Working from home has many benefits, like saving on travel time and costs, sleeping in a little later rather than getting the early morning commute, being in your own space with your own coffee, filtered water, etc. One of the potential challenges is to create a good working setup to keep your posture in good shape.
The Chair
Basically, desk warriors need to take care of how they are sitting and particularly at a computer. The best household chair to use is a dining or kitchen chair with a straight back; ultimately an adjustable, fit for purpose office chair is preferable.
The right angle – At 90!
The most beneficial posture is all about the right angle – 90 degrees! Sit with your bottom at the back of the chair and have your back supported by the chair back, so that the angle between your back and your upper legs is 90 degrees. Your knees also need to be at a 90-degree angle with freedom between the back of your knees and the seat of the chair; your feet should be flat on the floor. To keep a good alignment in your spine, the shoulders need to be above the hips and the top of your head above your coccyx. Chest lifted slightly and shoulders relaxed away from the ears. The elbows need to be at 90 degrees with the wrists relaxed on the keyboard, and the neck in a ‘neutral’ position. If you have a ‘lordosis’ or naturally exaggerated curve in your lower back then you may benefit from a rolled-up towel or a cushion to support that curve, while still keeping the rest of the posture at 90!
Neck in ‘neutral’
It is important to keep the top of the neck, where it joins the head in what I call a good ‘neutral’ position. If the rest of your posture is well aligned as described in at 90, the space just below the base of the skull should feel soft when your neck is in neutral. To find ‘neutral’ place your hands either side of the spine just below the base of the skull; if you lift your head up or down it will feel tight, when you find the neutral position, the soft tissue at this place will feel soft and relaxed.
There is a space between the occiput (back of the head at the base of the skull) and the temporal bones (that include the ear canal) called the jugular foramen. The internal jugular vein passes through this jugular foramen and carries 90% of the venous blood that drains from the head; additionally 3 cranial nerves, the glossopharyngeal, related to swallowing, the spinal accessory that supplies the neck and spinal muscles and the vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the body that feeds the digestion and relates to breathing. There is research currently about the function of the vagus nerve and how it is a two-way communication between the organs and areas in the brain and how it is essential in our ability to feel relaxed and calm. This is partly why a good neck in ‘neutral’ posture is so important to our health.
Computers, keyboards, and screens
A laptop is not really designed for a day’s work, it is for the occasional bit of work on our lap or on the go! The cheapest way to create good ergonomics with a laptop is to buy a separate keyboard to plug in – its way better for your hand and wrist position than the laptop keyboard. The laptop then needs to be raised to a place where you can have your neck in a good ‘neutral’ position and maintain a good natural spinal curve. You can use books or a sturdy box, just be sure that there is ventilation where needed so the laptop does not overheat.
Movement
We are mostly fluid in our bodies and life is about movement, so sitting stiffly is not encouraged – even sitting stiffly in a good posture! Occasionally have a little wiggle or a sway to make sure your have some space for your body to breath and move naturally. It is easy to create tension when we concentrate and a little focus towards avoiding this goes a long way. Correct stretching is vitally important too.
We are happy to advise you on your health matters. I currently offer a zoom Home/Worker’s Posture Treat ½ hour on Tuesdays at 8:30am and Thursdays at 1pm if you would like to join me for some light relief. The first 7 minutes of my Chair Yoga video is dedicated to desk warriors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K14vWPF5JAs&t=11s
Lin Bridgeford DO KFRP MICAK MICRA FSCCO MSc
Registered Osteopath & Kinesiologist & Senior Yoga Teacher
Master Hypnosis and NLP Practitioner
Aether Bios Clinic
Saltdean
01273 309557 07710 227038
www.osteo-info.co.uk YouTube search Aether Bios OR Lin Bridgeford Instagram linbridgeford
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