Ergonomic Principles from Chiropractic in Lynnwood

Redesigning Your Workspace to Beat Back Pain

Hunching your shoulders, craning your neck, and sloughing on your chair are some of the normal things you do while sitting, working at your workstation. However, doing all these consistently in an 8-hour workshift are bad, very bad, for your neck and back. Your slight discomfort at the start can turn into a painful ordeal even when you’re back home resting. It’s time to think ergonomics!

Look at your workstation and examine it. Imagine yourself as you toil away the hours, sitting as you do. The top of your desk should be at the height of your elbow, not higher or lower than, so you don’t have to stretch your arm or hunch your shoulders just to type on keyboards and look at the screen monitor. Your elbows should be approximately 90 degrees to your keyboard. A keyboard too high will make you shrug your shoulders constantly and tire your muscles there, stressing your spine. You need your keyboard 2 inches above your thighs and the mouse adjacent to it at the same height.

Your screen monitor should be about arms length from you; too close, you will force your neck to crane, and too far will have you leaning forward. The top of the screen should be at eye level, while the screen center, 15-20 degrees below eye level. This way you’ll be sitting straight and your head, neck, and torso all face the same direction. Your chair this time. You have to have a backrest to support your back, keep the backs of your knees a couple of inches away from the chair edge, your feet should be flat on the floor, your thighs parallel to the floor. Remember your chair is your crucial support to your back.

Do shift on your seat once in a while, alternate standing and sitting, and walk around a few minutes to get your circulation going during breaks. All these tips will help to fight neck and back pain, making you more efficient and stress-free.

Back Pain Ergonomics from Chiropractic

Know more about how to relieve yourself of back and neck pains in and out of work from your trusted chiropractic doctor in Lynnwood.