Work from home ergonomics

Latest Office for National Statistics figures show a rise in back and neck pain, accounting for a significant proportion of the increase in people dropping out of the workforce during the pandemic. The ONS speculates that increased working from home may be a factor.

Working from home has been becoming more prevalent with the advances in communications over the last decade, but the decision to work from home has normally been instigated with thought, research and planning. During the pandemic that was not the case. Here is my advice to try and make the best of your ‘new’ workplace.

Part of the problem has been that, during the pandemic, people were often trying to work alongside other responsibilities, such as childcare. That meant compromises and deciding what to prioritise in terms of the work environment. But here are some factors to take into consideration when working from home.

The chair

There are some circumstances where a highly specialised ergonomic chair is required, but it’s not as important as the person sat in it. Ensure you have a chair with a back and adapt this to provide low back lumbar support as needed; and make sure the chair height allows you to sit with your feet on the floor and knees bent to approximately a right angle. Comfort is key, but it has to suit you personally

 The desk

A desk or table that you are able to sit at with your knees underneath is really important. If you don’t have this you won’t be able to sit upright with your arms comfortably flexed at the elbow to allow you to type. It should ideally be a table that allows you to have the screen at eye level and the keyboard comfortably close to your chest to allow your shoulders to relax and your elbows to bend in a right angle. A lot of us are working on laptops now so if you can elevate the screen and angle the keyboard you may find this a comfortable position. Ideally a separate screen, keyboard and mouse is advised, but may not be available.

Change of scenery

Modern workplaces are now designed with multiple areas to work in, differing in height of desk, different types of chair and maybe a different view. Thankfully, your home is already ahead of the curve, with kitchen work tops to stand and work at and, for short periods, a chair in a quiet area. Sitting with a laptop on your knee is generally considered bad for your posture, but for short periods in these strange times it is ok and as long as you compensate for this with regular stretching and strengthening exercises it is not going to cause long-standing health issues.

If you are able to stand and move every 20 minutes you will manage to be comfortable in most chairs for your working day and hopefully it won’t be long till we are all back to normality. My best advice is don’t sit in your chair for too long, move when you can and remember that you will be doing far fewer steps around the house, so for health (and sanity) reasons, exercise when you have a chance.

*Jonathan Smith is a Chartered Physiotherapist at MLH Physio.

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