Prevent Pain by Adjusting Your Workstation

Many of us spend a lot of time at our computers – for work and for play. All that time typing and doing other repetitive tasks can lead to pain in our hands, wrists, and other areas if our workstation at home or in the office isn’t set up properly.

Taking a look at your workstation and making adjustments to improve the ergonomics can help alleviate any pain you have or prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are some tips to help you have a more comfortable work environment.

• Keep your feet flat. It may sound odd, but keeping your feet flat is the first step to making your workstation more comfortable. Your chair’s height should be adjusted so that your feet are flat on the floor and your knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Your hips should be about level with your knees.
• Raise or lower your desktop. Your desktop work surface should be about a couple of inches above your legs. There needs to be enough room to easily slide your legs under, but the desktop should be at a comfortable height when you rest your hands on it. If your desktop is too high and can’t be lowered, raise your chair up and use a footrest to support your feet.
• Support your elbows. The armrests on your chair should be positioned so that your elbows are at a 90-degree angle and supported comfortably with your shoulders relaxed. Your forearms should be level, and when you place your hands on the keyboard, they should be level with your elbows or slightly below.
• Keep your wrists straight. A major cause of wrist pain is making repetitive motions like typing with your wrists bent. That can cause the nerves running through the wrist to be pinched and become inflamed. Position your chair and keyboard so that your wrists are as straight as possible, both up and down, and side to side. You may want to use a pad to support your wrists as you type.
• Place your mouse conveniently. Not to be overlooked is your computer mouse. It should be positioned so that it’s on the same level as your keyboard and you can reach it without straining your shoulders or bending your wrist.
• Adjust your monitor. Your monitor should be directly in front of you, about an arm’s length away, and set at a height so that the top of the screen is at eye level. When you look at it your neck should be fairly straight. This helps relieve fatigue and neck pain.
• Don’t slouch. Your chair should have lumbar support for your lower back and be positioned so that you’re sitting up straight.
• Take frequent breaks. Even when your chair, desktop, and monitor are set up correctly, it’s still possible to get strains if you work for long periods of time. Get up and take a break every 30 minutes or so, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Walking around and doing some stretches during these breaks is a great idea. Looking at something at a different distance, such as the scenery outdoors, also helps give your eyes a break.

We hope these tips are helpful and will keep you pain free. If you want additional assistance with your workstation, contact an occupational therapist in your area who does ergonomics consulting.

Sources
https://www.bnl.gov/covid19/ergonomics.php
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/office-ergonomics/art-20046169