Tips To Prevent Pain While Working or Studying
We’re willing to bet a small fortune that many people reading this first line can’t say they’re not slouched at their work desks right now. Don’t believe us?
Take a second to evaluate your body.
Your current posture may feel cozy right now, but it may also be the cause of those slight kinks in your neck and back due to long hours spent behind a desk. Improper posture at work can lead to musculoskeletal disorders.
It’s no surprise that sitting all day, hunching over, pounding away on a laptop, can have undesirable consequences on your health. From an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes to back pain, sore hip, and stiff neck, properly setting up your desk and workspace should be a priority on your wellness list. Add in the new challenge of schooling and working from home during a pandemic, and you might be wondering how to set up your new work-study space to be productive and avoid pain. You can set up to achieve good posture and ergonomics. Ergonomics, the science concerned with understanding an individual’s interaction with the workplace and environment, aims to reduce stress, eliminate injuries resulting from repetitive tasks and incorrect posture, and maximize productivity. Ergonomics is about positioning yourself to avoid injury, pain, and fatigue and improve your overall performance. Let’s consider the following:
Head position
The head is like a 10-pound bowling ball when your spine is in a neutral position, and if you get into the wrong position, your spine takes on more of that weight. So the farther your head moves away from your neutral spine, the more the pressure goes up. Even moving your head 15 degrees forward (so slightly looking down), your head goes from 10 pounds to about 24 pounds! That’s a significant increase in your spine, which can potentially lead to neck and back pain. Add in looking down at a piece of paper – and the pressure on your neck and shoulders jumps to almost 40 pounds. If you do this for several hours and we’re talking significant pain and damage.
For this reason, always focus on your spine, and head is in a neutral position. Place your computer screen straight in front of you, where your eyes are looking primarily at the area of the screen that you use the most. You can use books or a box to prop the screen up to the appropriate level.
If you have two screens, put the primary display in the center and the secondary screen off your left or right. If you can, try to move your secondary screen around, have your secondary monitor to the right for a few weeks and then change it to your left in another couple weeks. Good ergonomics is about keeping your neck moveable and avoiding repetitive movements.
Arm position
If you use a laptop, you might run into having your screen up so high that you can’t reach the keys. Here a wireless keyboard will come in handy. If you can’t type comfortably, you’re going to be straining, which will quickly cause neck, trap, and wrist issues.
Whether you’re sitting or standing, your arms’ preferred position is going to be 90 degrees. So that means your shoulders need to be down at a resting position (not hunched up to your ears), and your elbows bent with your wrists staying neutral.
When it comes to your computer mouse, use an ergonomics mouse versus a traditional mouse. A standard computer mouse forces your wrist to twist, which can irritate carpal tunnel syndrome or give you general wrist pain. An ergonomics mouse allows the wrist to maintain a neutral position, almost like shaking someone’s hand. It’s also a good idea to move around your mouse pad from time to time to create a little variety in your positions. Again, focusing on reducing repetitive movement to avoid injury.
Back position
Most standard office chairs have built-in lumbar support and the ability to change your height, which is excellent for customizing your workstation. But if you’re working with a regular chair, maybe even at home, there are a few things you can try to support a correct back position.
You first want to make sure your legs and thighs are parallel with the cushion of your seat. This allows the pressure of your weight to be evenly distributed and reduces the risk of thigh or leg pain. Make sure your legs aren’t dangling or that you’re not using the rungs of your chair to prop your feet up. If needed, get a box or stool to rest your feet.
Sometimes, when we’re engaged in our work, we tend to lean forward inadvertently. Ideally, the spine needs to be parallel and placed up against the back of the chair. If you’re continually leaning forward, you’re going to get tired, and that’s going to lead to tightness and back pain. Instead, try using a lumbar support pillow, which will allow you to sit with the natural curve in your back. Place the pillow in the small of your back and adjust it so that your head is over your neck and shoulders. This even works with a regular, small pillow.
The curve of the spine is like a spring. As gravity bears down on it, the spring can change pressure and distribute it evenly. If you straighten your spine out or overly curve it because you’re in a weird position, you’re going to start to have some discomfort.
Along with the lumbar support pillow, you can get a chair cushion, which is also going to help distribute your weight. Some cushions have a cut out for your tailbone, a common complaint, either from a previous injury or from childbirth.
Movement
Even if you sit in the best possible position, if you stay there for too long, it will cause some pain and discomfort. Whenever you get stuck doing the same thing, you’re going to get injured. Repetitive movement is a significant cause of injury. Our joints are made to self-lubricate when we move; that is why the movement is so good for us. When we move our muscles, we stretch out from being tense or overstretched from sitting or standing too long. The motion is lotion. We need to get up and move throughout the day. We ask our patients to get up and move for at least 5 minutes every hour. Do a simple neck stretch every hour. So, even if you walk 12 times a day, you will move for an hour a day just by doing that. Smartwatches can remind you when it’s time to move. Try to figure out times throughout your day where a little bit of movement or stretching won’t affect your productivity or learning.
Regular exercise such as walking, swimming, or bicycling will help the body stay aerobically conditioned, while specific strengthening exercises will help the back's muscles stay healthy. These benefits of exercise promote good posture, which will, in turn, further help to condition muscles and prevents injury. There are also specific exercises that will help maintain good posture. In particular, a balance of core muscle and back muscle strength helps support the upper body and maintain a good position.
Supportive footwear
Avoid regularly wearing high-heeled shoes, which can affect the body’s center of gravity and induce compensatory alignment of the entire body, thus negatively affecting back support and posture. When standing for long periods, propping a leg up on a footrest, wearing supportive shoe orthotics, or placing a rubber mat on the floor can improve comfort.
Remember good posture and ergonomics when in motion
Simply walking, lifting heavy materials, holding a telephone, and typing are all moving activities that require attention to ergonomics and posture. It is essential to maintain a good position while moving to avoid injury, walking tall with shoulders back. Back injuries are prevalent while twisting or lifting and often occur because of awkward movement and control of the upper body weight.
Blend tasks together. So while you’re reading a long email, you’re stretching. If you’re waiting for your lunch to heat up, throw in some movement while you wait. Take advantage of breaks to make sure you move. Or if you have a standing desk, switch from sitting to standing every hour and the back again. Creating variety throughout the day is going to help combat pain and discomfort. Movement is an essential element of excellent workspace ergonomics.
A comfortable, ergonomic workspace can help you feel and work at your best. We suggest keeping these tips in mind every time you start the workday!
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4160684/#ref24
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30403772/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28826961/
Published 8/7/2020
Dr. Amar Singh, MD, and Dr. Poonam Singh, MD, are board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and American Board of Obesity Medicine. They specialize in preventing, treating, and reversing chronic diseases using an evidence-based holistic approach. They are specifically interested in weight management, hormone re-balancing, and longevity. The American College of Physicians has recognized them as Fellows, FACP, for their excellence and contributions made to both medicine and the broader community. They enjoy teaching, volunteering, and advocating for their patients. Their mission is to share simple, effective, and proven strategies that lead to meaningful, sustainable, and long-lasting well-being.
