From lazing out in our bedrooms with laptops to lounging on our sofas in front of our PC’s, we have introduced luxury in our work from home lifestyle. But working in such a relaxed manner during this lockdown will only result in having a bad posture causing back and neck pain. Dr. Uday Krishna Myneni, MS MCh (Orth) U.K., Senior Orthopaedic Consultant says, “An adversity that can be faced by people working from home is mechanical pain. The pain can be witnessed specially in the lower back area, where the spine is a little flexible. Therefore, poor posture and awkward positions can lead to pain in these four sites around that area, that are: Disc, Spinal Joints, Vertebra, muscles or soft tissues”. Thus, while working from a makeshift workstation, following are the tips recommended by Dr. Uday that must be followed:
Raise The Laptop:
Place the laptop in such a manner that it’s top is parallel to your eyes. You can raise your laptop by using a small table, stand or even by stacking up some books or cushions. The height of the desktop should also be adjusted in the same manner.
Lower Your Keyboard And Keep Your Mouse Close:
The level of the keyboard should be lower than the monitor, at the level of your chair. While typing, your wrist should be lower than your elbows. If you are working on a laptop, which is raised higher to match the eye level, instead of a desktop, try using an external keyboard or a wireless keyboard. Also, the mouse should be kept closer to your body along with the keyboard. Don’t unnecessarily stretch your elbows very far.
Pick The Right Chair:
Ideally we need an adjustable chair, but according to the availability at home, take the most comfortable chair. Your back should rest on the chair, but make sure your back is straight, at an angle of 90-95 degrees.
Rest Your Feet:
While sitting on the chair, ensure that your feet touch the floor. In case of a person with shorter height, use a footrest. A small stool can be used as well. Your feet should rest flat on the floor or the supporting object. They should not be stretched or pulled.
Take A Break:
Sitting for hours continuously can cause fatigue and muscle pain. Hence, it becomes necessary to take frequent breaks. Stand up from your chair after every 1 hour for at least 10 minutes and move your joints, stretch a little and walk around. This will help prevent fatigue syndrome and ease the stiffness in the body because of continuous sitting in the same position
Therefore, if these tips are not followed properly, a person might face fatigue, tiredness, and pain in different body parts like shoulder, neck or back. So, even while working from home, it becomes important for a person to maintain a good posture to avoid any kind of complications later. A good posture while working will also help improve concentration as pain won’t become a distraction.
