|
Many of us spend more time at our desks than any other place in our waking hours. While the risk of injury from sitting down can seem unlikely, spending hours in a poorly set up workspace can place a lot of pressure on your body and lead to overuse injuries or postural pain. Below are a few tips that can help you set up your workstation better.  Your Chair
The height of your chair is a good place to begin. Ideally, your feet should be flat on the floor, and if you can adjust the height of the chair, your thighs should be parallel to the floor. If your chair has armrests, they should be low enough to allow your elbows to sit comfortably between 90-110 degrees of bend and rest by the side of your body. A small cushion or rolled-up towel may be added to the back of the chair to add support to the lower back to help prevent slouching. If you are unable to adjust your chair and it is too high, you can use a footrest to allow your feet to rest comfortably. Your Desk The height of your desk should be set so that your arms can rest comfortably at the keyboard and hands, wrists and forearms can sit in a neutral position, parallel to the floor. Where possible, put everything you need within easy reach and alternate days using your mouse and phone with different hands on different days (if you can do this with your non-dominant hand!). Your Screen The height of your computer should be raised so that the top of the screen is around eye level. Allowing your neck to rest in a neutral position can help to prevent neck pain and headaches. Ideally, if you can set the screen to be 20-40 inches away from your face, this will reduce strain on your eyes while reading. Some other tips Being comfortable is extremely important for productivity and focus. If you are struggling with pain, your work will often suffer. Even joint stiffness and muscle tightness can disrupt your workflow, so taking the time to adjust your workstation can save you countless hours in the long run and prevent painful overuse injuries. Taking active breaks from sitting to move and stretch can help to maintain muscle and joint health, which can be compromised from being in the same posture too long. You can set a timer or make the effort to take phone calls and video meetings standing, rather than always sitting. You can speak to your physiotherapist or posture specialist for more personalised advice on your workplace setup.
0 Comments
The American Migraine Foundation states that "poor posture and long periods of inactivity can contribute to an increase in migraine frequency." Whether it’s for work or school, many of us feel tied to our computer screens and desks. Long periods of sitting and increased time using technology can have negative impacts on posture, neck pain, and headaches, including migraine.  6 Tips to Improve your Posture (from The American Migraine Foundation)
1. Focus on your sitting posture Whether you’re working from an office or your bedroom, good posture is important. It’s especially important for people with migraine because research shows they tend to have more neck dysfunction than the general population. For better sitting posture, sit with your head and neck upright in a neutral position. Rest your feet flat on the floor (or supported by a foot rest) and avoid sitting on your feet or crossing your legs. Keep your arms and elbows close to your body, use an arm rest for support if available and keep your wrists in a neutral position. Sit with your buttocks fully back in your chair and with your back supported. Try placing a small rolled towel behind your lower back to decrease the space between the chair and your back. 2. Try a recovery pose One way to reduce tension and physical stress when you feel a headache coming on is to try a recovery pose. To do a recovery pose, lie on your back with your knees bent and gently clasp your hands together behind your head and neck. Allow your elbows to relax toward the floor until there is a slight, comfortable stretching sensation. Focus on your breathing and relax; this should not feel painful. Hold for 1-2 minutes (as long as it is comfortable), lifting elbows for a break as needed. Repeat. This should not be irritating or heighten your headache. Stop if that occurs. 3. Have a dedicated work space Virtual learning or working from home allows you to create a personalised workstation to suit your needs. Rather than tuning into virtual meetings from the comfort of your bed or couch, consider a more traditional set up with a table or desk and a chair. Position your laptop or monitor at or slightly below eye level. When using books or smaller electronic devices, try to bring the book or device to eye level. Consider using support devices like cases or stands when possible. Make sure your frequently used items are within easy reach. Incorporating these clinical recommendations into your work space can have a positive effect on headaches by improving posture and reducing neck pain. 4. Take short breaks throughout the day Schedule timed breaks throughout the day. During these breaks, you can work on stretching exercises to help with proper posture, go for a short walk around your neighborhood, or take a full lunch hour to be away from your desk. Even just standing up for a bit can help. Not only will regular breaks help your neck and spine, they’ll help you return to your school or workday feeling refreshed and energised. 5. Increase activity to make up for more time sitting Exercise can promote improved posture by strengthening your muscles and reducing tension. Being active can also relieve stress and improve sleep. Whenever starting new exercises, start slow, gradually incorporating new and increasing your exercises. Meditation, yoga and aerobic exercise are excellent options. Adding these to your regular routine can help manage your migraine disease. There are multiple benefits of physical activity for migraine management. 6. Get a good night’s sleep Posture practice to deal with migraine isn’t limited to the work or school day. Set yourself up for a day of success by focusing on your sleep. Consider sleeping on your side and avoid sleeping on your stomach, as it puts added pressure on the spine. Use pillows to support your head and neck for added comfort. Ultimately, your sleeping posture should support a neutral spine position including the head, neck, upper, and low back. For most of us, screen time and sitting go hand in hand and both are only increasing as our lives move more online. While short periods in any posture aren't harmful, a lack of movement combined with long periods spent in hunched positions can lead to spinal pain, headaches, shoulder pain and more. If you're needing to spend more time in front of a screen, here are a few tips that can help you to keep flexible and avoid pain.  Set movement breaks
Posture in itself isn't always a problem. Spending long periods of time in these postures without taking breaks is the problem. When your body is so used to one position, muscles may become shorter and joints stiffer, making it harder to move out of this posture without pain and discomfort. You can break up your day by setting a timer to move and take a break every 20-30 minutes. Using these short breaks for movement is a great way to both help focus at work and keep your body more flexible. Setup your work and home environment properly Adjusting your work station or setting up a place to relax at home where to you can avoid a hunched posture can help you to reduce time in the same posture. Your physiotherapist can give you tips for how to setup your home and office environment correctly. Take stock of your time spent sitting Time in the car, time on your computer and time on the couch can all quickly add up without you realising. By accounting for the amount of time you spend sitting, you can find more ways to move. For example, if you notice that you're sitting down as soon as you get home, try swapping out watching an episode on TV to going for a walk while listening to a podcast. Ask your physio or posture specialist for specific stretches If you can identify the posture you spend the most time in, your physio or posture specialist can help you to develop a specific exercise and stretching program to counteract these positions most directly and keep you strong and flexible. We constantly tell people to set reminders to get up and move, or take a posture break from their desk to avoid the aches, pains and other negatives that come from sitting in one place for too long. But how do you actually do that? Setting up a reminder on your work computer is essential to keep you on track with this, as it's all too easy to forget, as most of us know. Simple instructions on how to do this are below. Note we generally recommend getting up from your desk, even for a short time, every 30 minutes.  For Windows 11 on PC (2 simple options)
1. Microsoft To Do app This comes pre-installed on Windows, to set up reminders on your PC quickly. The app is free and simple to use. Step 1: Open Microsoft To Do app on your PC. If you can’t find it, download it from the Microsoft Store. Step 2: Sign in with your Microsoft account. Step 3: In the My Day tab, click the ‘Add a task’ button. Type in your task details (posture break) and press enter to save it. Step 4: Next, click on your task and select the Remind me option from the menu that appears on your right. Step 5: You can choose from the suggested options or set a date and time. And that’s about it. Microsoft To Do will remind you about the task at the specified date and time. You can also set a recurring reminder for your task by clicking on the Repeat option. 2. Using the Calendar app Another option for setting up reminders on Windows 11 is to use the built-in Calendar app. This can come in handy if you have already synced your Google account with the Calendar app and want to view all your tasks and reminders in a single place. Step 1: Open the Calendar app on your PC and click on the New event button. Step 2: Enter your task details. Step 3: Use the drop-down menu beside the Reminder to define when the app should remind you. If you want to set up a recurring reminder, click on the Repeat button at the top and specify how frequently the app needs to remind you. Step 4: Lastly, click on Save. After that, the reminder will appear on your calendar app. It’s worth noting that the reminder notification will also appear on your other devices where you’ve signed in with your calendar account. For Mac systems Step 1: In the Reminders app on your Mac, select a reminder list in the sidebar. Step 2: Click the Add button in the top-right corner (or use the Touch Bar). Step 3: Enter a title for the reminder (posture break). Step 4: Do any of the following... Add notes: Type a note below the reminder text. Press Option-Return to start a new line in the note. Be reminded on a date and time: Click Add Date, choose a suggested date or click Custom to use the calendar to pick a date. After you enter a date, optionally click Add Time, then choose a suggested time. If you don’t enter a time, the reminder is an all-day reminder. Be reminded when you arrive at or leave a location: Click Add Location, then choose a suggested location or start typing the name of a location and choose from the suggestions. Tag a reminder: Click the Tag button, then choose an existing tag or click New Tag to create and apply a new tag. Flag a reminder: Click the Flag button. To quickly add multiple reminders to the same list, press Return after you enter each reminder. That should help you set reminders for your posture breaks at work. Remember there really is no substitute for movement! "Your best posture is your next posture..." Correct posture and alignment, especially while sitting for prolonged periods, is essential for office workers in order to prevent work related pain and injuries. Admittedly, most of us sit with poor posture at some point, but when a person has to adopt their sitting position for long periods of time, often day in and day out, poor health issues can result.  Some consequences of prolonged incorrect sitting posture…
- Headaches - Neck pain and spasm - Interscapular/thoracic pain and stiffness - Lower back pain - Muscular tension throughout the shoulder girdle - Wrist, forearm or elbow pain - Potential for lumbar disc irritation/bulging What to do about it… Many people admit they know they have poor posture, but don’t know what to do about it. This is where education becomes crucial. Correct workstation setup is very simple to teach and the most effective preventative tool we have in helping people avoid the above potentially disabling problems. At Perth Posture Centre we are well trained and experienced in educating patients about workstation setup, postural corrective exercises and manual therapy that will alleviate any problems that may have arisen from poor office work habits. We use a combination of soft tissue massage, trigger point release, spinal mobilisation, dry needling (acupuncture) and exercises to stretch and strengthen anti-gravity muscles as well as improving alignment when we are faced with these workers. As usual, early detection and referral for treatment is the key. Are you guilty of having poor posture while reading this blog post? If so, you may be suffering from a modern day health challenge called “tech neck.” Poor posture while utilising technology is a very common factor contributing to poor postural design. Technology is recognized as one of the principle causes of the modern day posture epidemic. Poor posture due to looking down at a mobile phone is so common that a new diagnosis has been created to explain the phenomenon, and that is “tech neck.”  Do you suffer from headaches, neck pain, shoulder tightness or fatigue?
If you do, it could be due to your posture while using technology. Repetitive stresses from checking your mobile phone with improper posture or having slouched posture at work on your computer can have a tremendous impact on your posture and your health. The impact of proper posture is far beyond the musculoskeletal system. Consider the following research studies showing that forward head posture has a negative impact on your health. Did you know…?
Instead of looking down while sending a text message, checking your email or social media, raise your phone to eye level to avoid excessive strain to your neck and upper back. Also, be sure that when using a computer your screen is close enough where you can see it clearly without jutting your head forward, as well as having it at the correct height so you're not looking down to see the viewing area. For proper posture while using technology, consider the following posture tips to re-train poor posture habits.
|