Are you just not feeling right at work lately? Got a bit of a kink in your back or neck?
The most likely culprit may be the way you’re working at your desk, says Mike Chitwood, a St. Elizabeth Healthcare occupational therapist, and certified ergonomic assessment specialist.
1. Change your chair
When Chitwood visits the office of someone who’s recovering from an injury or some chronic discomfort in the workplace, “I always start with their seated position,” he says.
“The first thing I do is make sure that they understand and know how their seat works. Because a lot of times, they’ve never adjusted it, they don’t even know what the knobs or the buttons do,” he said. “So we start there, and we start with a good seated position to make sure that, just like anything else, you have a good base of support.”
Good posture also is important for your comfort, he says.
2. Be aware of your screen
Chitwood looks at the heights of computer screens ““ eye-level tends to be best ““ and the height of the keyboard and mouse.
It’s helpful for those who type information from other documents to have racks that hold the documents at the same level as the computer screen, so the eyes and neck don’t keep twisting from looking at documents on the desk surface and back to the screen. Chitwood says it’s usually better for those doing lots of typing to have below-desk trays that hold their keyboards and mice.
“A lot of times, that’s personal preference,” he said. “It’s like anything else. The way that you cook dinner may not be the same way that I cook dinner, and we have the same ingredients.”
3. Get out of your chair
It’s also important to move around and stretch during the day, Chitwood says.
He recommends you take time through the day to, “get up, move around, be mobile, do some things. We’re not meant to be sedentary in nature.”
Here’s one tip: Rather than wait until just before lunch or the end of the day to send out that fax, get up and do some filing, or look for reference materials, do those tasks that require you to walk a few steps throughout the day. Your body will thank you.
“Having a change of positions is very healthy and very helpful for you,” Chitwood says.
4. Stretch at your desk
Another tip: Take “microbreaks” where you don’t leave your immediate work area, but stretch your arms, fingers, neck, back and exercise your eyes. Occasionally give your eyes a break by looking at something farther away than your computer screen. If you really need some stretching, consider occasionally using a break room when it isn’t in use by others.
It’s important to rinse away stress, not just for your workday, but also for those you love, after you leave work, Chitwood notes: “You’re not reducing stress just for your work day, but you’re reducing stress that you’re potentially going to be taking home with you.”
