“My neck hurts,” is a common complaint I hear from my office colleagues and my patients who sit at their desk all day long. Complaints of an aching neck are inevitably followed by complaints of an aching back or sore shoulders, wrists, and knees.
As a DPT, I can’t stress enough how important proper seating ergonomics are while sitting in front of a computer. When we spend hours sitting stationary, focused on our computers and personal electronic devices, our bodies truly begin to take a toll. Therefore, proper body alignment while seated at your desk is critical to the future health of your body- from your neck down to your toes.
Here are a few key seating positions that assist with better/proper body alignment, and lead to decreased pain:
1. Your hips and knees should be at a 90 degree angle with your hips/buttocks/back pushed all the way to the back of the chair.
2. Reaching for items should be no further away than a forearms length (~10-12inches).
3. The monitor should be an arm’s length away (~20-24inches) and the top of the monitor should be at eye level with it slightly tilted away from you.
4. Wrists should move in line with forearm, no left or right wrist deviation with keyboard/mouse motions nor flexion/extension motions.
Examples of Poor Posture:
Also, stretch, stretch, stretch with some active range-of-motion (ROM) movements as well as get out of that sustained position for 3-5 minutes every hour. The greater your pain, take breaks every 20 minutes for 2-3 minutes. And don’t forget to breathe! 3 deep breathes a day!
You’ve only got one body! Treat it well! Your body will thank you for it!
Cara Hollander, DPT (In-house Physical Therapist)
Allied Health Division
