Are you sitting comfortably?

teenage girl sitting badly in a sofa

How are your reading this article? Propped up in bed with an iPad on your knees, hunched over a computer at a cluttered desk or perhaps standing at your uber-cool and healthy standing workstation?

We are spending an increasing amount of time on computers. With our attention fixed on online shopping bargains or what Johnny did on his holidays, we can forget to look after our posture. There’s plenty of things we can do to improve our computer workspace with a view to looking after our health.

Here are some of the ideas that my spinal specialist, Dr Christian Farthing discussed with me to ensure I can continue snapping up those bargains and organising my social life without developing RSI (repetitive strain injury), poor eyesight and back pain.

Assuming that most of us prefer to sit down while working, here are a few thoughts on the best choice of chair:

  • Is it comfy? Seriously, you are going to spend a long time here. A good cushioned base, ideally upholstered in a breathable fabric has to be a prime consideration.
  • Arm rests – true you don’t need them while typing. But while you are at rest you need armrests that are low enough to relax your shoulders while your elbows are bent at right angles.
  • Is it the right height? You may need an adjustable height so that your thighs are parallel to the floor while your feet are flat on the floor. Ideally you want your elbows to be at the height of your keyboard and mouse.
  • Is the back adjustable? It’s worth paying the extra for an adjustable back – it does a lot of the hardwork for you in terms of keeping your posture upright. If your chair back is too far away, you will be tempted to slouch sooner and for longer.
  • Can you add lumbar support to the chair? Supporting your lower back will help you to maintain the healthy curves your spine needs to protect your central nervous system.
  • Can your chair swivel and roll? This isn’t just so you can play office hockey. We move and stretch in all kinds of ways while avoiding actually standing up. A swivel chair will make it easier for you to turn and reach without causing injury or strain.

So now you sitting comfortably what’s next?

Pop everything in front of you and away you go? Not quite. Take a moment to see if any of these tips apply to your workspace.

  • Does your keyboard have a Qwerty section and numeric section? Centre the Qwerty keys in front of your chair – centring the B in front of you.
  • Do you use a keyboard tray – usually these slide out from under the main desk? Make sure the mouse is on the tray too.
  • When you use your keyboard and mouse, are you shoulders relaxed with your elbows at a comfortable 90 degree angle? You may need to raise or lower your chair or desk and maybe move your keyboard closer or further away. What you are looking for is comfortable straight wrists as you type and relaxed shoulders.

Next is to think about your monitor. What’s that? You are using a laptop on your desk? That’s not ideal. Laptop PCs are ideally used for short bursts of time while people are on the move. As a desktop PC you can’t control the height of the monitor so easily and you are more likely to develop neck strain.

  • If you are using your laptop PC as a desktop, either get hold of a separate monitor that you can use while at home or go out and buy a proper desktop setup. Your back and your health will thank you.
  • So for those of you using a desktop with separate monitor – you ideally want your eye level to be about 2 or 3 inches below the top frame of the monitor casing and an arms length from where you are sitting.

If you are already using chiropractic care, you’ll already appreciate the importance of body awareness. Basically a little awareness can reap massive benefits. You’ll feel it right now if you sit up, shake your shoulders and think about how your spine likes to be – balanced and true. Finding it tricky to stay that way? Try this:

  • To avoid slouching, adjust your seat back so that it is further forward and allows you to rest back into it – without slouching.
  • Keep your elbows close to your body and your wrists straight. If that is difficult, then your mouse and keyboard are likely to be in the wrong position.
  • Keep your shoulders relaxed – that means keeping armrests low and only used when not typing.
  • Taking even short breaks away from your desk and screen every 20 minutes of so will help you to stay relaxed and minimise eyestrain. You can also utilise software tips like ClearType and Flux – these are particularly beneficial if you tend to stay at the computer late into the night.

Changing bad postural habits can feel uncomfortable at first. You can ask your chiropractor for a home or office visit to assess your workstation and ensure the changes you make are right for your health. Keep practicing though and your a healthy way of working will become the ‘new normal’.