While there are many who have returned to working in the office, there are so many who continue to work from home. For those who work from home, it’s important to create a workspace that’s conducive to your health.
As such, millions of computer users are now experiencing neck, lower back and shoulder discomfort due to the lack of ergonomic workstations at home. Ergonomic means having efficiency or comfort in a work environment.
Carolyn Brierley, physical therapist at Detroit Medical Center’s Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, shared how making a few inexpensive adjustments to your home office setup can help you stay comfortable, productive and injury-free.
1. Protect your back
Brierley said it’s important to maintain and support your lumbar spine (low back). When you sit unsupported or as you begin to slouch during the day, this causes strain to the ligaments, tendons and discs of the spine. This contributes to increased pain.
Solution: You can purchase a lumbar support online or use something everyone has in their home: a towel. Once you are seated, you can place a rolled towel at your lower back, along your waistline, for support.
2. Support your feet
Our bodies want to feel “grounded” or supported. If a chair is too tall and your feet don’t touch the ground, or you are working from a desktop that places your chair where your feet don’t touch the ground, it causes strain on the knees, hips and lower back. Your knees should be level with your hips or just slightly below.
Solution: Use a footrest under the desk to help support your legs. If you are looking for a less costly fix, you can use a box, some sturdy books or a few blocks of wood stacked on top of each other.
3. Cushion your wrists
Brierley said if your wrists are put in a position with too much extension (bent back) or too much flexion (bent forward), it causes strain on the ligaments and tendons of the forearm and increases tension on our nerves that pass through the wrist.
Solution: Use a wrist rest placed in front of your keyboard. You should also fold down the feet on the underside of the keyboard. If you are looking for a do-it-yourself alternative, fold a hand towel and place it in front of your keyboard.
4. Use a chair with arm rests
When our arms are not properly supported, it creates strain on the neck and shoulders. Ideally, you should have a chair with adjustable armrests.
Solution: If you don’t have a chair with adjustable armrests, you can move the chair forward to allow your forearms to rest on the table or desk. You will need to slide your keyboard back a bit to allow enough room to support your arms.
5. Keep your screen at eye level
When your monitor is too high or too low, it causes strain to the neck, shoulders and back, Brierley said. The monitor should be positioned so that the eyes fall about two inches down from the top of the screen.
Solution: Purchase a riser for your monitor, or you can use books or reams of paper to raise the height of the monitor. If you wear bifocals, you may have to adjust the angle of the monitor to prevent having to tip your head back to read the text.
Brierley also recommended taking frequent breaks. For every 20 to 30 minutes you’re at your desk, try to take one to two minutes of a break to stand and gently stretch.
If your workstation is causing you joint pain that does not resolve or becomes worse, ask your primary care doctor for a prescription for physical therapy. Physical therapists can teach you proper body mechanics, as well as stretching and strengthening exercises to ease pain and improve mobility and strength.
To learn more or to make an appointment with a DMC physical therapist, click or tap here.