Question:
I’ve recently started a new job that has me sitting at a desk more than my previous one. I’ve since noticed that the muscles in my neck have been aching. At first I thought that this was due to the stress of a new job, but it’s been several weeks and it hasn’t gone away. Any ideas?
Answer:
Sitting at your desk for hours at a time can cause stress on your body, which will manifest itself in the form of neck and back pain, and sometimes even pain in your wrists or hands. Bad posture can aggravate the problem. If your company has access to an ergonomic expert that can examine your workstation and make changes specific to your needs, I would take advantage of it. It could make a world of difference to your everyday aches and pains, and possibly head off long-term problems such as tendinitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
For now, to decrease the amount of stress placed on your back, sit with your chair placed as close as you can to your desk. Now sit with your upper arms parallel to your spine. Your entire back, from top to bottom, should be pressed against your chair back, in order to distribute the pressure evenly across your back. If you don’t mind receiving a few strange looks from coworkers, you can try using an anti-burst exercise ball to sit on instead of a typical office chair. It forces you to engage your muscles to maintain your balance, and it forces you to frequently change positions. The exercise ball as an office chair isn’t for everyone, and you may have to try a few different ones to find the one that works for you. You can even get ones that have a back on it.
To decrease the stress on your neck, adjust your monitor, so that it is sitting so that when you look straight, your gaze is aimed at the centre of the screen. If the height adjustment on the monitor isn’t flexible enough for your needs, try placing the monitor on a base (you can purchase ones, or a small but sturdy box will do), then adjust the monitor height from there. Now move the armrests on your chair until they lift your arms at the shoulders.
If you do a lot of typing and/or use the computer mouse frequently, investing the $10-20 in a hand exercise ball could help with hand cramps, etc.
Lastly, ensure that you take breaks to get up and stretch at least once an hour. Take a short walks several times a day to loosen up your muscles, even if it’s just to the water cooler for the latest office gossip.
Your body will thank you.
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