Working from Home Ergonomics
As we continue on into 9 months of working from home (WFH), we are all spending countless more hours in front of the computer, and many companies are planning on keeping employees working from home for a while longer. Many people have configured corners of their homes into workable conditions, but as this WFH extends longer than expected, we are noticing continuously increasing levels of pain and stiffness.
WFH drastically changed my work environment as well. I went from standing in my studio all day teaching clients, to sitting at my computer all day teaching virtually. When standing all day my feet (plantar fascia) and low back (lumbar spine and QLs) become fatigued, and now sitting all day my neck (cervical spine), shoulders (trapezius muscles) and mid-back (thoracic spine) hold the tension. The positions that we place the body in throughout the day directly impact sensations of pain, stiffness, and fatigue. Awkward postures held for a long frequency or duration increase the load on the tissues and overtime can lead to soft tissue injuries.
Awkward postures at the desk usually means many hours sitting or standing with the trunk tilted forward, the head in a forward posture, shoulders internally rotated and rounded forward, and pelvis tucked under in a posterior tilt. Pains associated with these postures are generally the low back, neck, and shoulders. The most commonly reported injuries at workplaces are first the hand, wrist, and finger caused from repetitive motion injuries (RMI) at the keyboard and mouse, and secondly the neck and back. These stresses create pain, muscle fatigue, and atrophy, indirectly decreases productivity, and increases likelihood of strains and sprains. Preventable work-related RMI injuries from poor computer set-ups and habits cost companies thousands of dollars each year. Average cost of lost time from injury in the US in 2010 was $20,500 per injured employee due to lost productivity, and has only increased over the past 10 years.
For most of us, we aren’t measuring our poor WFH postures by productivity loss or financial loss, but rather by pain, discomfort, fatigue, and stiffness. I hear similar questions constantly about how to not be in pain after a day of work. Most people ask me about how to set-up their desk space better, and while there are helpful guidelines that I recommend, I also believe it is vital to do stretches and exercises to counter the joint angles associated with working at the computer all day.
The little things we do throughout the day can have a major impact on our overall health and wellbeing over time. We are responsible for our own health, and shouldn't be waiting for things to get "back to normal" in order to feel better.
Below are some simple tips to incorporate daily in order to combat this fatigue and discomfort.
#1 Add movement throughout the day even while at the desk. There are plenty of desk exercises that you can do in between meetings that can reduce stiffness within 1-2 minutes.
#2 Reevaluate your desk set-up. Make your workstation work for you, don't try to make your body fit the desk set-up. There are affordable tools and easy adjustments to make your desk space more ergonomic and healthier for your body.
Below are guidelines describing the general ergonomic set-up. However, proper posture is NOT static. Proper posture is constantly changing and needs micro-movements and adjustments as the body gets stiff from being in the same position for a long time. Even when we are properly set up with ergonomic measurements and expensive chairs and desks, we will still hurt at the end of a work day if we fail to incorporate movement.
Properly set up the workstation:
Everyone should customize the workspace to fit individual needs.
Ergonomic Desk Set-up: Go through this checklist to see how effective your set-up is
Feet-flat on the floor
Knees-bent at 90°; thighs parallel to floor
Hips-sitting all the way back on the chair seat
Low Back- touching the back of the chair with lumbar support creating natural curvature of the low spine
Shoulders-stacked above the hips, not forward or tipped
Arms-hanging relaxed from the shoulders without lifting up or rounding shoulders forward
Elbows-bent at 90°-110°; forearms parallel to floor
Wrists-neutral, straight forward without any extreme flexion/extension or ulnar/radial deviation
Head-stacked over the shoulders with chin over chest, not jutting forward or down causing forward head posture
Eyes-gazing straight forward hitting the top of the screen for a slight, natural tilt, with chin parallel to floor
Ergonomic Desk Tools: To eliminate uncomfortable and dysfunctional working postures that create pain
Sit-to-Stand desk or over-table attachment
Adjustable laptop stand or monitor lift
Wireless keyboard and mouse
Anti-fatigue mat to stand on
Lumbar Roll or Cushion
Coccyx Cushion
Foot Rest for under desk
Remember to take breaks to stand, to change positions, to walk around, and to stretch (next post on deskercises!)