The Back Pain Blog
A Blog By A Back Pain Sufferer For Back Pain Sufferers Everywhere

Does it ever happen that you’re typing at your desk and suddenly your fingers feel numb or your wrist start to ache. Your lower back is begging for a massage and your eyelids twitch like a light bulb just seconds before it dies. Headaches, eyestrain, muscle, tendons, neck, shoulder or back thigh pains are all symptoms related to postural fatigue. But what if you are part of the millions of people who work at a computer all day and can’t afford to spend hours at a gym or check into an all day spa? Experts have recommended over the years to use proper posture techniques to lower the chances of developing permanent hand/arm, neck, shoulder and back injuries. Here are some tips to help you improve your posture at the desk and workstation layout.

Sit correctly in the right chair

Sitting in a proper ergonomic seat can prevent future injuries caused by back problems. This chair should support your lower (lumbar) back and have adaptable arm rests to allow the positioning of your elbows be near your waist. The base of the chair should have 5 points with roll off wheels and a padded seat wider than your hips and thighs. You should always sit squarely on your pelvic bones. This posture allows a range of movement and takes off the strain of being in just one position.  Your hips should be as far back as they can into the chair.Your feet should rest flat against the floor and your knees equal to your hips. It’s extremely important that you feel you have upper and lower back support. By following these steps and sitting correctly you are strengthening back muscles and maintaining the natural lumbar curve of your spine  to prevent sitting burnout.

Clear work surface area  and proper keyboard positioning

The height of your desk should be elbow level when you sit down and about 1-2 inches above your thighs. This comfortable space allows you to move around freely. Your keyboard should be centered in front of your body. This position allows comfort to your lower arms and circulation to your hands preventing that common tickling sensation some people get when typing. Your fingers should be relaxed and you should also use a soft touch keyboard. Don’t grab the mouse roughly and avoid having other objects like a pen or pencil in your hand at the same time your holding the mouse. It’s estimated  that the average computer user strikes 150,000 keys each day. When these typing outbreaks occur, your elbows should be rested on a soft surface. Your mouse should also fit the size of your hand and be as flat as possible to prevent wrist and muscle strain. If you can, use a headset to avoid having to reach over to the telephone.

Time yourself to a well deserved prize

You can use an online stopwatch and program your daily work routine to 50 minutes, giving yourself a well deserved 10 minutes to rest. During these 10 minutes you can do some hand exercises at your desk. Gently press against the top of your fingers backwards for a couple of seconds. Stretch the other hand using the same movement. If you repeat this 6 times a day with 15 reps each you can prevent developing Carpal Tunnel problems in the future. You can also give relief to your vision by closing and opening your eyes for about 3 seconds each. Roll your eyes clockwise and then counter-clockwise. Make sure you blink in between each rep. Focus on a distant colorful object like a painting or simply look out the window for about 15 seconds. Then return to a nearer object for another 10 seconds. Repeat these reps about 5 times. Another interesting exercise you can do is marking a red or black dot on a window. Focus on the dot. Then look straight ahead past the dot to an object. Refocus your vision back on the dot.

Hopefully these office placement techniques and simple exercises can help anyone who’s at their desk for more then 8 hours a day. Remember that “an ounce of perception is worth a pound of cure”.