits are set before month’s end. Until then, Nick warned that changing posture habits will probably cause aches in new places. Great, more aches.
My favorite tip from Nick is “act like a cat. Cats lay in the same place for hours. What’s the first thing they do when they get up? They stretch.”
He says we should take a couple minutes every hour to stretch. Because we do so many things in a forward motion, he recommends a back bend to open the chest. Ah, much better.
The OSHA site backs up this info and offers images. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/positions.html
(Nicholas Adams finishes his third internship (of four) in Portland this week. Although he wont’ typically tell you how to live, he will graciously offer advice if asked. Nick is on a vigorous workout schedule and food regime, but makes room for treats and Thanksgiving carbs. I will be sharing more of his insights soon.)
December 13, 2009 at 8:31 pm |
Good thing I have this nifty button on my desk that raises or lowers it to whatever height I want from a midgit sitting to Jeff standing. It’s SO cool. I play with it a lOT. I will practice sitting up straight this week for moral support!