Lots of us have been working from home as a result of COVID-19 and for many this may become a more regular event. As a result, in clinic, we are seeing a lot of problems occurring as a result of poor ergonomics, increased stress levels and bad habits.
1. Head and neck – in order to stay injury free, your head should be vertical to your neck – if you’re at the dining room table on a laptop your screen is going to be far too low and you are going to be flexing your neck.
Solution: Use a pile of books, a box or buy a riser and position your laptop screen at eye level, then connect an external USB keyboard and mouse. This keeps your head and neck in a neutral position.
2. Hands & Wrists – need to be in a neutral position. You don’t want a hinge at your wrist – you want a nice flat hand, wrist and forearm – so extend your arms and hands forwards and rest them flat on the table.
Solution: You may need to move your keyboard closer or further away from you. You may need to alter the height of the chair or table, again you could use books or some wooden blocks. Remember straight arms, not bent at the wrist or twisted out to the sides.
3. Seat & Back – You don’t actually need to be sat bolt upright at 90 degrees, it’s best to find a position where you are leaning back ever so slightly with some lower back support to help maintain the cure in your lower spine, so just behind 90 degrees, while remaining eye level to your screen.
Solution: Use a rolled up towel or small cushion to create a lumbar support and pop this in the lower arch of your back to help maintain that lower curve in your spine. If you decide to invest in a new chair for working from home I personally love kneeling chairs, saddle chairs and even a simple gym ball. These all help you to maintain a nice neutral pelvis and a natural lower back curve.
Take a break! Take regular breaks – ideally every 20 minutes. Set a timer on your phone or use free apps like stretchy or stretch reminder. Just stand up and move about a little only for a minute or two. Even better have a walk or make a brew.
If you fancy upgrading from these home hacks – why not checkout our friends at Knightstor for the perfect office furniture. VISIT NOW. Speak to Will Evans about any of the things suggested.