Fastfeet

I believe it is fair to say that most people don’t think of their office workspace as their most comfortable place to sit.  Reasons include uncomfortable chairs, awkward desk heights, poor lighting, bad keyboard or mouse positioning, and the dreaded piles of work that haunt their desks.  At least one third of our day is spent at work.  If we have to be there for so long, shouldn’t it at least be comfortable?  Some people know their workspace is uncomfortable but they just deal with it.  These are the same people that go home every day with raging neck or back pain, but they still show up the next day and sit at the same workspace, only to leave again with the same pain day after day.  The real culprit that keeps this cycle going is poor workspace set up, which promotes poor posture.

Poor posture is a physical therapist’s arch nemesis.  We spend an infinite amount of time trying to improve the posture of our patients, to the point where we begin to sound like a nagging mother.  Low back pain, neck pain, headaches, and carpal tunnel syndrome are just a few problems that can result from poor posture at work.  Due to the fact that posture is a learned habit, it takes a lot of time and practice to unlearn poor posture and then to learn correct posture.  We can help our body learn proper posture more quickly by giving it the right tools, or the proper workspace set up, that positions our body in good alignment.  This is where work ergonomics comes into play.  Ergonomics is the study of the work environment and equipment and how to match them to the human body.
A good start is a quality desk chair.  Desk chairs should have a full back so the lumbar (low back) area can be supported.  If the low back slumps, the upper back will follow.  Some chairs have a lumbar support adjustment built into the chair, which helps support the back in a position of upright posture.  However, a rolled up towel or small pillow can substitute as a lumbar support just as well, and is a cheap alternative to buying a lumbar roll in a store.  It is also important to have armrests.  The armrests should be set in a way that allows the elbows to have a bend of 90 degrees (an L shape).  The chair height should allow the feet to be flat on the ground with the knees and hips bent to 90 degrees.  For the vertically challenged, if the feet can’t touch the ground, a stool or phone books can be placed under the feet.  This decreases the pressure on the back of the thighs and knees.

The next place to check is the computer monitor height.  This is especially important for neck and back posture.  If the monitor is too high, it will cause the neck to extend too far.  If the monitor is too low, it causes the neck to bend forward too much or it will cause a person to slump so that they sink to the level of the monitor.  Proper height of the computer monitor is where the top of the screen is at an eye or just below eye level.  Monitor height can be changed by raising or lowering the desk or the chair.  Another quick fix can be performed by putting a phone book under the monitor.  The screen should be within 20 to 25 inches of your face.  Computer monitors should also be kept in line with the body so that the head does not have to be turned to the side for prolonged periods.  Proper computer monitor alignment should promote alignment of the head such that the ears are directly above the shoulders from a side view.
The final component is the positioning of the keyboard and mouse pad.  With the arms on the armrests at the proper position, the keyboard and mouse should rest at about the same height as the elbows.  The wrists should be in a neutral position, bent neither up nor down.

Along with proper office ergonomics and posture, it is a great idea to take a break every half hour to hour of work.  This is not the type of break where you chit chat at the water cooler for 10 minutes (a physical therapist probably won’t back you up on this if your boss asks); this is just a minute or two to stand up and change positions momentarily.  It is important to change the position your joints are in periodically to decrease pressure on joints and muscles; if you don’t believe this, imagine straightening your finger after it has held the bent position for an hour.  Chances are it will feel achy and stiff, much like your back feels after sitting in the slumped position for an hour.  Doing shoulder rolls, with a focus on pulling the shoulder blades back, is a good technique for decreasing neck and upper back stiffness, while promoting good posture.  Stretching the forearm by gently pulling the back of the hand toward the forearm with the other hand is a good way to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.

Office ergonomics is designed to make your workspace fit your body, instead of adjusting your body to your workspace.  The above tips are basics which can be implemented by the average person.  A more in-depth evaluation is normally available through your employer or by a physical therapist.  Even if your work is painful, your workspace doesn’t have to be.  Happy computing!