Tips on desk setup for perfect posture

Written by Dr. Alison Gault B. App. Sci. (clinical sci) B. Osteo. Sci.  from Vale Osteopathy Clinic located in Ascot Vale and Pascoe Vale, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Many of us spend long periods of time at a desk or in front of a computer whether it be at work or at home.  I find that a huge contributing factor to the symptoms of a large percentage of my patients is due to poor desk posture and set up.

Some symptoms of poor desk posture:

Headaches

Neck pain and tightness

Shoulder tightness

A feeling that you can’t sit up strait

Pain in between the shoulder blades

Shoulder and arm pain

If left for too long, these symptoms can develop into more serious issues such as:

Rotator cuff tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons of the shoulder muscles)

Bursitis in the shoulder (inflammation of the lubricated balloons between muscles)

In very bad cases: numbness, tingling, weakness and pins and needles in the arm.

Correct sitting posture:

Your backside should be right in the back of the chair so that you are using the lumbar support fully.  In this position you will find it more difficult to slump foreword as you will feel off balance.

Your knees should be a bit lower than the height of your hips.

Both feet should be on the ground.  If you are a leg crosser, I know this habit is hard to get rid of but just regularly check in with yourself and uncross them!  Hopefully you will kick the habit quickly.

Correct desk setup:

Move anything from under your desk that is not letting you sit facing strait foreword such as a filing cabinet or rubbish bin.

Adjust your chair height so that the top of the desk is at elbow height.

Make sure that your phone is placed so that you don’t have to reach or twist to pick it up.  If you need to write or type often when you are on the phone, it is easier to have the phone on your non dominant side (ie: left for a right hander) so you don’t need to reach across all the time.

Correct computer setup:

Your screen should be strait in front of you on the desk.

The height of the screen should adjusted so that with good posture and a strait neck, your eyeline is in the centre of the screen.  You may need to lift it up with books or a stand.

Your keyboard should be right in front of you and not at an angle. If you don’t often use the numeric keyboard, consider getting a mini keyboard as this will enable you to have the mouse is a better position.

The mouse should be right next to the keyboard.  You shouldn’t have to reach to use it.  The top of your arm should be hanging strait down from your shoulder so not slightly forwards or backwards. If your arm if not hanging strait down, you are unnecessarily using muscles in your shoulder which can cause tightness and strain.

If you are typing off a document, it is best to place it between the screen and the keyboard.

A wrist support can greatly take the strain off you hands and wrists.

Correct Laptop setup:

If you are often using a laptop, I strongly suggest getting a separate keyboard so that you can place the laptop on a stand to get the screen to the correct height and distance.   Looking down at the screen for long periods can cause great problems in the neck and shoulders.

How can I help you?

If you have been sitting at your desk for a while with bad posture, your body may have compensated and become fixed in the ‘bad posture’.  This is where I come in!  Osteopathic hands on treatment can help to undo all those hours, weeks, day and years  of sitting badly.   I will also give you specific stretching and strengthening exercises to help you improve and maintain your better posture.

If you wish to make an appointment with Dr. Alison Gault, contact the Pascoe Vale Clinic on 9379 3888, the Ascot Vale Clinic on 9370 1813. Otherwise you can get further information at www.valeosteopathy.com.

Disclaimer: The information provided is of a general nature and should not be used in place of professional advice from myself or another medical professional.

Tags: computer, desk, headache, office worker, pain neck, posture, shoulder, shoulder pain, treatment