4 Ways to Save Your Joints from Hours Sitting at Your Desk
Your back hurts and your wrists feel like someone’s tried to twist them off. Your neck and shoulders are so stiff you’re convinced they’ll crumble to dust if you try to move too suddenly. Was it playing basketball the day before? Or maybe that large rock you tried to shift when you set in to do some yard work over the weekend? Maybe the culprit is closer than you think.
How you sit and move at your desk, also known as desk ergonomics, is serious business. Every year thousands of work hours are lost because of repetitive-motion injuries. Productivity suffers because of tendon or joint pain caused by of all things: just sitting at your desk. Here are some ways to optimize your workspace and to save both money and your joints:
- Find your natural posture… and work around it. Ideally, your back should be straight and your shoulders in a relaxed position. This is your ‘natural posture.’ In it your vertebrae are stacked, your entire back moves as you breathe and your hips are positioned so that your spine is lined up properly. Your feet should be firmly planted in front of you on the office floor. If the sitting position isn’t comfortable, you’ll know after a few minutes when you start to feel the strain in your back and shoulders. Now that you have your natural position, build your office space around it.
- Position your keyboard and mouse or other pointing device so they’re within easy reach. They should be set so that your arms are at or below a 90 degree angle in order to reduce strain. The keyboard should be about 1 or 2 inches above your thighs. Some experts even advise tilting the keyboard slightly down and away from you so that your arms and hands follow the downward slope of your thighs.
- Adjust your screen so that you can easily see all the information in front of you without straining your eyes. One rule of thumb is to align the monitor so that when you stretch out your arm the tips of your fingers should be able to brush across the screen without having to move your shoulders. To adjust the height, first close your eyes. When you open them, your eyes should land on the address bar of the webpage you’re on.
- Your chair is your best friend. To help you sustain your natural posture, find a chair that offers good lumbar support. When you sit, your feet should be on the floor, not dangling in front of your like you’re sitting on the edge of the world. Your thighs should be slightly below your hips. If you ever find yourself tucking your feet behind you, sitting on one leg, or in another weird position, it’s likely a sign your chair needs to be adjusted.
Desk ergonomics isn’t just a fancy word. It can save you time and money, not to mention your joints. Now onto that rock in the garden…