Working From Home – Ergonomics & Tips

Due the COVID-19  restrictions, a lot of people are now finding themselves unexpectedly working from home despite many of us not having a proper home office set up. Our physiotherapist, Zoey Hashemi, would like to share a few important tips for keeping proper posture and preventing injury and strain to your body.

1. Be aware and conscious of your posture:
We tend to slouch after maintaining a specific position for more than 15 minutes. Therefore, make a conscious attempt to check in with yourself often (every 15 minutes or so) to position yourself properly so that you are maintaining a good seating or standing posture.

2. Get up and move around:
Even if you have a very comfortable set up, you should avoid sitting in one position from more than an hour. Try to get up and move around every half hour. By doing so, you will reset your posture when you return back to your seated position.  To make this easier, you can set up a timer on your phone to remind you to stand and move around.

3. Look down with your eyes, not your neck:
When using a monitor or laptop, most people often tilt their heads up or down towards the device. These neck movements should be avoided, as the focus towards the device should come from the eyes. To help with this, make sure your monitor/laptop is at eye level or slightly below eye level. The monitor should always be directly in front of you so that you are not twisting your head and neck to view the screen.

4. Keep the items you need to work with within arm’s reach:

Prior to starting your work, gather all of the items you will need to carry out your duties. This will help you avoid reaching for items and prevent possible strain on your muscles.

5. Use headphones/headsets:

Never hold the phone using your neck and shoulder. Always have a set of headphones or use your speaker function. If you have to hold your phone to your ear, then hold it with your non-dominant hand so you can type/write with your dominant hand.

6. Take breaks to stretch:

Try to incorporate some stretches into your daily work routine to help loosen any muscles which maybe tensed up. A stretch break can also help you reset your posture.

If you are having neck, back or shoulder pain as a result of working from home or have a sedentary job to begin with contact us for a detailed examination and treatment by our highly trained physiotherapists.

Book an appointment online at www.prestigephysio.ca or call 587-386-0094.