Proper Desk Ergonomics

Written by Kiyoki Rykman, LMT CCT CMLDT:

A good portion of clients come in with either neck pain or back pain. A smaller portion of clients come in with shoulder pain, wrist pain, hip pain, ect. One of the things they all have in common is that they work at a desk and/or computer full time. I always ask them about their desk posture and ergonomics and they usually tell me that they could make changes to their workspace.

Let’s get into it:

1. Hips should be at a 90 degree bend and you should be sitting on your sit bones and nice and tall. Slouching = pain.

2. Keep your head back - tilting your head forward = stressed back of neck muscles, shortened front of neck muscles = pain.

3. If your monitor is too low, it forces your head to tilt downward, thus putting pounds of pressure on your cervical spine. Prop the monitor up on a book or block so that the top of the monitor is at eye level or even a touch higher than eye level. If you have dual monitors, stack them on top of one another with a stand and position them so that the midline is at eye level.

4. Elbows should be at a 90 degree bend and your table should allow for that 90 degree angle. If it doesn’t lower your chair or prop the table up higher.

5. Wrist position should be neutral, not tilted upward and not tilted downward. Maybe invest in a wrist cushion. Maybe invest in an ergonomic mouse.

6. Knees should be at a 90 degree bend or at slightly less bend - we don’t want to cut off blood circulation by bending them more.

7. Feet should be either comfortably flat on the floor (may need to raise chair up or down to achieve this) or on a foot rest.

One last thing: sitting for too long causes poor blood and lymphatic circulation - please get up every 30 minutes and move your body a bit. Wear athletic gradual compression socks while sitting to encourage venous return.

Other movements that you should perform multiple times per day: stretch open your chest, rotate your shoulders backward, prayer hand hyperextension of wrist stretch, rotate and stretch your neck.

Hope this helps!