How do you rate your posture while at work?
Posture is more important to our health than most people realise. Poor posture can lead to a number of symptoms including:
Neck pain
Headaches
Jaw issues
Shoulder pain
Tight muscles
Low back pain
Sometimes it can be those around you that draw your attention to your posture. Maybe a loved one has mentioned you are more slumped than you used to be?
Lets have a look at some tips for the office, your ergonomics and posture …
Today, lets focus on the keyboard and phone usage.
How is your keyboard?
An anatomic keyboard is often recommended, however I personally do not recommend this type.
Often the fancier more expensive keyboards in the long run are not worthwhile. Starting with the basic keyboard, having good posture and great typing skills are the basic fundamentals. Check out a short video on healthy typing habits here.
Pay attention to how your arms are when you are typing.
Your forearms should rest on the table.
Your shoulders should be relaxed, your desk should tilt 10 degrees down towards you (however your keyboard may already do this). Double check that your desk height and chair height are matching. Some of you may need to use a foot stool to achieve this.
When working from a laptop you will always have to compromise your posture as the screen is not at the right eye level. So it is vital to minimise any potential aches and pains arising from looking down at your screen by taking breaks often and taking movements “snacks”. This can be as simple as looking slowly over your shoulder a couple of times. If you know you will spend long periods working from your laptop, I would recommend investing in an external keyboard. This addresses the issue with screen height and you are no longer compromising. The external keyboard will also give you more distance from the screen, which is good news for your eyes and vision.
Do you work with a phone?
Finally, if you work with a phone do not hold the phone between your head and shoulder. Doing this several times a day or for prolonged periods may result in aches and pain in your neck and shoulders. If you need to type while speaking on the phone, I recommend investing in a hands free communication headset.
This is the third in a series of blogs on correct desk posture and tips for improvements. In the first blog we focused on your chair and how to utilise it in the best way. The last blog was all about the screen and protecting your vision.
If you have been putting up with low back pain, neck or shoulder aches, hands-on gentle care at NBH make be suitable for you. Supporting your recovery and allowing you to live a happier, healthier life. Contact the clinic here or on 087 1815007 to arrange your first visit or if you have any further questions on the above topic.
Read more about what to expect from my treatments.
Hopefully you find the general information in this blog informative and helpful, however it is not intended to replace medical advice and should not be used as such.