Did you spend 2024 struggling with neck pain, headaches or a constant back ache? January is the perfect time to review your office or work-from-home workstation and set yourself up for a healthy and productive new year.
If your desk setup is doing you damage, we’re here to help. In this article, Senior Physiotherapist and resident ergonomics expert Jane Lau outlines six simple steps to improve your desk posture this year.
1. Check Your Chair Height
A quality desk chair with good lumbar support is a great start. However, your chair height matters too.
To distribute your weight evenly and help prevent hip pain, adjust the height of your chair so that your feet are flat on the floor. If your legs are dangling, support them with a footrest or stool. Your knees and hips should be at a 90-100° angle.
2. Ditto Your Desk Height
Your desk height should be such that your elbows are at a 90-100° angle when using your keyboard. Ensure there’s ample depth (generally at least 80cm) on the desk so your forearms can be supported by the desk while keyboarding.
3. Make Sure Your Screen’s in the Right Spot
Position your computer screen approximately an arm’s length from your eyes. Your screen height should be at eye level so that your line of vision falls within the top third of the screen.
Struggle with neck strain? You should be able to read the whole screen without too much head tilt up or down. If not, adjust it.
4. Reposition Your Mouse and Keyboard
Is your keyboard sitting at the edge of your desk? Move it in (see point two). Make sure you use your mouse close to the body, with your elbows neatly tucked in rather than splayed out to the side.
5. Take Regular Breaks Away from Your Desk
We are not built to sit and stare at screens for hours on end, so make time for regular breaks throughout the day – away from your desk. I generally recommend some movement every half hour. An app like FocusKeeper or a Pomodoro Timer can help you stick to this, breaking your day into 25-minute sessions of focused work, followed by five-minute breaks.
Try using different strategies as reminders to take breaks–coffee runs, drinking more water so you take more frequent toilet breaks, walking to talk to colleagues when in the office instead of emails, setting phone alarms etc.
Want to further mitigate the risks of prolonged sitting? A sit-stand desk makes an excellent investment for your posture and overall well-being.
6. Set A Reminder to Stretch – And Do It!
A few times a day, do some stretches at your workstation. Easy and effective stretches include shoulder circles, toe raises and seated trunk rotations (rotate your body to one side, using your arms on the back of the chair to pull yourself round until you feel a stretch through the torso).
To release tension in your shoulders, neck and back, try thoracic extensions while seated in your chair. Sit up straight, place your hands behind your head and extend your upper back over the top of the chair. Hold this position for 10 seconds and release.
Try making these small adjustments in your study or at the office and see the difference it can make to your back pain and energy levels throughout the day. Or, if you want a professional opinion of your work setup and desk posture, book an ergonomic assessment today.
With over a decade’s experience, Jane Lau is a senior physiotherapist with a background in private practice in Australia and overseas. A University of Melbourne graduate and member of the original Collins Place Physio team, she is skilled in treating musculoskeletal and sports injuries, with a primary focus on alleviating neck, back and shoulder pain. With expertise in postural analysis technology, workplace ergonomic assessments and biomechanical screening, Jane is in demand for her comprehensive and caring approach.