Many of us think working from home is temporary: get out of bed, find a spot on the kitchen table; then stare down at your laptop during hours of Zoom calls.What was supposed to take a few months has turned into a year, and it’s now close to three years.At the start of the pandemic, we were working from home to be safe.Now, this is our new normal.
According to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, about six in 10 Americans say they work from home all the time or most of the time.For many, this is voluntary.Even 61% of those with an office to venture out choose to work from the comfort of their home, in part because of flexibility.
While WFH may be our new reality, our workspaces haven’t caught up.The changes happened so suddenly, we didn’t think about how our WFH settings and routines would affect our ergonomics and, in turn, our focus and productivity.In a 2020 survey by the American Chiropractors Association, 92% of chiropractors said patient-reported neck and back pain and other musculoskeletal problems have increased since they started staying home.
“People are trying to get things done, not doing things right,” said Emily Kiberd, a chiropractor and founder of the Urban Wellness Clinic, who sees clients still working on sofas, dining room chairs and kitchen stools, Laptop supported on lap.”People don’t realize that if we’re hunched over the whole day — because of the stress of gravity and postural overload — our bones will start to change and reshape because of that stress.”
In addition to pain, poor ergonomics can lead to increased fatigue, muscle strain and imbalance, ergonomics experts say. “Discomfort can also reduce concentration, because if you’re constantly fidgeting looking for a good position, then you’re focusing more on your discomfort than what you’re supposed to be doing,” Karen Loesing, professional ergonomics consultant Say.
Painless work should be the goal.Here, ergonomics experts offer tips for preventing muscle strains and improving productivity by creating a better workstation at home.
When Kiberd examines a client’s work-from-home setup, posture is her number one priority.Many people’s computers are positioned so that they look down at the screen, which results in a hunched back.Instead, your eyes should be on the horizon and hit the top third of the screen.Putting the computer on a stack of books or a laptop stand will do the trick.
Your chair can also cause collapse.Without a chair that supports your lower back (hard surfaces on kitchen or dining room chairs often don’t provide enough back support), you’ll stop getting sensory feedback and start sluggish.This pattern persists, adding stress to the back and damaging bone structure over time, Kiberd said.
To achieve the ideal posture, Kiberd recommends investing in a chair that’s high enough that your hips are slightly higher than your knees, with your feet directly on the floor in front of you.This pose will help relieve tension in the lower back.
When seated, your ears should line up with your shoulders, and your shoulders should line up with your hips.The elbows should be on the side of the body, close to the center of gravity.
If you don’t have an office chair at home, consider adding a cushion to the back of the chair you’re using to help you avoid sluggishness.
Working on a dining table or other hard surface can strain your wrists and elbows.Kermit Davis, a professor of environmental health at the University of Cincinnati, recommends placing a soft towel on the table to rest your wrists.Ideally, your wrist should be parallel to your workstation.
While good posture can improve productivity for long periods of concentration, perfect posture is not the goal of the entire workday.In fact, this is neither possible nor natural.Instead, Kibbard says to aim for “best posture.”
“Our day is dynamic, and so is our posture,” Kibbard said.”Our intention is to round and round our backs, not for hours a day. We should change this ‘ideal posture’ by resting, walking and changing our sitting position.”
You don’t need to go out and buy an expensive standing desk.The key, Davis says, is the variability of posture.Set a timer to remind yourself to move your legs, stretch your body and take a break from the screen, Loesing says.
That may seem convenient, but it’s not ergonomic or productive to work more than an hour a day in bed or on the sofa, Kiberd said.Having a dedicated workstation outside the bedroom (for optimal working posture) can help separate rest from work, which helps the brain visualize the difference and continue on with tasks.
Working from home limits the social interaction that naturally accompanies face-to-face work.If you don’t stop for these conversations on the way to filling a water bottle or eating lunch, you risk losing the kind of camaraderie that a screen can’t provide in the same way.
“Not having to meet face-to-face with colleagues every day can manifest in protective postures in the body, such as rounded shoulders, forward leaning and an overall less confident posture,” Kibbard said.
Adding social activity to the day can help our bodies respond naturally to stimulation and conversation.Consider using your commute to the office for social activities outside of work.
The healthiest spines are those who prioritize exercise, Kiberd said.Now, for so many people, commuting is non-existent and natural daily activities are minimized.Focus on incorporating simple habits into your routine, like rest, that will improve your posture.
Post time: Aug-05-2022