Improving your posture when you work sitting down

If you’re working sitting at a desk for extended periods, incorrect posture can lead to immediate and longer term pain and discomfort. Therefore, knowing how to have correct posture at work, and making adjustments accordingly, has wellbeing benefits in the present and future, proactively avoiding the development of future pain episodes. As many discovered during extended hours of working from home during the pandemic, bad posture at a desk / workstation can lead to back, neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist pain. Understanding office ergonomics can reduce the incidence of developing pain and reduce feelings of tension and stress during the day.

If your job involves extended time working at a computer, it’s important to have the monitor centered in the middle of the desk, at a distance of about 50 cm. Your wrists should be straight, and ideally supported by a little cushion on the nearer side of the keyboard. Ideally hands should be below or at elbow level. The spine should be straight, at 90 degrees to the floor, and the level of your hips should be slightly higher than your knees. Lastly, your feet should rest flat on the floor. If your work includes the use of a phone, it’s recommended to use the speaker function, or a headset, so that you don’t cradle the phone between neck and head, as this can lead to neck pain.

It’s important not to stay in the same position for long, as that can strain your body posture. Walk around as often as you can during breaks, doing some stretching of limbs, and this will reduce the negative physical impacts of desk-based work, reducing the chance of repetitive strain or recurrent pain, and improving your overall health and wellbeing.