Desk Posture and Simple Tips to Improve It

Back to school season is upon us which means back to sitting at a desk for long hours after summer vacation. Sitting at a desk for long periods of time with improper posture can contribute to neck and back pain. Let’s get ahead of the pain by correcting some common issues we see. 

A common posture we see is forward head posture. This is when the shoulders are rounded forwards, the chin is poking outwards, and the neck is hyperextended. Often this posture occurs because of two main things: (1) fatigue to the muscles between the shoulder blades and (2) tightness of the muscles in the chest and back of the neck. A simple way to correct this posture is by bringing your computer screen closer to you, so you don’t have to lean forward as much. Another correction is making sure the screen is at an appropriate height so you limit how much you are looking up, extending your neck. You should be able to see your screen by moving your eyes only. If you have a chair with a head rest.. use it! This is great support for your head and will require much less work on your muscles to maintain a good posture. 

Often we will see back pain while sitting for too long when people are “perching in their seats”, or their pelvis is tilting forward increasing the arch of their low back. Prolonged use of this posture can cause extra stress to your low back and it can cause your pelvic floor to be in a state of constant tension. A common reason people will adopt this posture is because they have a hard time seeing their computer screen and are trying to get themselves closer to see clearly. Another reason is to allow their feet to touch the ground they sit on the edge of their seat. Simple corrections are to bring your computer screen closer to you, adjust the height of your chair, use a small foot rest and use the backrest of your chair. 

If you are dealing with any back or neck pains related to your desk posture speak with your employer as they might be able to provide you with an ergonomic assessment and appropriate accommodations. Otherwise, our physiotherapists are able to help you by providing exercises to improve your overall posture.