5 Tips for Your Office Setup
Do you feel like your office setup is uncomfortable? It may in fact be contributing to poor posture and misalignments in the spine. These spinal misalignments can interfere with the communication between the brain and the body, which can lead to symptoms such as headaches and migraines, digestive issues, back pain, and more. When you are sitting for an extended period of time, it's important to set up your work station to try to keep your spine in a neutral position. Here are a few tips!
1. Raise your screen
Raise your computer screen so that the top of the screen is at the level of your eyes. If you're working with a laptop, you can use a laptop stand to bring the screen up and then attach a separate keyboard. Raising your screen to an appropriate level for your height helps take the pressure off of your neck from looking slightly down. Your neck will thank you!
2. Keep your keyboard close to you
After you've adjusted your screen height, it's time to take care of the keyboard! Keep your keyboard low and close to you so that your elbows can be at about a 90 degree angle. When your arms are out in front of you, it can contribute to slouching - your shoulders and back want to follow your arms forward! Bringing your keyboard close to you takes a lot of pressure off of your neck and mid back.
3. Adjust your chair height
When sitting at your desk, it's important to adjust your chair height to keep your low back happy! Try to sit at a height where your hips and knees can be at about 90 degrees. If your chair is too high, you can keep your feet on a platform (a box or a few books could work) under your desk to take pressure off of your low back.
4. Add a pillow
If your office chair tends to recline, you may want to add a pillow between you and the back of your chair. This will help support your low back and encourage an upright posture. If your chair is already upright, but needs some additional support for your lumbar curve, you can roll up a small towel or t-shirt and place it at the small of your back for support.
5. Take frequent breaks
Even with the perfect office setup, no one's spine is meant to stay in the same position for hours. Try setting a reminder to take a lap around the room every hour to keep your body moving. It's amazing the effect a few steps can have!
If you have discomfort or symptoms that persist, even with these modifications, it might be time to get checked by a chiropractor, to see if there are spinal misalignments that need to be addressed. Your chiropractor can help create a care plan specific to your individual needs!
