How to sit at your desk

Working as a Chiropractor in Caulfield, a lot of my patients are office workers, spending up to 10 hours sitting at their desks each day. They often present with very similar complaints: neck pain, headaches, and lower back stiffness.

Setting Up Your Workspace

Your environment dictates your posture. Here are the key elements of an ergonomic desk setup:

• The Chair: Your feet should be flat on the floor (or on a footrest) with your knees at or slightly below hip level. The backrest should support the natural curve of your lower back.
• The Monitor: The top third of your screen should be at eye level, and it should be about an arm's length away. This prevents you from craning your neck forward.
• The Keyboard & Mouse: Your elbows should be close to your body, bent at roughly 90 degrees. Your wrists should be straight, not bent up or down.

The Best Posture is Your Next Posture

Even with the perfect ergonomic setup, sitting completely still for 8 hours is bad for your body. The human body is designed to move. The most important advice I give my patients is to change positions frequently. Stand up when taking a phone call, set a timer to stretch every hour, and take a short walk during your lunch break.