Seriously? You work from home and do how many hours on the couch or in bed? This is a posture killer and you’re destined (if you haven’t already reached the arrivals hall) to be making appointments shortly with your physio/chiro/osteo to fix that killer headache, neck pain, back ache, or all of the above. For a start, the laptop is, despite its many virtues, a serious contributor to the growing numbers of patients booking tickets for treatment of pain and dysfunction. Let’s look at this more closely.
Good posture for working at home basically means you need a desk. You need a workspace that you can organise in a way that suits your body and your working needs. It doesn’t have to be flash – it just has to be adjustable. Correct posture means that you sit correctly at your desk, ideally with a desktop computer, as opposed to a laptop. Here’s a little checklist to help you out.
Healthy desk posture checklist:
- Place your feet on the floor or on a footrest. Avoid crossing your legs as this can impair circulation and alter your posture.
- Ensure that you have good back support, particularly for your lower back. Some people like to use an additional lumbar support.
- Use an adjustable seat so that you can ensure that your feet are on the floor or on your footrest.
- Place the keyboard so that it’s about 10cm (or thereabouts) away from you. Your forearms and wrists should be level with the floor.
- Place your elbows at the side of your body so that your arms form an L-shape at the side of your body.
- The screen should be at eye level and about one arm’s length away from you.
Got that? Well, how can you do that with a laptop? Don’t get me wrong, I love laptops, but on a long-term, every day basis there is going to be some serious obstacles to getting your posture right for you. For a start you cannot accommodate the distances between the screen and keyboard because they’re fixed! Where do you tend to stare when you look at a laptop screen? Down! Your neck is flexed and placing your spine and legs under strain. This can lead to nerve, muscle, disc and ligament problems. Laptops are great for short-term arrangements, but if you must use one then try to get as many other aspects o the ‘Healthy desk posture checklist’ right as you can, apart from the distance between you and the screen and the height of the screen.
Remember that poor posture won’t necessarily result in immediate pain or injury that you will notice. It’s the little things that you do every day that REALLY COUNT. By the time you notice that crookneck you have probably been hunched over for some time! Check out your posture at your desk. Does it need a serious makeover?
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.This post was written by Rosemary Marchese who is a fitness author and writer, physiotherapist and mum (not in order of priority of course!). She has published two fitness textbooks and is currently working on her third book, consulting for fitness training organisations and blogging fit bits and tips for fitness professionals and the general public! Check out her blog or catch up with Rosemary on her website.
The content on this post is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as individual fitness or health advice, nor should it replace the advice given to you by any medical, health or fitness professional in a one-to-one scenario. Always seek medical clearance and advice before embarking on any exercise regime. The author takes no responsibility for any accident or injury claims as a result of the content on this site
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