Sitting at Work? Ideas to get you active

PostureMedia:  AARP Prime Time Focus with Alyne Ellis (Part 2 of 5)
Continuing in this 2nd part of the posture series for AARP radio’s “Prime Time Focus,” Posture Expert Dr. Weiniger discerns between “good” and “bad” sitting habits at work.  His choice of office chair?  An exercise ball.

“You want to be sitting with a ball that is higher.  You want your hips above your knees.  And you don’t want the ball to be maximally inflated; you don’t want it to be a hard ball,” he says.

He adds that moving at work is a good idea, but that treadmill desk you’ve been eyeing may not be the right choice for you.

“I would not say everyone should go out and buy a treadmill desk because it creates other kinds of problems.  A treadmill is not a normal gait pattern…”

Listen to the 2nd segment of this posture series for tips on work posture to share with your patients & clients.

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Part 1: Combatting sitting posture

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AUDIO TRANSCRIPT

AARP:  INTRO – “Standing still like doctors do in an operating room makes the feet and back hurt.  Sitting all day isn’t good either.  Our bodies are designed to move – but in the right way.”  Posture Expert, Dr. Steven Weiniger

WEINIGER:  I would not say everyone should go out and buy a treadmill desk because it creates other kinds of problems.  A treadmill is not a normal gait pattern because normally, when you’re walking outside, you’re pushing your body forward and pulling your leg forward.  On a treadmill you’re pulling your leg forward, and then the tread pulls it back.

AARP:  When you sit, use a good ergonomic chair that supports the pelvis, and switch it out on-and-off with a large ball.

WEINIGER:  You want to be sitting with a ball that is higher.  You want your hips above your knees.  And you don’t want the ball to be maximally inflated; you don’t want it to be a hard ball.

AARP:  Sit up, shoulders back, head up – but not tilted up or down, torso straight.  And when you stand up, take a real walk.  Tomorrow: Check your posture.  Dr. Weiniger’s book is Stand Taller Live Longer.  That’s Prime Time Focus brought to you by AARP.  I’m Alyne Ellis.