Don’t suffer with back pain whilst sitting at your desk

Follow MACOI’s guide to ensure you are sitting correctly and avoid any unnecessary pain or stress to your back and neck.

Your computer screen should be situated at eye level

Your laptop screen or monitor should sit directly in front of you and ideally at arm’s length away with the top of the screen roughly at your eye level. Screens and monitors at the wrong level and distance away can cause unnecessary strain on your eyes!

You neck should be kept straight and your shoulders relaxed

Anyone prone to neck ache should invest in a chair which offers a headrest for additional neck support.

Your Posture - Your lower back should be properly supported

Leaning forward in your chair for prolonged periods will put up to 4 times more strain on your back.

Your chair should be easily adjustable so that you can change the height, back position and tilt to suit your bodies’ natural shape ensuring you avoid back pain and poor posture.

Sitting with crossed legs can decrease your circulation and can lead to hip problems in the future. Knees should be level with your hips and your feet are flat on the floor. For additional comfort it maybe necessary to obtain an ergonomic footrest.

Avoid Repetitive strain injuries

When you are in the correct seat height position, you should use your computer keyboard with your wrists and forearms straight and level with the floor. Your elbows should be by the side of your body, so that your arms form an L-shape at the elbow joint. By having your wrists straight and flat on the desk you can avoid repetitive strain injuries.

Support Your Lower Back

To avoid unnecessary lower back problems and pain consider an office chair with adjustable lumbar support.

You may also want to consider:

• No overstretching (keep things on your desktop at arm’s length)
• Don’t hold the phone under you chin!
• Avoid Screen Glare
• Leave adequate space for your wrists, if you can’t keep your wrists straight, you may need a wrist rest for extra support.

Tags: Ergonomics, Office Seating, Chairs, Workstation