Whether we admit it or not, it's quite safe to assume that a lot of us slouch or work sitting in positions that can be very detrimental to our spine health. Sitting hunched on your laptop for hours on end can lead to a slew of posture-related health complications that can be very difficult to remedy in the later stages of your life. Not to mention, you'll have to contend with chronic pain and discomfort, which in itself leads to poor productivity, lack of focus, and a score of other things.
In light of this, we're going to talk about some prevalent health complications that come with poor posture and why exactly using ergonomic furniture can help you maintain and improve your back, neck, and shoulder health.
5 Health Issues That a Poor Posture Can Cause
Digestive Complications
Sitting and working for prolonged periods will likely cause you to hunch forward, positioning your shoulders and neck into a slouched position, bending over your chest and abdomen. What this essentially does is gradually constrict your digestive tract, which in turn can slow down your natural metabolic rate. With poor metabolism, you won't be able to effectively digest food, resulting in nutrient deficiencies. This is why it's recommended you switch to a height adjustable desk, which is going to help keep your back straight.
Gradual Nerve Damage
While this isn't an issue you will face immediately, however, in the long-term, your bad posture will end up misaligning your spine along with shifting the bones in your shoulders and neck. An unnatural spinal curvature or bone misalignment will, in turn, pinch the surrounding nerves in your musculoskeletal structure, causing intense pain in your neck, shoulders, and back.
Unnatural Spine Curvature
Your spine naturally curves in three different areas such as the upper-mid back, lower back, and neck. However, prolonged slouching or sitting hunched forward can further add to the curvature, unnaturally twisting the spine, which can cause frequent painful headaches, pinched nerves, intense neck, and shoulder pain, along with a slew of other physiological health issues.
Unhealthy Blood Circulation
Corporate work is typically done sitting down on a chair. Couple that with an already bad posture and you're inching closer to developing symptoms associated with poor circulation. Because you're hunched or slouched most of the time, you're blocking some of the parts from getting an adequate amount of blood, which is what results in frequent numbness, exhaustion, fatigue, and stress.
Breathing Problems
When you're constantly leaning forward or hunching, you're not allowing your lungs to get the proper amount of oxygen they need to function. As a result, your lungs will not be able to deliver the required amount of oxygen to other vital organs in your body, which can cause dwindling levels of cognition, constant lack of focus, fatigue, cardiovascular problems, and shortness of breath.
Types of Ergonomic Furniture That Can Help Improve Your Posture
There are different varieties of posture-correcting and comfortable office furniture you can consider to optimise your posture, improve your focus levels, and enhance your productivity. Some of them include:
A Standing Desk
These are work desks that are designed to help individuals comfortably stand and work by helping keep the back, neck, and shoulders in their natural positions. In addition, standing desks come with height adjustable features, which can help you set the correct height. Plus, you can easily alternate between sitting and standing.
Ergonomic Chair
A specially designed office chair can help you maintain the natural arch in your back, preventing your spine from unnaturally curving and pinching your nerves. They can help eliminate the frequent pain and discomfort that comes from overly slouched and hunched shoulders and will enable you to work without unnecessarily leaning forward.
Some Reasons Why You Should Invest in Ergonomic Furniture
Ergonomic chairs and standing desks come with a plethora of scientifically-backed health advantages that don't just help improve your posture but can also allow you to enhance your productivity. In addition, comfortable office furniture can be a powerful source of gradually restoring your natural posture after decades of slouching and hunching, which can in turn help boost your metabolism, optimise your blood flow, and help you breathe properly.
Bottom Line
So there you have it, a comprehensive analysis of the consequences of living your life with a bad posture and the variety of health complications you may suffer if you don't do anything about it. It's unwise to neglect the importance of a healthy posture. Sure, while it seems that you're used to working hunched or slouched and haven't yet encountered any problems, the truth is, you're not considering the long-term health implications of a bad posture. So, act now and consider using the best ergonomic furniture to optimise your well-being.
