Desk Ergonomics

ByDr. Glen Reed Posted on Updated on

Good morning, friends! Dr. Glen here again with your weekly shot of Monday motivation. Today, we’re going to venture into an area that many of us spend a significant portion of our day – the office desk. More specifically, we’re going to talk about office ergonomics and how you’re sitting at your computer workstation.

The Importance of Proper Posture

We’ve chatted before about the dangers of sitting for more than four hours a day, the need for periodic breaks, and the importance of movement throughout the workday. Today, we’re going to focus on how to sit properly at your computer to help avoid those repetitive sprains and strains that are all too common in the workplace.

The Basics of Office Ergonomics

When setting up your office ergonomics, start by adjusting your chair so your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, and your hands rest comfortably on your desk. Your spine should be straight, your chin should be back (more so than mine as I’m looking at the camera), and your hips should also be at a 90-degree angle. Your knees should follow suit, creating another 90-degree angle, with your feet flat on the floor.

From this starting posture, lean back in your chair by 10 degrees. This adjustment will increase your elbow angle to 100 degrees and elevate your line of sight from horizontal by 10 degrees. This line of sight should intersect with the top of your computer monitor.

Next, adjust your computer monitor’s height so that your elevated gaze aligns with the top of the screen. As you work throughout the day, your neck will naturally drop slightly towards the middle of the screen, resulting in a comfortable, relaxed posture for your spine.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

By the end of the day, you’ll often see coworkers leaning in 10 to 20 degrees and craning their necks up to look at the computer screen. This posture leads to tension-type headaches and strain injuries. In contrast, the posture I’ve described will keep you comfortable and healthy throughout your workday.

Remember, this is just a starting point. There are many ways to modify your workspace to fit your specific needs. If you have any questions or need further guidance, feel free to drop me an email.

Here’s to a week of healthier sitting! See you next Monday morning for more motivation.

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