Setting Up for Best Posture When Working From Home

The rise in remote working arrangements has resulted in many of us spending a good portion of our day sitting at home. Although being able to work from the comfort of your own home can be an advantage, it also brings with it certain challenges regarding good posture.

Working on a laptop or desktop computer while seated can cause aches and pains if you’re not mindful of how you sit. That’s why good posture is essential for staying comfortable, avoiding back pain and ensuring good overall health and wellbeing.

Check your neck

It’s important to be aware that there are both good and bad postures when sitting at a desk. Sitting for long periods of time while slouched over with your shoulders hunched up, your head tilted downwards, or with one leg crossed over the other can all put unnecessary strain on your body and cause tension in your neck and back. On top of that, if you’re not sitting with good posture, it can lead to poor blood circulation and difficulties with concentration.

So how do you ensure good posture when working from home?

Here are some tips:

• Sit upright at a desk or table that is the right height for you – your eyes should be level with the top of the computer monitor. Looking at a monitor that is too high or too low can cause strain on your eyes and neck muscles which can result in visual fatigue, headaches or blurred vision; correct sitting posture is essential for spine health.
• Adjust your chair so that your feet can rest flat on the ground or use footrests if necessary. This allows you to sit in a comfortable position that supports your spine and prevents strain.

  When adjusting your chair, make sure to adjust the height of the seat so that your thighs are parallel to the floor and your arms are at a 90-degree angle from your body. Additionally, ensure that you have enough lumbar support by adjusting the backrest of the chair.

• Keep good wrist support when typing by using a good keyboard tray and mouse pad. To ensure good rest support for your keyboard, use a wrist pad that is flush against the keyboard and only use it to support your palms, not wrists.

  It is also important to keep your wrists straight and fingers curved over the keys, with thumbs resting lightly on the space bar.

• Additionally, try to avoid positive keyboard tilt (where the top of the keyboard is higher than the bottom) as this causes your wrists to tilt and strain at an awkward angle and can eventually lead to serious damage.

  Your arms should be held close to your body while typing, with elbows bent slightly at a comfortable angle. Lastly, using a slightly negative or a neutral keyboard tilt will help you keep your wrists in the proper (neutral) position.

• Make sure your arms are positioned at a comfortable angle and that you’re not reaching too far forward to type.
• Take regular breaks from sitting to stretch, move around and rest your eyes. Ensure that your eyes are regularly able to focus on distant objects as well as close ones.
• When you’re on the phone, try not to cradle it between your shoulder and chin as this can cause neck pain.

Reap the benefits of good sitting posture

The good news is that with a bit of time and effort, good posture can become second nature when working from home. This in turn will help reduce fatigue, improve concentration and make sure that you remain healthy while working remotely.

If sitting for long periods is getting tedious, consider investing in a standing desk for your workspace if possible.  

Get in touch with us

If you’ve got ‘tech neck’ or a backache that just won’t go away, get in touch with a2z Health Group.  We offer physiotherapy and massage performed by a Physiotherapist and our staff are all experts when it comes to good posture and ergonomics.

If you’re looking for relief from an ache or expert advice about good posture, get in touch to make a booking online at either of our two handy locations in Dandenong and Noble Park.