Here are 5 tips to improve your home workstation and avoid pain…
With a good number of individuals now working from home due to the current global pandemic, it has become increasingly important to ensure your home workstation is ergonomically friendly. In the past few months we have seen and influx of patients being evaluated with musculoskeletal injuries directly related to a poor home workplace setup. Continue reading to learn 5 simple adjustments you can make to your workstation to reduce strain on your body in an attempt to prevent the onset of pain.
#1 Avoid Slouching
Many individuals are unknowingly slouching at their workstation which not only places unnecessary stress on the spine and postural stabilizing muscles but also negatively affects breathing. Your rib cage needs to expand as you breathe and slouching can prevent this from happening. What this means is that the amount of oxygen reaching muscles, organs, and brain decreases which can negatively affect health/ performance.
Solutions:
- Adjust the seat back so that the inward curve of your low back is supported by the outward curve of the seat back. If the seat back does not adjust, use a rolled up towel or lumbar cushion to support the curve of your lower back.
- Ensure there is a small space (about 1”) between the front edge of the chair and the back of the knee. If the seat does not adjust you can use a lumbar support to push you forward in the seat..alternatively if the seat is short avoid using cushions or towels
- A backrest angle of about 100-110 degrees is a comfortable angle that reduces back tension while still allowing you to interact with your workstation easily
#2 Ensure Your Feet are Supported When Sitting
Research suggests that maintaining 1/3 or less of the body weight on the feet or less is necessary to minimize leg discomfort (2). Sitting without a foot support can also place unnecessary stress on your spine.
- Solution: Adjust the seat height so that your feet can touch the floor with your knees equal to or slightly lower than your hips. If your chair is elevated for your keyboard or desk, use a footrest to support your feet.
#3 Adjusting Monitor Height
Proper placement of the monitor is key in preventing undue stress on the neck and shoulders. Place it too high, and you’ll be forced to tilt your head backwards. Place it too low and you’ll have to lean your neck forward. In an upright position with the neck vertical and your ears in line with your shoulders, the average human head weighs 12 pounds. At just a 15 degree tilt towards your chest, that weight increases to 27 pounds! That is a great deal of stress on the neck (5)!
- Solution: Place the monitor directly in front of you and at the center- you shouldn’t have to twist your neck or body when looking at the screen. Adjust the monitor’s height so the top of the screen is at or slightly below eye level. Place the monitor at a reasonable distance, about an arm’s length away to prevent eye strain.
#4 Keyboard Angle
Today you will find that most keyboards have two feet at the far end to prop them up in order to make it easier to reach the back keys. Unfortunately this creates a positive slope angle that forces your wrists into an unnatural typing position where they are extended backward. Over time this can lead to wrist/elbow pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Solution: Retract the two feet at the end of the keyboard, and increase the height of your chair so your forearms are parallel to the keyboard or slightly above it while your elbows are bent. This will ensure that your wrists are either completely straight or sloping down slightly.
- For an even better setup, you can install a keyboard tray to create a negative tilt when you type. This puts your shoulders and forearms at the most relaxed position possible while maintaining a neutral wrist.
#5 Changing Positions
Maintaining any position for a prolonged period of time puts a strain on the body. By frequently getting up to stand/walk throughout the work day you will be alleviating stress on the musculoskeletal system.
Solution: Get up and move every 30 minutes!! Setting a reminder on your phone can ensure adherence.
**If you have a standing desk at home you should also be aware that too much standing can lead to problems as well. Standing for multiple hours can really challenge the circulatory system which has to work much harder to maintain blood flow to the upper body. As a result, it increases oxidative stress and blood can pool in the extremities. According to a recent study (6) the golden ratio lies between 1:1 and 3:1 in favor of standing. So for example, if you sit for 30 minutes, you should spend the next 30 minutes standing. At a maximum, sit for 15 minutes and stand for 45 minutes.
I hope these simple tips will have a positive impact on improving your health and quality of life. If you suspect your home workplace setup is contributing to postural problems and/or pain feel free to reach out to one of our physical therapists who can help you make the appropriate adjustments by emailing info@marathonphysicaltherapy.com
Stay tuned for the next installment where I talk more about simple exercises that can help improve your posture.
Brandon Lyons PT, DPT, CSCS
References
(1) (Picture) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/poor-posture-hurts-your-health-more-than-yourealize-3-tips-for-fixing-it/
(2) Corlett EN: The evaluation of work: a practical ergonomic methodology, London, 1990, Taylor & Francis
(3) http://ergonomictrends.com/bad-computer-posture-mistakes/
(4) (Picture) https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/flexjobs-members-save-virtual-ergonomic-assessment/
(5) https://motamem.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/spine-study.pdf
(6) https://uwaterloo.ca/applied-health-sciences/how-long-should-you-stand-rather-sit-yourwork-station
(7) Jacobs, Karen. Ergonomics for Therapists. Mosby Elsevier, 2008.