An often overlooked cause of neck and back pain is ergonomics. Ergonomics is simply designing and arranging your workplace and habits so you can perform your job easily and safely. Whether you are currently experiencing neck or back pain or not, you should ask yourself these questions to ensure you have an ergonomically correct work environment to prevent and/or resolve neck and back pain. To ensure the rest of these ergonomic tips are effective we must first focus on posture. While sitting in your office chair you should do the following: Proper posture is the key to avoiding neck and back pain while working in an office setting. You should be able to sit comfortably for reasonable amounts of time without any pain or discomfort. Absolutely avoid holding your phone using your shoulder throughout the day. This puts constant strain on your neck and should be avoided at all cost. You should hold the phone to your ear with your hands or use a hands free device such as a headset to ensure you avoid this problem.
Additionally, your phone should be within a comfortable arm’s reach. You should not need to strain to pick up or hang up your phone. Even if you have a great ergonomic chair it won’t do you much good if it isn’t adjusted properly. Here are a few things to keep in mind when setting up your office chair: Ideally, your keyboard should be positioned so it allows your elbows to hang naturally at your side with a 90 degree angle to your work space. Resist the urge to use the ‘kickstands’ that many keyboards offer, as your keyboard should have negative tilt to follow the natural downward angle of your hands/wrists. You should be able to sit naturally and comfortably while using the keyboard, without straining or reaching. A simple way to determine the distance you should be from your monitor is to sit naturally in your chair and reach your arm out. Your middle finger should almost touch your monitor. Ensuring proper distance from your monitor helps you avoid ‘turtling’ or curling your neck and straining to see the screen.
The height of your screen should be so your eye level is even with the top of your monitor to reduce the amount of movement needed to see all parts of the monitor. Regardless of how properly aligned your chair is or how good your posture is you should avoid sitting or standing in the same position for prolonged periods of time. Static posture is not good for your neck or back and is a common cause of issues related to the neck and back. Take relatively frequent breaks to stand, stretch or walk around and try to adjust your position frequently. Continued movement throughout the day helps keep muscles, joints and ligaments loose and helps to prevent injury. If possible, take a 15-20 minute walk during the day to promote healthy blood flow throughout your body as well. These simple questions can help ensure you are working in an ergonomically correct workplace. Remember, even if you don’t have neck or back pain, it is important to make sure you are working in a safe environment to prevent neck or back pain in the future.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our physicians you can fill out our consultation request form and we’ll get it touch with you to discuss your options.What Kind of Office Chair Should I Buy? Among the most common questions I’m asked as a chiropractor, “What kind of chair should I buy?” is near the top of the list. That’s because using the wrong chair can create undue strain in your neck, arms, back, hip, and legs. With hundreds of different choices and dozens of office furniture stores to choose from, few people know where to start looking. So I’ll share some information to help you buy the right chair. Office chairs range in price from as little as $15, all the way up to $1,500 or more. While most people can’t afford a $1,000+ chair, or can’t imagine themselves paying that much for one, we can still learn from these design concepts, and buy more price-friendly chairs that share similar ergonomic benefits. Why Spend More Than $50-100 on a Chair?
Simply put: More Pain = Less Productivity. Poor quality chairs decrease your productivity when they cause pain. The longer you work in a wobbly or unsupportive seat, the harder your body has to work to compensate for it. That’s a lot of wasted energy. If you spent $600-$1,200 on the mattress that you sleep on for 6-8 hours per night, why spend less on an office chair that you sit in every day for the same amount of time? If you can afford it, buy a good one! These chairs emulate the more expensive models, but are reasonably priced and can ease some of the common aches and pains associated with poorly designed office chairs. Think of them as the Toyota, Honda, or Hyundai of chairs. Lorell Executive High-Back Chair ($151) – Arms adjust in height and weight, seat height adjusts 17″-21″ from the floor. Alera Elusion High-Back Chair ($188) – Another adjustable chair with quality arm rests. Very well made for the price. Ideal for taller individuals. If you’re shorter or simply have a smaller body type, I recommend the mid-back version instead.
These chairs are a bit pricier than what you’re accustomed to spending on a chair, but the engineering is among the very best in the world. They’re built to last. Think of these as the Porsche, Audi and BMW of chairs. Gesture Chair by Steelcase ($974) – My top choice for office chair if it’s within your budget. Investing in a well-designed chair like this can work wonders for back pain if you spend several hours per day at a desk. With the Gesture Chair, you won’t be disappointed. Aeron Chair by Herman Miller ($679 – $889) – The only thing that really separates this Aeron from anything more expensive is the absence of plush leather and a headrest. But you can buy an aftermarket headrest attachment here, and it pretty much makes this chair unbeatable. These come in three sizes (A, B, and C). Here’s the sizing guide to help determine which size is ideal for your height/weight. This is my favorite chair. If the Aeron is not your style, you might like the design of their Mirra Chair instead.