We take some things for granted in life. Take breathing for instance. It is the most vital function that keeps us alive; in fact, it is the sign that we are alive! Yet, breathing happens so automatically that we rarely are 'aware' of it, until we come across an article like this that reminds us that breathing the right way is important for good health.

Let us discuss another human activity that you are involved in 90% of our waking time and yet know so little about - sitting. You sit at the breakfast table, in the car, and then again at work in our office chairs. You come back in the evening to sit or slouch before the TV. With so much of sitting around, it is quite right to make sure that we are sitting right!

Office Chairs - Looks Alone Are Not Enough

Work has changed over the years so that most careers nowadays do not involve too much moving around or actual physical exercise. Most of the work is done at a desk, in front of the computer. An incorrect sitting posture or a wrong office chair can be harmful for your health.

It can cause pain or injury to the back, neck and legs. It can also cause diseases such as spondylitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. All these are usually termed as non- accidental injury at the workplace because they are caused by normal and routine activities done as part of the job.

The most important thing that you should do to prevent such injury is to be aware of how you sit and correct your sitting posture. A good office chair can go a long way in helping you to sit right.

The chair cannot be too comfortable because it will allow the body to slouch easily, creating problems. On the other hand, the office chair cannot be too hard either. While selecting an office chair, you have to focus on these aspects and not just the looks or comfort of the chair.

An entire new science is devoted to the study of human capabilities and health in relation to work demands. This is called ergonomics.

However, even if you have the best-designed ergonomics friendly office chair in the world, it is not a wise idea to keep sitting in it for the whole day! Static activity for a long time is not good for the back.

You must move out of the chair for at least 5 minutes every hour. Move around, walk a little and maybe do some stretching exercises. Your physical fitness will ensure proper protection against back injury.