(lifepr) (Selsingen, 24.09.2013) Spending eight hours or more at their desks is not uncommon for millions of workers. That adds up to a staggering average of 55,000 hours in one professional lifetime. A circumstance that is of concern because the effects of this sitting marathon on your health can range from harmless tensions in the shoulder and neck area and issues with the lumbar spine all the way to invalidity. Until now the only dynamics found in a rather immobile working day have been the "short trips" to the printer, coffee maker or the bakery around the corner. Therefore Aktion Gesunder Rücken (AGR) e. V. recommends more dynamic standing/sitting and "active" sitting. Products such as the Swing Up office chair and the Attention High Conference meeting table with an adjustable height offered by Sedus are perfectly suited to promote these recommendations. Both products carry the AGR Seal of Approval.

By nature, human physiology is made for being in motion all the time. A lack of exercise and a rigid posture due to constantly sitting at a desk or workplace without moving have proven to be unhealthy. That is why your body will gratefully accept any stimulation to move.

Goodbye, back pains

The awareness of the advantages of well-balanced standing/sitting dynamics is growing slowly but surely. AGR's recommendation for individuals who spend a great part of their working time sitting down is to adopt the "ideal conditions" suggested by labour physicians as much as possible. These advise anyone working at a desk to keep alternating between sitting down (50 %), standing up (25 %) and walking around (25 %).

A workplace that can be used while sitting down or standing up is a sound solution. That requires a simple, quick and quiet mode of adjusting the height of the desk. In addition, "desk jobbers" should take short breaks every 30 minutes or sooner to stretch their legs while going to the bathroom, the printer or a colleague's room.

AGR awards innovative 3D seat concept with its AGR Seal of Approval

Sedus Stoll AG from Waldshut is a pioneer among the manufacturers of ergonomic swivel chairs for daily use. The close collaboration between the Sedus Research Department and the Faculty of Ergonomics at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has been a major contributor to the development of the new Similar Swing seat concept.

The Swing Up office chair model available as of September of 2013 offers completely novel options of staying in motion, particularly in the hip area. The controlled flexibility on the sides of the seat provides the possibility to tilt the pelvis to either side as well. This offers additional room for moving the hips and consequently activates considerably more muscles and joints than previous seats. The frequency of slight changes to the posture during work increases as well, which also improves the circulation of the blood. That again activates brain activities and has a positive effect on cognitive skills.

A daily sitting marathon? No thank you!

A summit conference: Meetings, respectively lengthy conferences, that include hours of discussing strategies usually leave no room for any physical movement at all. The participant's concentration wears off in no time. After only 20 minutes the attendants' ability to absorb what is being said starts to decrease considerably and the first signs of fatigue become apparent. But now that is a thing of the past: The Attention High Conference meeting table manufactured by Sedus makes it possible to hold meetings while standing up by merely pushing a button. That does not only promote concentration but also creativity. It is a healthy option that does away with sitting marathons in the usual meeting ambience while having a positive effect on the employees' efficiency and motivation. An additional plus: The meeting table now provides space for more participants.

About Aktion Gesunder Rücken e. V.:

Since AGR was founded in 1995, it has focused on establishing awareness for the importance of creating back-supportive conditions in order to avoid back pains. "Because everyday products that optimally take the stress off the musculoskeletal system and the spine essentially contribute to the prevention and therapy of back issues," as Detlef Detjen, the CEO of AGR, knows. The registered association is supported in its endeavour by many thousand partners and members of the medical and therapeutic professions. Furniture and other items that comply with certain ergonomic and orthopaedic criteria receive the AGR Seal of Approval after they have successfully passed the test conducted by independent medical experts.

SHORT & SWEET

For millions of office workers it is normal to sit at a desk for up to eight hours per day. However, the human body is made for constant movement. In order to prevent tensions, pains and particularly chronic back problems due to a lack of exercise, AGR recommends office work that is constantly "on the move" and certifies ergonomic products, such as the new Swing Up office chair and the Attention High Conference meeting table with an adjustable height manufactured by Sedus because they provide "active" sitting and optimized dynamic standing/sitting.

Visit agr-ev.de for additional information