Posture tips that will help while working at home
Covid-19 has caused all our lives to change in many ways. One of those ways is by self-quarantining ourselves into our homes and no longer being able to go to work, stores, or chiropractic appointments. We have talked to many patients about how this quarantine is affecting their lives, and many say it is difficult transitioning to working at home, especially because their workspaces are very different. Patients have also complained about back pain, neck pain, and poor posture. So, are these two topics related?
Yes! Posture is a major issue when constantly working at a desk. Many of us are used to working at a desk, and the amount of people who are would have increased due to the lockdown. At Balanced Spine, we want to help you if you are suffering from back pain or discomfort caused by poor posture at home desks during Covid-19 and afterwards!
We are here to help you get through this difficult time by sharing tips that will help you maintain your posture while working at home. The first one is to make sure you have a comfortable, supportive chair at your desk. Having a good chair can have beneficial impacts on both your health and productivity and it is crucial to have proper back support from a chair in order to help support the spine. A hard, straight-backed chair does not provide adequate support for the back, and these steps should be followed when choosing a good chair. Making sure it is comfortable is the first step to determining if it supports your spine. Is your chair soft yet firm? Does it have a curve in it? Does it have a head rest? These are all important questions when picking out a good chair for your desk! If your chair does not have a supportive back, you can get a backrest instead to help support the lower and upper back. A proper chair should also have arm rests. This helps support the arms while typing and helps to prevent further strain on the body and a number of conditions, including carpal tunnel and repetitive strain injury. Back problems are one of the major problems faced by people who work at a desk, whether it is from home or at work, and this can affect your mood, health, and productivity. The spine can’t solely support your body weight in the same position for a long period of time without causing imbalances, so having a chair that can assist in supporting that weight is crucial.
Another important factor when sitting at your desk is making sure your chair is the correct height in relation to your desk. You want your feet flat on the floor and your knees in line with your ankles, at a 90-degree angle. You also want to make sure the keyboard is close enough to your body and directly in front of you so that you are not reaching to type, as this can cause further strain on the body. The monitor should also be directly in front of you and the mid-line only a few inches above eye level. However, you also want to make sure you are arm’s length away from the screen, so you do not strain your eyes. If your desk is too low and your legs can’t fit comfortably underneath it, then you can put it on risers or switch to a desk that is at a proper height. If your desk is too high and you are raising your arms to type, it is important to find a way to lower your workspace. A keyboard tray is a great way to do this or to adjust your chair to a higher position and then put a footrest by your feet so they can stay flat. People also use portable laptop stands so they can stand up and type throughout the workday. This is a great way to help improve and maintain posture.
When sitting in your chair it is important to think about how you are sitting. Are you slouching? Are your hips near the edge of the seat? This can lead to bad posture and strain in the upper back, lower back, shoulders, and neck. You want to make sure you are sitting up straight with your hips far back in the chair, with your shoulders relaxed and not rising towards your ears. Keeping an eye on this will help relieve tension and pain!
It is also important you take breaks! We recommend at least taking 5 to 10-minute breaks every hour to two hours. During this time, you should walk around and get some fresh air. Keeping your body moving is very important! We also recommend doing some stretches or exercises if you have time. We like to do the cat and back stretch to help our spines stay moving and to help us relax. The more often you get up and move the better, since it gets the blood flowing and helps energize the body. Taking breaks also helps avoid eyestrain, which many of us get when looking at computer screens and cell phones all day long!
If anyone has any specific questions about working on posture when working from home or wants some more tips, please feel free to contact us at Balance Spine Chiropractic. We hope you are all staying healthy during this time, and we are looking forward to seeing everyone soon!