Working From Home: Is Your Desk Making You Ache?
Working from home has plenty of benefits — no commute, more flexibility and easy access to the kettle! But spending hours at a desktop computer can take its toll on your body.
Neck and shoulder tension, aching between the shoulder blades, lower back discomfort, headaches and stiff hips are all complaints I commonly hear from people who spend much of their working day at a desk.
Interestingly, there isn’t one “perfect posture” that you need to maintain all day. Even a good sitting position can become uncomfortable if you stay in it for too long.
Often, the problem isn’t simply how you’re sitting — it’s how long you’ve been sitting that way.
Small changes can make a big difference
Your home workstation doesn’t need to be complicated, but getting the basics right can help.
Ideally, position your screen directly in front of you, with the top of the screen around eye level. Keep your keyboard and mouse comfortably within reach, support your feet and choose a chair that allows you to sit comfortably without constantly leaning towards your screen.
But perhaps the most important thing is to move regularly.
Stand up when you’re on the phone. Make a cup of tea. Walk around between meetings. Stretch your shoulders and hips. Even a couple of minutes away from your desk throughout the day can help break up long periods of sitting.
Your next posture is often your best posture!
How can McTimoney Chiropractic help?
When you’ve spent hours concentrating on a screen, it’s very easy for muscular tension and stiffness to build up without you noticing.
McTimoney Chiropractic uses gentle, precise adjustments and treatment can be tailored to the individual and the way their body is moving.
Rather than looking only at the area that hurts, we can consider how your spine and body are moving as a whole and whether other areas are working harder to compensate.
Treatment may help with some types of mechanical neck or back discomfort and can be combined with advice on movement, exercises and changes to your workstation.
Most importantly, you don’t have to wait until you’re struggling to get out of your chair before paying attention to your body.
Set up your desk well, change position regularly and keep moving — because your body wasn’t designed to spend eight hours in exactly the same position.