Back Pain

At some time or another, you may experience back pain. Statistics show that more than 50 percent of people have a disabling episode of back pain at least once in their life. While it is impossible to predict who will have back problems, it has been proven that certain occupations are at higher risk for back injury: those with heavy or frequent lifting, and those that involve prolonged standing or sitting.

Researchers have identified the following problematic sitting positions:

• Sitting upright with the back at a 90 degree angle to the legs
• Sitting with the upper body bent forward at the waist
• Sitting with the head tilted upward (for example, to view a monitor above eye-height)
• Sitting while looking down or to the side (for example, to view a document on the desk)

All of these positions put extra stress on muscles, tendons, and vertebra in your back and neck.

To learn more about Office Ergonomics visit our Office Ergonomics Online Training web page.