60-second at-work fixes

Slash your risk for obesity, back pain and eye problems with these clever on-the-job health checks

- Jane Worthington

1 DON’T BE A SITTING DUCK

Sitting at a desk for hours on end places more stress on your back than standing, says specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist Andrew Dalwood. “To put sitting in perspective. When you stand, each disc in your back supports 100kg of pressure on average, while when sitting, each disc has to tolerate between 140kg of pressure, even in a good posture. In a slouched position, however, pressure can increase to almost 185kg, which is equal to standing up and bending forward or washing your face in a sink all day,” he says. Dalwood explains that slouching, along with incorrectly using a computer mouse (tip: keep it close to your fingertips to avoid overreaching), can lead to nagging back and neck pain. He suggests looking for opportunities to stand, such as when you're on the phone. He also urges people to walk to the office next door rather than email. “The spine likes movement,” he says.

TRY DALWOOD’S ONE-MINUTE SIT-UP