Home Ergonomics



Seeing as many of us have had to adapt to a “new normal”, more and more people are being asked to work from home. Although now you may save time on your morning commute and save money on your daily coffee runs, it’s important to make sure that your workspace isn’t causing you any discomfort or pain.


Having a proper space to work from is an important factor in preventing neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, finger, and back pain. Thus, with more and more offices being replaced with kitchen tables and couches, it’s worth taking the time to make sure your workspace is ergonomically adjusted to your needs.


As this blog is very lengthy and contains a lot of different information, here is a quick table of content to easily find the information most relevant to you:

  1. If you are experiencing neck/ shoulder pain (+ general ergonomic tips)
  2. If you are experiencing lower back pain
  3. If you are experiencing wrist/finger pain
  4. If you are experiencing hip pain

"Home Ergonomics Part 2" Blog:

  1. If you eye-sight is getting worse
  2. If you can't stay focused
  3. If your work life is getting in the way of your home life
  4. If you don't have enough space to set up a proper home-office
  5. The effects of stress and physical activity on pain


1. If you are experiencing neck/shoulder pain (+general ergonomic tips)



Studies have shown that office workers and computer users experience the highest incidence of neck pain of all workers. Studies have also shown that the annual incidence of neck pain is 34.4%, which means that about ⅓ of the population suffers from neck pain every year! Thus, it is extremely important to maintain proper neck and shoulder posture throughout the day. To help avoid these risks, we must ensure that the proper steps are being taken when setting up a workspace, especially at home.




Why do I have pain?


Shoulder pain and neck pain are highly interrelated. Not only do most of the shoulder muscles attach and directly pull on the neck, but the neck also contains the nerve roots which control the functioning and sensation in the shoulder and arm. So when the shoulder is affected, oftentimes we see changes in the movement mechanics which can lead to compensations in the neck, and vice versa. One of the most common patterns we see is the famous rounded shoulders while sitting. This commonly leads to shortening of the pectoral muscles (chest), which in turn creates a reactive tightening in the upper traps/levator scap muscles (neck), which produces the frequently seen forward head posture.



So what can be done?


Neck and shoulder pain may have many different causes. However, here we will be focusing on the workspace and the issues associated with workplace ergonomics.


First, we will look at the general posture of someone who is typing on the computer. In such a seated position, the shoulders have a tendency to round forward and cause tension in the neck and shoulder.


This may be caused by :

  • Poor lumbar support
  • Sitting slouched for a prolonged period of time
  • Improper computer screen positioning
  • Having the keyboard/mouse too far from you
  • or simply because of anatomical imbalances.


So as you can see, identifying the root cause in your circumstance is key.


If poor back posture is the cause, then a lumbar support, such as this one, can help. This can decrease slouching and prevent rounding of the upper back, and ultimately decrease the risk of a shoulder injury. Our patients often complain about how hard it is to keep the back ‘upright’ in order to maintain a good posture. But in truth, we want the back support and not active muscle contraction to do most of the work in maintaining the natural curve of the spine.



It is crucial to correct the posture from the ground up.


Having the lumbar spine in a proper lordosis (like arching slightly backward) is key to having the rest of the spine in proper alignment. If the low back is slouched, no matter how hard you try, the upper back will be rounded forward.


So step #1is having proper lumbar support.

Step #2 is placing the lumbar support at the lower curvature of your back (right above your belt line)

Step #3 is to slide your bum all the way back so your low back is pressed up against the roll

Step #4 is to lean back so your shoulder blades are in contact with the chair’s backrest And the final step #5 is to slide your chair forward so your belly is close to the table (bringing your closer to your keyboard and the computer screen)



Screen positioning is also an area that is often overlooked.

The worst is with laptops where the screen sits low at the table level.

In other situations, the computer screen sits at a level far below eye-level (when sitting with the previously mentioned lumbar-supported posture). This leads to the person leaning forward with the neck or slouching with the low back to get closer to the screen.


Instead, adjust your computer screen so that it is eye level and close enough to you so you can read without bringing your head forward (imagine keeping your ears in line with your shoulders all the time)



Keyboard positioning also plays a critical role.


It is normally recommended to keep your elbows close to your body and at a 90 degree angle when typing. This allows the arms and shoulder to stay in a relaxed position and avoid unnecessary strain.


This is in contrast to the situation where you have your keyboard further from you (let’s say because you have a stack of papers between you and the keyboard), which forces you to reach your arms out further, thus requiring a constant contraction of the shoulder muscles. This, repeated 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, can lead to excessive strain on the shoulder and neck muscles.


Imagine holding your arms up hovering over a table non-stop for 8 hours...I’m sure you can see how that would be tiring.



What else influences neck pain?


It is also known that symptoms of neck pain in adolescents predict neck pain and neck injuries in adulthood. Thus, if you have a teenager or young adult in your household, it may be worth adjusting their work (and/or gaming/playing) space too. Kids rebound quickly from injury but prolonged poor posture can lead to poor habits that may affect them in the future.


Another known factor to influence neck and shoulder pain is stress. In other words, decrease your stress levels, decrease your neck/shoulder pain. Obviously, this is easier said than done, but hey, you can always keep scrolling to learn some tips on how to properly manage stress during these times (check out section 9).


Additionally, taking microbreaks (30 seconds break every 20 to 40 minutes of work) significantly decreases your risk of developing neck pain. Studies have also shown that taking microbreaks does not interfere with overall productivity (yay!).


Finally, studies have shown that those who are active during their leisure time (e.g. walk, dance, exercise, etc.) decrease their risk of neck pain by half! So, whenever possible, move your body! It feels good mentally and physically, and your neck/shoulders will thank you later on!



If the pain persists


If your pain persists, gets increasingly worse, or prevents you from enjoying your daily activities, it’s important to get it assessed by a professional such as a physiotherapist or osteopath in order to minimize other potential injuries and investigate the root cause of the pain.


As previously mentioned, there are many factors and potential causes linked to neck pain. Thus, if a simple ergonomic adjustment doesn't help your pain, it is important to get it checked to prevent further complications such as migraines.



2. If you are experiencing lower back pain



Sitting for prolonged periods of time can have a significant impact on the low back. In order to sit, your body needs to find a balance between using active muscle contraction vs. using the passive elastic properties of the muscles/ligaments on the spine to hold you up. Sit too straight and you may be fatiguing the muscles. Sit too relaxed and slouched and you may be overstretching the soft tissues.


For people who work at a desk job, sitting 40 hours per week, this often results in overuse of the low back muscles or potentially even injuring the vertebral disks. Although back pain can present in many ways and may have many contributing factors, sitting posture certainly plays an important role.



Studies have shown that the prevalence rate of lower-back pain among office workers is as high as 34-51%. That's ⅓ to ½ of the office workers! (WOW). It has been suggested that the poor conditioning (due to lack of movement throughout the day) and the high musculoskeletal load of sitting may be the reason for the high incidence of low back pain and office work. Furthermore, sitting for long periods of time in poorly adjusted workspaces and adopting poor postures while working have been shown to increase your risk of back pain. Thus, a proper workspace set up and being mindful of your posture throughout your day may help protect your back.



Another study found that physical activity levels can either protect you from back pain or be a risk factor for back pain. This study noticed that office workers who followed the WHO physical activity recommendations (at least 60min of moderate to vigorous exercise/day - should include activities that strengthen muscles and bones at least 3x/week) had the lower incidence of back pain compared to those who didn’t adhere to these recommendations. They also found that those who over-trained were more susceptible to back pain as they tended to overload the back during exercise or would injure themselves by poorly performing exercises.


Imagine if you did a long tiring day of gardening, your back is already fatigued, and then you sit for 8 hours the next day, putting constant stress on the back. That’s why everything has to be balanced. What can also help is stretching. Check out below for some recommendations



So what can be done?


Making sure your chair is properly adjusted is a good start. As mentioned in the neck/shoulder pain section, the ideal position is to have your feet firmly planted on the floor, keeping your lumbar spine’s natural curvature (with the help of a lumbar roll), leaning your upper back against the backrest, your shoulders retracted, elbows at 90 degrees, with your arms and hands in a relaxed position, and your screen adjusted to your height.


However, regardless of how well you fix your sitting posture, it is still inevitable that some tension develops. Our bodies were not designed to stay in the same position for hours on end.


It is therefore recommended to stretch and foam roll the back.

  • Click here to view a tutorial on how to properly foam roll the back.
  • Click here to view stretches for your back

And as always, physical exercise is highly encouraged and recommended to keep the overall body healthy.


Alternatively, if you don’t have a well-fitted office chair, it may be a good option to sit on a stability ball. Due to the instability of the ball, your core muscles will be engaged when sitting which helps to protect the spine. However, do take breaks from sitting on the stability ball as using it too long may lead to fatiguing the muscles.



If the pain persists?


If your pain persists, worsens, or prevents you from enjoying your daily activities, it’s important to get it assessed by a professional such as a physiotherapist or osteopath in order to minimize other potential injuries and investigate the root cause of the injury.



3. If you are experiencing hip pain



If you are experiencing hip pain, you might be spending too much time in a seated position. When we sit for a prolonged period of time, our hip flexors and hamstrings tighten and can cause stiffness in the hip joint. Tight hip flexors and hamstrings can cause other imbalances in the body and can even lead to low back pain.



So what can be done?


In order to prevent or decrease hip pain, it is highly recommended to take breaks to decrease the amount of time spent sitting at once. Having a timer to remind you to take a 5min break every hour is a good option. Additionally, a 5-minute break allows you to take a mental break and refocus once you come back to your task.


During your break, it is recommended to incorporate some physical activities such as walking or stretching, as this will help you refocus as well as help your tight hips.


Also, make sure that your feet touch the floor and that your chair isn't too reclined. These positions require additional muscle effort contraction to sustain so if held for prolonged periods of time, can lead to further fatigue.



If the pain persists?


If your pain persists, worsens, or prevents you from enjoying your daily activities, it’s important to get it assessed by a professional such as a physiotherapist or osteopath in order to minimize other potential injuries and investigate the root cause of the injury.



4. If you are experiencing wrist/finger pain



If you are experiencing pain in your wrists and/or fingers while working from home, you may want to reconsider how your mouse and keyboard are set up at your workstation. Wrist and finger pains are most often caused by direct pressure on the wrist or repetitive movements.


LEFT AND RIGHT:

Make sure your mouse and keyboard are positioned right in front of you within your shoulder width. If your mouse and keyboard are off to the side of you, you may need to twist your shoulder or wrist in order to reach them, and this sustained for a long period of time can lead to overuse (Just imagine how it feels on your neck when you used to use those old home phones squishing it between your ear and your shoulders during a 20-minute call)


UP AND DOWN:

Keep your mouse and keyboard at elbow level. Keeping your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle will allow for your shoulders to relax by your side and your forearm to rest on the table. Furthermore, it ensures your wrist doesn’t have to lift up into extension to reach the top of the keyboard. You will notice that if the keyboard/table is too high and you have to bend your wrist upwards, that it will fatigue and overtire the wrist extensors. Alternatively, if the table/keyboard is too low and your wrist has to bend downwards, it will overstretch and overtire the wrist extensors. You need to find that perfect medium


FRONT AND BACK:

Keep your mouse and keyboard at the front of your desk close to you. While leaving enough room for the wrists, make sure your keyboard is positioned roughly 5cm from the edge of the desk so that you don’t have to stretch to reach for it. Your mouse should be positioned right beside your keyboard so that you do not have to stretch or twist to reach it. Keeping these tools close will help to decrease the amount of muscle effort necessary and thus reduce the wear and tear. If you need to reach for example over a stack of papers before getting to your mouse/keyboard, this will fatigue the shoulder as well as the wrist muscles.


USE VS. REST:

Be conscious of yourself while not typing. If you are not actively using your keyboard, make sure you take the time to rest your fingers and wrists to avoid unnecessary strain. Instead of letting your hands hover over the keyboard, place them down on the desk in front of you or on your chairs’ armrest. You can also simply rotate your wrist so that instead of having the palm facing down, it is semi-pronated like if you were holding a hammer. That way you won’t have direct pressure on your carpal tunnel.



Looking for more recommendations...



Hopefully, this blog post has allowed you to better understand some of your aches and pains. If you have any additional questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us or come see one of our therapists!



Don't forget to check out our "Home Ergonomics Part 2" for more:

  1. If you eye-sight is getting worse
  2. If you can't stay focused
  3. If your work life is getting in the way of your home life
  4. If you don't have enough space to set up a proper home-office
  5. The effects of stress and physical activity on pain