Ergonomics For Working From Home

Read More About the Author Here: Jesse Ortiz, PT


How to Set Up Your Work Space At Home

Poor Posture!

With the outbreak of Covid-19, many people have evacuated their work offices and are now working from the comforts of their home. Working from home is a good thing for the sake of safety and making a positive impact on the current health crisis. However, many people have traded their corporate fashioned offices for their less than ergonomic home set up. See below for some easy tips to keep your back, neck, and wrists as healthy as possible while working from home. 

 

Prolonged poor postures and positions can contribute to:

Low back pain (muscle/disc-nerve/joint irritation)

Mid back pain (stiffness, joint/muscles irritation)

Neck Pain (stiffness, joint/muscle/nerve irritation)

Shoulder pain (impingement)

Elbow Pain (epincondylitis)

Wrist Pain (carpal tunnel)

All of these are common complaints to physical therapists from people who spend most of their days working at computers.


How to Set Up Your Work Space

  1. Feet flat on floor (or footstool if needed)
  2. Lumbar support shoulder be in small of back. Sit all the way back into chair
  3. Seat should be adjusted so knees are at 90 degrees
  4. Seat shoulder be adjusted so hips are at 90 degrees
  5. Elbows shoulder be at sides with 90 degrees bend or slight more
  6. Wrist angle should be as neutral as possible
  7. Eyes should be level with top of screen
  8. Screen shoulder be 18 to 24 inch from face 

Tips: Mouse should be adjacent to keyboard at same height. If using the phone frequently use headphones and do not cradle the phone between head and shoulders.

 

Posture: Hips should be rolled forward (not back) until ears/shoulder/hips are aligned!!!

(Good posture, but screen is too low)
(Recommended: raise screen height to eye level, use separate keyboard so arms are relaxed at side and elbows at 90 degrees, wrists in neutral position)