Take a seat at your desk the right way

Tips to help you achieve proper posture

By Sharon Oosthoek

Who runs greater risk of low back injury — someone sitting at a computer all day or someone performing heavy manual labour?

It turns out each individual has the same high likelihood of hurting herself. Mardy Frazer, a professor of ergonomics at the University of Waterloo, says people often have a hard time accepting that computer work can cause physical injury.

Computing may be the culprit

Certainly Mary Clark Green was surprised when she discovered her desk job was responsible for neck pain so severe it woke her in the night. Clark Green runs a public relations business out of her Vancouver home and spends all day in front of the computer. Her problems began after buying new office furniture.

“After 10 years of working at a makeshift desk, I deserved something beautiful. So I bought this great professional-looking desk and a month later I started getting neck strain,” she says.

Matching desk to chair

Clark Green didn’t realize that her new desk was too high for her old chair. She was forced to look up at the computer.

A friend who is an occupational therapist offered to watch her work. She told Clark Green that the chair had to be high enough so that her eyes were roughly level with the top of the monitor. After buying a new chair and three visits to a physiotherapist, Clark Green is a new woman.

Beware the laptop

Clark Green’s story is a familiar one for Frazer, who has spent many hours helping people make crucial adjustments.

He says the riskiest behaviour we indulge in is the unwise use of laptops. “The trouble with laptops is you can use them anywhere — and people do. Think about how many times you’ve been sitting on the couch, bending over your laptop,” he says.

Tips for avoiding injury and strain

Get a good chair. Frazer says it should adjust for height and lumbar support and have a five-star base to avoid tipping. The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) recommends adjusting the chair height so that your knees are level with your hips. If your feet are not resting flat on the floor, use a footrest. Alter your chair if there is a difference between the height of the keyboard and the writing surface.

Adjust the lumbar support. The CAOT also advises adjusting the lumbar support to the curve in your lower back. Not changing the lumbar support can cause stress in muscles and joints, and alter the normal S curve of the spine. If you don’t have a chair with lumbar support, you can use a pillow or a rolled up towel, provided the support is not too thick. There’s no rule of thumb for thickness, but it should feel comfortable.

Sit up straight. Don’t work hunched over or sitting on the edge of your chair.

Place arms properly. Let your upper arms hang down and put your lower arms straight out when typing or using the mouse.

Keep wrists level. When typing, don’t raise your wrists up or down. Keep them roughly parallel to the floor. The same holds true for the mouse.

Keep the mouse nearby. Make sure your mouse is close enough that you needn’t lift your arm to use it.

Put your monitor straight in front of you. Make sure your eyes are level with the top of the screen.

Take breaks from the computer at least once an hour. Frazer suggests standing up while talking on the phone. He says this will give your spine a chance to return to its normal posture.

Reconfigure your laptop setup. If you do use a laptop, use a separate mouse and keyboard to minimize problematic posture. Set your laptop on a surface that allows your eyes to be level with the top of the screen. Put the keyboard and mouse at a level that allows you to keep your arms at a 90° angle.