The Most Important Benefit of Maintaining a Neutral Posture

Maintaining poor postures can lead to a host of musculoskeletal health problems. Read this article to learn what a neutral posture is, the most important benefits of maintaining a neutral posture, and tips for working in neutral postures in different work environments.

The Most Important Benefit of Maintaining a Neutral Posture

Neutral postures are postures where the body is aligned and balanced while either sitting or standing, placing minimal stress on the body and keeping joints aligned.

Neutral postures minimize the stress applied to muscles, tendons, nerves and bones and allows for maximum control and force production.

In other words, when your joints are in a neutral posture, your body is in a stronger position. You’re able to minimize the stress on surrounding muscles and supporting structures of the joint. This reduces fatigue and enhances your body’s ability to recover from the work load.

The opposite of a neutral posture is an awkward posture. Awkward postures are one of the primary ergonomic risk factors leading to the development of a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD); a painful injury to your body’s musculoskeletal system.

So, the most important benefit of a neutral posture is that you reduce a primary ergonomic risk factor leading to the development of an MSD. Your work will be easier and less stressful on your body. Think prevention!

How to Maintain Neutral Postures

Use the graphics below to learn what a neutral posture looks like as opposed to an awkward posture. As you go about your day, remain conscious of the posture of your joints and try to stay in a neutral position.

Neutral and awkward wrist postures

Neutral and awkward elbow postures

Neutral and awkward shoulder postures

Neutral and awkward back postures

Maintaining Neutral Postures in the Office Environment

Many of us spend many hours of our day sitting at desks, typing away at our computers. It might not seem like it, but this sedentary work can wreak havoc on your body, especially if you don’t take your posture into consideration.

Make sure your office workstation is setup correctly to allow for neutral postures! Here is a helpful office ergonomics design checklist to get you started.

Bonus tip for the office: get up and move! The best posture is the next posture, as they say. Make sure you get up and move! Stretch. Take a walk. Get your blood flowing. Take a breath. Then get back to work. This postural rotation is good for your body and mind. It’ll reduce any discomfort you’re experiencing at your desk and make your more productive.

Maintaining Neutral Postures in the Industrial Environment

If you’re an industrial athlete, you use your body to work hard for a living. Working in awkward postures only makes that work harder and less productive. On the flip side, working in neutral postures greatly reduces your risk of an injury and makes your work easier and more productive.

Remember to use proper lifting techniques, choose the correct tools for the job at hand, use them properly, and take counteractive stretch breaks throughout the day.

If you believe your workstation has ergonomic risk factors that don’t allow for neutral postures, escalate the issue to a supervisor or member of your site’s ergonomics team.

Conclusion

The most important benefits of maintaining a neutral posture are that you’ll greatly reduce your risk of an injury, lower any pain or discomfort you feel while you’re working, and you’ll be more productive. Make sure you follow the tips above for your work environment and remain conscious of your posture throughout the day.