Edit ArticleHow to Sit at a Computer Sitting at a computer for long periods of time can take a toll on your body. By not sitting with the correct posture, it is easy to end up with back pain, neck pain, knee pains, and a tingling of the hands and fingers. Here are some tips on maintaining good ergonomics and staying comfortable at your desk during the day. Note: A 2006 study indicated that rather than an up-right position a more relaxed one at 135 degrees is suggested to relieve lower back pain. Sit close to your keyboard. Adjust the keyboard height. Adjust the tilt of your keyboard based on your sitting position. Position your monitor properly. Adjust the monitor and any source or reference documents so that your neck is in a neutral, relaxed position. Center the monitor directly in front of you, above your keyboard. Position the top of the monitor approximately 2-3” above your seated eye level. If you wear bifocals, lower the monitor to a comfortable reading level.
Sit at least an arm's length away from the screen and adjust the distance for your vision. Reduce any glare by carefully positioning the screen, which you should be looking almost straight at, but partially looking down. Adjust any curtains or blinds as needed. Adjust the vertical screen angle and screen controls to minimize glare from overhead lights. Position the source documents directly in front of you, and use an in-line copy stand. An articulating keyboard tray can provide optimal positioning of input devices. However, it should accommodate the mouse, enable leg clearance, and have an adjustable height and tilt mechanism. The tray should not push you too far away from other work materials, such as your telephone If you do not have a fully adjustable keyboard tray, you may need to adjust your workstation height and the height of your chair, or use a seat cushion to get in a comfortable position. Remember to use a footrest if your feet dangle. Take small breaks during your workday to release some of that muscle tension.
Studies have shown that constant sitting is very damaging to your health. Try walking around for a couple minutes, standing and doing stretches—anything to break up a full day of sitting on your bottom is good for you! Take short 1-2 minute stretch breaks every 20-30 minutes. After each hour of work, take a break or change tasks for at least 5-10 minutes. Always try to get away from your computer during lunch breaks. Avoid eye fatigue by resting and refocusing your eyes periodically. Look away from the monitor and focus on something in the distance. Rest your eyes by covering them with your palms for 10-15 seconds. Use correct posture when working. Keep moving as much as possible. Exercise your hand by pushing on top of your fingers, and using backward resistance movements. It's very important to stand and walk around while sitting for 30 minutes, because prolonged sitting can cause pelvic nerve pain. Also, years of prolonged sitting can lead to other health problems.
That 1-2 minute break after 30 minutes isn't that bad when it helps to prevent other pain and possible serious issues. Other techniques to reduce glare include use of optical glass glare filters, light filters, or secondary task lights Make sure that your chair is at the right position to help prevent back problems in the future. Avoid using excessively wide wrist rests, or wrist rests that are higher than the space bar of your keyboard. Get a timer application to remind you when to take a break. Take the break when the timer goes off or immediately after the current task. If the task takes long than 10 mins to finish, take the 1-2 minute break. A way to stop eyestrain is the 20, 20, 20 rule. Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet (6.1 m) away for 20 seconds. If your wrist hurts frequently while typing try the Dvorak keyboard setup. You may get stiff muscles if you are sitting in front of a computer too long. Use good work habits once you have correctly set up your computer workstation.
No matter how perfect the environment, prolonged, static postures will inhibit blood circulation and take a toll on your body.Don't let this infographic fool you—we know . It’s been linked to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even cancer . Not to mention, sitting for long periods of time can cause your muscles to , and has you burning one calorie a minute, a third of what it would be if you were walking . And that’s even when you have good posture!But most of us don’t even have good posture. We’re sitting like contortionists and twisted pretzels, setting ourselves up for a lifetime of pain and injuries . And although standing desks (or even treadmilll desks) are trendy, they haven't become the office norm just yet—making sitting the majority of the day pretty inevitable.To avoid the scary consequences of days spent on our rears, we teamed up with , a chiropractor at Manhattan’s , to find the best way to sit at our desks. It’s important to have your eyes in line with the area of the screen you focus on the most, whether that’s the top (if you’re sending lots of emails), or the bottom (if you’re writing a bunch of code).
Looking down at your screen puts excess strain on your neck, which leaves you vulnerable to injuries such as cervical disc herniation, cervical strains, and headaches. Stacking books under your monitor is a simple trick if you need to raise your screen to be at eye level. And if you happen to be a multi-monitor worker, make sure you apply this tip to the monitor you use the most—the last thing you want is an injury from looking sideways all day. Anything that you constantly use (think your phone, mouse, or water bottle) can be a stressor on your body if you’re always reaching out to grab it. Instead of forcing your body to overwork (and be in an uncomfortable position), keep these must-use items within a foot. When your arms are stretched and extended, your shoulders actually start to rotate forward, causing you to lose strength in your upper back. To avoid shoulder injuries and chronic upper back pain, keep your arms at a comfortable 90-degree angle in a nice, neutral resting position.
Chairs come with armrests for a reason, so don’t be afraid to let them lend you a helping hand! You want your back to be comfortable and supported, with a small curve in the lumbar spine where your natural lower back (or lordotic curve) is. Without support, the back tends to get too much of a curve in the opposite direction—what’s known as , or more commonly, —leaving the lower back perfectly exposed to disc herniation and chronic postural lower back sprains and strains (the most common injuries Brown sees). If you don’t have a chair that can provide support, get creative! Pillows and jackets are the perfect solution to such a problem. When your legs are crossed or just your toes are touching the floor, you’re putting unnecessary stress on large supportive muscles and hampering proper blood flow (hello, pins and needles). Even little things—like keeping your legs crossed all day long—can lead to chronic pain. It’s of course OK to cross your legs every once in a while, but it’s important to be aware of your body position.
While seated, you never want to be reaching or leaning forward. Well here’s a fun fact: For every inch that the head comes forward, the spine feels like is has taken on an —bringing on some major strain for your muscles. Little changes to your posture matter. Bad sitting habits—from slouching to crossing your legs—can lead to serious injuries and chronic pain. Fortunately, most of these issues are preventable, and regardless of if you’re big or small, there’s a creative way to make your desk setup and posture a bit better. (There’s zero shame is stacks of printer paper people!) It won’t feel awesome at first—we know the ideal posture is rarely the most comfortable—but that doesn’t mean you should give in to your long-standing (er, sitting) habits. Try slowly incorporating these changes (i.e. five minutes every half hour at first) to get your body adjusted to a healthier posture, and over time, sitting properly won’t feel awkward at all. You better believe your body will thank you.