On average, today’s desk worker spends more time sitting at their desk than they do sleeping or any other activity. By the time you add in commuting, sitting at dinner and watching TV at night we may spend two-thirds of our day in a seated position. This often causes a myriad of aches, pains and injuries because the human body is made to move, not remain sitting for such an excessive amount of time. On any given day at our office we see patients suffering with back pain, neck pain, headaches, carpal tunnel issues and more due to their computer use.
If you do spend your workdays sitting at a computer, follow the tips presented in this article and you can reduce the likelihood of suffering from those potential aches and pains.
Body Position:
1. Your upper legs should be flat against the bottom of the chair.
2. Your lower legs should form a 90 degree angle at the knees.
3. Your feet should be at a flat on the floor or on a foot riser.
4. Your back should be against the back of your chair for lumbar support and between 100 and 135 degrees in relation to your legs (if possible).
5. Your shoulders and neck should be relaxed and your arms should be tucked near your sides
6. Your eyes should be able to view the screen comfortably without having to stretch, crane, or strain your neck or your eyes.
Keyboard, Mouse and Monitor
1. The keyboard and mouse should be positioned directly in front of your chair so you do not have to twist or reach to use them.
2. Your monitor should be about 1 arm length in front of you with the top of the monitor at approximately eye height. Tilting the monitor can help decrease glare.
Move!
1. As stated earlier our bodies are made to move. Getting up and out of your work chair 2-3 times per hour to walk, stretch or move for a couple minutes can go a long way to keeping aches and pains at bay.
2. Spending hours staring at a screen causes eye fatigue which can make us lean in towards the monitor, leading to poor postural habits. The 20/20/20 exercise is a great way to reduce this eye strain. Every 20 minutes you should stare at an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
