Tips for officers on election duty to avoid back pain

Dr. Sheetal Adhalakha, Spine Specialist, QI Spine Clinic, suggests ways for people on election duty to take care of their posture

Officers on election duty are the invisible part of the voting process. They sit in one place, in the same position, at the polling booths without taking any break. Forofficers already having back pain, this gets worse.

"In an age where doctors are considering sitting as the new smoking, people with desk jobs sit for 10 hours at a stretch. This is harmful regardless of election duty. The number of hours and the restrictive posture is bound to cause chronic back pain," says Dr. Sheetal Adhalakha, Spine Specialist, QI Spine Clinic.

Dr. Sheetal Adhalakha, suggests simple ways to improve posture that every officer on election duty should keep in mind to prevent the occurrence or worsening of back pain:

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1) Sit correctly: Avoid slouching. Sit with your hips all the way behind and feet flat on the ground. Your arms should be supported by an armrest and back should be straight against the backrest.

2) Use a lumbar roll: Support the natural curve of your spine by using a lumbar roll or a rolled-up towel. Place it behind the small of your spine when sitting on a chair.

3) Set a timer while sitting: Set a timer on your phone to remind yourself to break your posture while sitting for long hours.

4) Stretching is important: Do simple stretches throughout the day such as placing your hands on your lower back and stretching backwards.

5) Stay active: If there are fewer voters at your station, stand up at regular intervals. Stand every 20 minutes. Try and take short walks around.

6) Get moving: Keep different parts of your body active at all times. Stretch timely & take breaks to avoid muscle spasms. For instance, do neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, shoulder rolls at regular intervals.