Working in a Sitting Position - What to Avoid while Sitting
On this page
- Why is body position or posture important while sitting?
- What to avoid doing while sitting?
- How does sitting on a chair that is too high affect your body?
- How does sitting on a chair that is too low affect your body?
- How does work at a worktable that is too high affect your health?
- How does work at a worktable that is too low affect your health?
Why is body position or posture important while sitting?
Back to topPoor arrangement of the workstation encourages an awkward body position. A poor body position or posture can hinder blood circulation, affect the nervous system, and contribute to injuries and illnesses
What to avoid doing while sitting?
Back to top- Tilting the head forward to prevent neck injury
- Sitting without lumbar support to prevent back pain
- Working with arms raised to prevent neck and shoulder pain
- Bending wrists to prevent wrist pain and muscle cramps
- Working with unsupported forearms to prevent shoulder and back pain
- Lifting or dropping the shoulders
- Keeping elbows far from the body
- Frequently reaching for things (especially when bending or twisting of the back is necessary)
- Cramming thighs under a worktable will affect blood circulation.
- Sitting on a chair that has poor support for your body or stability
- Rounding the back (slouching)
- Excessively arching the lower back
- Leaning forward without supporting bodyweight
- Reclining the chair’s backrest at an angle greater than 30°
- Dangling feet
How does sitting on a chair that is too high affect your body?
Back to top- It puts pressure on your thighs which reduces the flow of blood and can cause varicose veins and swelling in the legs and ankles
- It puts pressure on the sciatic nerve causing pain or discomfort
How does sitting on a chair that is too low affect your body?
Back to top- It disrupts blood circulation in lower legs, causing swelling
- It creates too much pressure on buttocks and causes discomfort
- It can cause rounding of the lower back, resulting in lower back pain
How does work at a worktable that is too high affect your health?
Back to top- It causes bending of the wrists to reach the worktable, or resting the wrists on the edge which result in damage to tissues and pain
- It prevents use of proper lumbar support and can cause back injury
- It makes it necessary to lift the shoulders, causing pain
- It tires the whole body
How does work at a worktable that is too low affect your health?
Back to top- It causes excessive rounding and bending of the back to reach the worktable, leading to back pain
- Bending of the wrists may occur when working on the table (e.g., typing on a keyboard), causing wrist pain
- Supporting the weight of the upper body causes fatigue
- Fact sheet confirmed current: 2022-09-28
- Fact sheet last revised: 2022-09-28