Proper posture while at work….where do you begin?
You often hear some people say, “Oh, I hurt myself at the gym” or “I can’t do that because it will bother my back” but have you ever heard anyone saying, “I hurt my back while sitting at my desk”? Think about it where do we spend most of our time? That’s right, at work.
Back to the topic, how should I be sitting to help and not harm myself? Read the helpful hints below to see how you can help yourself.
A. Chair/Desk versus Standing Desk
a. We recommend a desk that can either be a sitting or standing desk, that way you can alternate throughout the day.
B. Chair options
a. Height of the chair should be where your feet can be placed flat on the ground. Your knees and hips should be bent about 90 degrees.
b. You should be sitting fully in your chair so your low back is against the back of the chair.
c. There should be good lumbar/low back support in your chair. Otherwise we have lumbar supports at our office that we recommend.
d. You should be sitting under your desk so that when you are typing, your elbows are still close to your side.
C. Computer monitor height
a. Close your eyes and open them. Where do your eyes fall on the monitor? They should be about mid-screen or just a little above that.
i. Where are you looking at your screen most of the time? This will help determine the precise height.
D. Keyboard/mouse location
a. As mentioned above, you should be able to type while sitting up in your chair without needing your elbows way out in front of you.
E. Document/paper holder
a. Having a stand that will hold paperwork next to your monitor can be a big help. (This is also a great option for people who study or read often).
If you work on a laptop, or something that makes these tips difficult to do, a standing desk and/or doing as much as you can will help you in the long run.
We have been invited several times to different business’ to talk about this and other topics. If you or your company is interested, feel free to contact us so we can set up a time.