Set-up your workstation to Minimize Back & Neck Pain
Dr. Jody Freedman | Chiropractor
A question we get a lot from our patients is how to set up their workstation to minimize back and neck pain. In this video (and article) I am going to show you how to best set up your workstation to fit you. I’ve taught a 1 hr workshop on this topic at workplaces across BC. Here is the quick version to get you started.
Home Base Position: The first thing we want to consider is setting up what we will call our home base position. For most people, that is going to be:
Back firmly pressed up against the backrest.
Shoulders pulled back and down.
Head over top of the shoulders.
We can move around and change positions throughout the day, but this is the best position to return to when we are feeling twisted or slouching as it gives our spines the most support possible.
Chair: We should be sitting in a supportive and comfortable chair that is placed right in front of any monitors we are using. Be sure our armrests are at the right height so that our arms are actually supported but not too high to the point where our shoulders are being hiked up. Our feet are ideally firmly planted on the ground, and if they can’t reach the ground, use a foot rest.
Arms & Keyboard/Mouse: Our arms should be roughly at our sides with our hands being able to float comfortably above the desk and keyboard. If your keyboard and/or mouse are positioned too far away, you will commonly reach or slouch forward and put extra strain on your neck and upper back.
Monitor: The top of the monitor should be at about eye level and roughly an arms length away. If the monitor itself cannot move up then a good trick is to stack some books or paper under the base of the monitor to raise it into a better position.
Laptops: Many people are using a laptop for work and not an actual external monitor & keyboard/mouse. The challenge with a laptop is the keyboard and screen are too close together. You either have to raise the laptop up on higher surface, which makes the keyboard to high to type on OR you keep the laptop on the desk, and then slouch down to view the monitor. The best solution is to put the laptop up on a stand to raise the monitor and use an external keyboard & mouse. Ideally, you get yourself an external monitor to use as well.
I hope this quick workstation guide was helpful for you. I realize that there are a million different combinations of workstations and each person has their own individual challenges.
Feel free to ask myself or Dr. Armstrong questions about your workstation, we’re always happy to help.
