Joint pain related to sitting at your desk for hours is a common complaint these days. In fact, for those of us who have desk jobs, sitting occupies most of our time. We sit in our car for hours to commute to work; we sit at our desks for at least 8 to 10 hours a day; and then we go home and may sit in front of the television till it’s time for bed. This adds up to a lot of sitting!

We often think sitting is a form of inactivity and neglect to realize that our joints are working hard to support the body in a sitting posture. Learning to sit correctly to minimize health hazards associated with marathon sitting would do us well in the long run!

Take Care of Your Posture!

Back, shoulder and neck discomfort are common due to poor sitting posture. So, what is the correct posture and what we can do to minimize the joint health hazards of sitting at a desk job? Here are a few tips:

• A good chair with a comfortable back support is important. Remember the support should be at the lower back, near the hip level and not at shoulder level. Adjust your chair so that your feet are touching the ground and your knees are at a 90 degree angle to the ground.
• Sit up straight. Your hips should be at a 90 degree angle from the ground.
• Rest your arms on arm rests when using your computer. This will reduce the strain on your upper back and shoulders. A slide tray for your keyboard will help reduce more strain.
• During your sitting position, remember to keep your shoulders pulled down and back. This should squeeze your shoulder blades slightly. Your chest should be lifted up and leaning slightly forward.
• The top of your computer screen should be at eye level and at a distance of about 20 to 26 inches away. Remember not to "freeze" your muscles into a fixed position while working. Turn your head to the left or right every once in a while. Every twenty minutes, look away from your computer screen and gaze at a distant object. This helps to reduce the strain on your eyes and relax them.

Take a Break!

• Every hour you should make it a point to get up, walk around, and stretch your muscles to release the tension. You can do stretch exercises without getting up from your desk:

• Circle the shoulders in backward and forward rotations.

• Pull your shoulders up to your ears and hold for a few seconds. Repeat.

• Slowly move your neck towards your shoulder. You should feel a gentle stretch on your neck as you hold for a few seconds. Repeat with the other shoulder.

• You can alternate stretches with walking around. Get up from your desk and go for a 5-minute walk outside the office. As you walk let your arms swing naturally as you walk. This helps to relax the shoulders. Getting out of the office will also give you some fresh air. Take deep breaths as you walk.

• Drink plenty of water.

Take Joint Supplements!

Taking the necessary precautions can help release some of the strain on joints produced by a desk job. Combine this with internal nutritional support for joint health and you’ll be well fortified. A joint supplement nutritionally assists your body in helping to alleviate the damage on joints. Nutrients such as glucosamine sulfate have been well researched. They work inside your joints to keep your cartilage strong and facilitate stress-free mobility and flexibility. Physician-approved joint supplements like GoFlex have scientific support. GoFlex also comes with a topical cream that contains an Food and Drug Administration-approved ingredient called capsaicin, for times when you need quick relief from achy joints