.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} You’re stuck in another marathon meeting. Your back and neck are screaming. Your brain is swimming. You get home stressed and exhausted, wanting nothing more than dinner and television before going to sleep and doing it all again the next day.

Is there any relief in sight?

Office life may not be as physically rigorous as many professions, but the toll inflicted on the body 40 hours a week sitting in a desk chair staring at a computer screen can be huge.

Tinnitus, carpel tunnel syndrome, nerve irritation, back pain, shoulder problems, elbow pain and neck disorders are just a few of the many physical ailments that can befall workers due to the nature of their job.

“We see a lot of people with very serious problems develop in the office setting,” said John Leven, vice president of therapy services for Concentra Inc., an occupational health services company with an office in Des Moines. “Offices are designed with the average person in mind, and typically that person doesn’t exist.”

Stephanie Laouras, a yoga instructor at Fitness World West in West Des Moines, said simple stretches anyone can do at their desk can help in avoiding serious problems down the road.

“When you sit at a desk all day, you sacrifice flexibility in your muscles,” she said. “When your muscles are tight, you increase the possibility of injury later on when you try to get active.”

Laouras said yoga improves flexibility, strength, stamina and overall well-being.

“Plus, it’s a huge stress relief,” she said. “I’ve worked in an office setting, and yoga was really important to me. It was the only time I could just let my mind go blank and truly relax.”

Leven, who has been a physical therapist for more than 25 years, said his company does workplace consultations to improve office ergonomics, making the office environment more comfortable for the human body.

“Typically, we start with the chair,” he said. “That’s where you spend most of your time in an office.”

If posture is off, other problems quickly rear their head, Leven said.

“Core strength, or strength in your mid-section, is very important,” he said.

Good posture engages the muscles in your core region, Laouras said, which improves the strength of those muscles.

“You can do all the sit-ups and crunches in the world, but if you sit slouched all day at your desk, those muscles will never develop,” she said.

Leven said a chair should be adjusted so both feet are flat on the floor, with some pressure off the front of the legs. He said he also doesn’t recommend arm support, as that tends to cause pressure points to develop on the elbows from constant pressure.

“If you’re in the proper position, you shouldn’t need arm rests,” he said.

The keyboard should be situated so that your arms are at your side and your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. A padded wrist rest is also recommended to rest on between typing. The mouse should sit at the same height as the keyboard to avoid strain.

A person can feel when they are beginning to tighten up, Laouras said, and that is when they should do something.

“If nothing else, just move around,” she said. “Instead of going to the bathroom closest to you, walk to the one farthest away. Don’t stay seated all day.”

Laouras said there are many simple stretches a person can do right at their desk that don’t take any time at all and could make a big difference.

“Just a couple minutes of good stretches at your desk mean a lot,” she said.

Leven said the key is to develop good work habits and stick to them.

“The office life is as hard on you as you make it,” he said. “If you follow helpful strategies, you can do pretty well. ”