If you spend several hours each day working at a desk, youve probably experienced the ache and pain that comes with poor posture. Were talking wrist pain, neck and back issues, hip soreness and even an increase in headaches all due to improper setup.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.Policy
Add in the new challenge of working from home during a pandemic and you might be wondering how to set up your new workspace to be productive and avoid pain.
Luckily, there are tips and tricks to setting up your office (or makeshift home office) to achieve good posture and ergonomics. Chiropractor Andrew Bang, DC, discusses what to keep in mind to avoid discomfort and injury.
Its no surprise that sitting all day (especially if youre hunched over pounding away on a laptop) can have some undesirable consequences to your health. From increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, to painful injuries like carpal tunnel and a stiff neck, properly setting up your desk and workspace should be a priority on your wellness list.
When it comes to good ergonomics, its really about positioning yourself to avoid injury, pain and fatigue and just improve your overall work performance, says Dr. Bang.
And who wouldnt want to achieve all those things?
Dr. Bang explains that there are four key areas to focus on when it comes to your setup:
These four fundamentals are the golden rules of ergonomics (whether youre working in the office or remotely).
I tell my patients when theyre setting up their workstation, think: head right, arms right, back right and move right, he explains. So if you do those four things correctly, it allows you to be in a position where you can avoid pain and a whole list of other injuries.
Dr. Bang dives further into the four key areas of proper setup.
Your head is like a 10 pound bowling ball when your spine is in a neutral position, explains Dr. Bang. And if you get into the wrong position, your spine takes on more of that weight.
So the farther your head moves away from your neutral spine, the more the weight goes up. Even moving your head 15 degrees forward (so slightly looking down), your head goes from 10 pounds to about 24 pounds! Thats a big increase on your spine, which can quickly lead to neck and back pain.
Add in looking down at a piece of paper and the pressure on your neck and shoulders jumps to almost 40 pounds. Do this for several hours and were talking major pain and damage, says Dr. Bang.
For this reason, always focus on your spine and head being in a neutral position. Place your computer screen straight in front of you where your eyes are looking primarily at the area of the screen that you use the most. Use books or a box to prop the screen up to the appropriate level.
If you have two screens, put the primary screen right in the center and the secondary screen off to your left or to your right.
If you can, try to move your secondary screen around, says Dr. Bang. Have your secondary screen to the right for a few weeks and then change it to your left in another couple weeks. Good ergonomics is about keeping your neck moveable and avoiding repetitive movements.
If you use a laptop, you might run into the issue of having your screen up so high that you cant reach the keys. For this reason I always recommend using a wireless keyboard, says Dr. Bang. If you cant type comfortably, youre going to be straining, which will quickly cause neck, trap and wrist issues.
Whether youre sitting or standing, the preferred position of your arms is going to be 90 degrees. So that means your shoulders need to be down at a resting position (not hunched up to your ears) and your elbows should be bent with your wrists staying neutral.
When it comes to your computer mouse, Dr. Bang recommends using an ergonomics mouse verse a traditional mouse. A normal computer mouse forces your wrist to twist, which can irritate carpal tunnel syndrome or give you general wrist pain. An ergonomics mouse allows the wrist to maintain a neutral position, almost like youre shaking someones hand.
Its also a good idea to move around your mouse pad from time to time to create a little variety in your positions. Again, focusing on reducing repetitive movement to avoid injury.
Most standard computer chairs have built in lumbar support and the ability to change your height, which is great for customizing your workstation, says. Bang. But if youre working with a normal chair, maybe even at home, theres a few things you can try when it comes to supporting a good back position.
You first want to make sure your legs and thighs are parallel with the cushion of your seat. This allows the pressure of your weight to be evenly distributed and reduces the risk of thigh or leg pain. Make sure your legs arent dangling or that youre not using the rungs of your chair to prop your feet up. If needed, get a box or stool to rest your feet on.
Sometimes, when were really engaged in our work, we tend to lean forward a bit, but your back needs to be placed up against the back of the chair, explains Dr. Bang. If youre constantly leaning forward youre going to get tired and fatigued and thats going to lead to tightness and back pain.
Instead, try using a lumbar support pillow, which will allow you to sit with the natural curve in your back. Place the pillow in the small of your back and adjust it so that your head is over your neck and shoulders. This even works with a regular, small pillow.
Think of the curve of your spine like a spring.As gravity bears down on it, the spring can change pressure and distribute it evenly. If you straighten your spine out or overly curve it because youre in a weird position, youre going to start to have some discomfort.
Along with the lumbar support pillow, you can get a chair cushion, which is also going to help distribute your weight. Some cushions have a cut out for your tailbone, which is a common complaint, either from a previous injury or from childbirth.
Even if I sit in the best possible position, if I stay there for too long, its going to cause me some pain and discomfort, says Dr. Bang. Whenever you get stuck doing the same thing, youre going to get injured. Repetitive movement is a big cause of injury.
Our joints are made to self-lubricate when we move. (Thats why movement is so good for us!) When we move our muscles we also stretch out from being tense or overstretched from sitting or standing too long.
I learned a saying from one of my patients that I think is so important motion is lotion, says Dr. Bang. We need to get up and move throughout the day.
Set a timer, schedule it on your calendar or make a rule for yourself that during every conference call youll try to incorporate movement, even if its a simple neck stretch. Try to figure out times throughout your day where a little bit of movement or stretching wont affect or impact your work.
Blend tasks together. So while youre reading a long email, youre stretching. If youre waiting for your lunch to heat up in the microwave, throw in some movement while you wait. Take advantage of bathroom breaks to make sure you get up every 45 to 60 minutes. Or if you have a standing desk, switch from sitting to standing every hour and the back again.
Creating variety throughout our day is going to help us combat pain and discomfort, says Dr. Bang. Movement is an important piece of good workspace ergonomics.
View original post here:
- Golden Rule Plumbing, Heating & Cooling - December 19th, 2016 [December 19th, 2016]
- Golden ratio - Wikipedia - December 30th, 2016 [December 30th, 2016]
- Golden Rule: Treat People as You'd Like to Be Treated - January 2nd, 2017 [January 2nd, 2017]
- Rockwell's "Golden Rule" - Norman Rockwell Museum - The Home ... - January 2nd, 2017 [January 2nd, 2017]
- Golden calf - Wikipedia - January 16th, 2017 [January 16th, 2017]
- Live by the Golden Rule (pledge/petition/proclamation ... - January 19th, 2017 [January 19th, 2017]
- Matriarchy - Wikipedia - January 23rd, 2017 [January 23rd, 2017]
- The Golden Rule | Our Daily Bread - odb.org - February 1st, 2017 [February 1st, 2017]
- Golden LivingCenter Golden Rule - February 1st, 2017 [February 1st, 2017]
- Opinion: No room for walls in Gospel's Golden Rule - The Catholic Register - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Let the Golden Rule be our response locally and globally - Berkeley Independent - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Rev. Jeff Bobin: The Golden Rule - GoErie.com - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- No Gods, No Masters: Live the Golden Rule - Dissident Voice - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Good neighbors and the Golden Rule - WiscNews - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Shock on The Voice UK as coaches break a golden rule of the show and meet rejected Blind Audition singer Ciara Harvie - Radio Times - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Health Insurance to Meet Your Needs & Budget | UnitedHealthOne - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Trenton man reminded of Golden Rule in wake of Quebec attack - Northumberland News - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Following the golden rule in times of tumult - College Heights Herald - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- The Golden Rule of Business - Times-Citizen Communications - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- A Fool's Golden Rule - Word and Way - Word and Way - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- h3cz: The Golden Rule of Twitter - Dexerto - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- LETTER: Living by 'Golden Rule' would defeat ISIS - Daily Record - Daily Record - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Motivating Your Team: Why The Golden Rule Doesn't Always Apply - Forbes - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Would golden rule survive if we were under siege? - Port Huron Times Herald - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Apply the Golden Rule to lift results - Business Management Daily - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- 57th District It's the Golden rule: J. Central moves into 7th straight finals - The Independent - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- The Golden Rule of Social Selling: Solve Your Customer's Problem - Business 2 Community - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- From mushroom picker to deputy sheriff: Herc Avello relishes golden rule - Daily Local News - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- United Way to present Golden Rule-Lightkeepers, Fabric of our Community Awards - Jacksonville Daily News - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Ron Forthofer: To live by the Golden Rule, we must recognize the 'others' - Longmont Times-Call - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Measuring life by the Golden Rule ... not a cellphone app - Bristol Herald Courier (press release) (blog) - February 25th, 2017 [February 25th, 2017]
- Apply the Golden Rule to immigrants - Statesman Journal - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Five golden rules to always be in profit when you invest in equities - Economic Times - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Email and The Golden Rule - Memphis Daily News - Memphis Daily News - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Is the Golden Rule Still Alive and Well in America? - Huffington Post - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Engineering's Golden Rule - Sourceable - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- Golden Rule of Chaplaincy: Thy Shoes Matter - Boston.com - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- Career Corner: The Golden Rule - Journal Record (subscription) - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- Much to be gained from Golden Rule - Jackson Clarion Ledger - March 6th, 2017 [March 6th, 2017]
- OPINION: If only our institutions practiced the Golden Rule - Opinion ... - Nantucket Island Inquirer - March 7th, 2017 [March 7th, 2017]
- Biffy Clyro swap The Golden Rule for the Golden Can as they receive Tennent's Lager award - Glasgow Evening Times - March 9th, 2017 [March 9th, 2017]
- In the Neighborhood: A Meditation on the Golden Rule, Cheaters, and Prophets - Patheos (blog) - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- Ferrari's Golden Rule: No Pink Cars - The Drive - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- Letter: Remember the Golden Rule - Asheville Citizen-Times - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- Remember the Golden Rules During ATV Safety Week - Legal Examiner - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- The ATRA Golden Rule Warranty Program - June 9th, 2017 [June 9th, 2017]
- Historic Golden Rule Peace Boat on its way to Noyo Harbor! - Ft. Bragg Advocate-News - June 10th, 2017 [June 10th, 2017]
- The Golden Rule is universal - Montrose Daily Press - June 10th, 2017 [June 10th, 2017]
- Lawmakers should practice the Golden Rule - Times Daily - June 11th, 2017 [June 11th, 2017]
- Golden rule - Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - June 13th, 2017 [June 13th, 2017]
- Argentina's national football team reaches out to The Golden Rule ... - Coconuts - June 14th, 2017 [June 14th, 2017]
- What Is the Golden Rule? - East Texas Review - June 14th, 2017 [June 14th, 2017]
- The Not So Golden Rule - HuffPost - June 14th, 2017 [June 14th, 2017]
- Let's give the 'Golden Rule' a try; it can't hurt - Montana Standard - June 14th, 2017 [June 14th, 2017]
- The Golden Rule of Online Dating - HuffPost - June 16th, 2017 [June 16th, 2017]
- Golden rule: Warriors beat Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5, clinch championship - Arkansas Online - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- Apple's Stock Will Treat You Just Fine If You Remember This One Golden Rule, Jim Cramer Reveals - TheStreet.com - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- Anti-nuclear peace boat moors in Bodega Bay - Sonoma West - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- At this water park, inclusion is the golden rule - Mother Nature Network - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- Kiwanis Club honors students for following the Golden Rule | Local ... - Chippewa Herald - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- Bishop: A Golden Answer to Every Problem - Florida Today - June 20th, 2017 [June 20th, 2017]
- Golden Rule Charter School - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- The Three Golden Rules of Tax - MinuteHack (registration) (blog) - June 22nd, 2017 [June 22nd, 2017]
- Heimerman: Officer reminds us of the golden rule | Daily Chronicle - DeKalb Daily Chronicle - June 22nd, 2017 [June 22nd, 2017]
- REV. TONY ELDER: Be a person of integrity in dealing with others - Rockdale Newton Citizen (press release) (registration) - June 23rd, 2017 [June 23rd, 2017]
- Kids Learning Golden Rule Applies to Treatment of Animals ... - Noozhawk - June 26th, 2017 [June 26th, 2017]
- The Golden Rule of Online Dating Photos - The Good Men Project (blog) - June 26th, 2017 [June 26th, 2017]
- The Golden Rule Manila Bulletin News - Manila Bulletin - June 26th, 2017 [June 26th, 2017]
- A golden rule from Golden, CO: Please stop driving so loudly - 9NEWS.com - June 30th, 2017 [June 30th, 2017]
- Following the Golden Rule will help keep everyone safe while out enjoying the lakes this summer - Stanly News & Press - June 30th, 2017 [June 30th, 2017]
- Profiting from the Golden Rule - Valdosta Daily Times - July 3rd, 2017 [July 3rd, 2017]
- Sheriff's Tips: The Golden Rule - American Rifleman (press release) (blog) - July 14th, 2017 [July 14th, 2017]
- OPINION: The 'Golden Rule' in the face of a negative climate - Petoskey News-Review - July 14th, 2017 [July 14th, 2017]
- Golden Rule boat sails to Sacramento promoting nuclear ban | The ... - Sacramento Bee - July 14th, 2017 [July 14th, 2017]
- Promoting civility and practicing the Golden Rule every day - The Hill (blog) - July 14th, 2017 [July 14th, 2017]
- Golden Age Design Pops up at the Golden Rule in Excelsior - Midwest Home Magazine (registration) (blog) - July 14th, 2017 [July 14th, 2017]
- Is the Golden Rule Still Golden? - HuffPost - August 6th, 2017 [August 6th, 2017]
- Following the Golden Rule - Register Pajaronian - August 6th, 2017 [August 6th, 2017]
- Religion column: Follow the 'Golden Rule' - Daily Press - August 6th, 2017 [August 6th, 2017]
- Golden Rule Peace Boat moors in Monterey on voyage against nuclear weapons - Monterey County Herald - August 25th, 2017 [August 25th, 2017]