Prevention is often the best medicine. For so many of us that spend the bulk of our time behind screens and at desks, a proper ergonomic setup and mindful posture can help prevent an array of injuries and chronic conditions.
Simple changes in your office or workspace and paying attention to your body mechanics can go a long way toward preventing or treating many repetitive use tendon and nerve injuries, said Endeavor Health occupational therapist Gisha Abraham.
“First you have to keep in mind that the injury probably occurred after years of poor alignment or not listening to your body, so the fix is not going to happen overnight,” said Abraham, who helps patients review how they are sitting, the position of their keyboard, how long they stay seated in one position and their overall work or study space setup.
“I want to empower patients to make changes that will help them feel better and avoid future injuries,” said Abraham, who walks people through a thorough analysis of their desk and/or workspace.
Neutral alignment of the body is very important, and when sitting at a desk that means 90-degree angles from your elbow to your wrist, and your hips to your knees to your ankles, she explained. You should be able to sit comfortably straight in your chair with your pelvis in a straight position and your screen at a comfortable sightline.
“There is a not a one-size-fits-all setup that works for everyone,” said Abraham, who will have patients bring her a photo or video of themselves in their workspace to help them evaluate their body mechanics and potential changes to improve the space.
“Do you need a foot rest, do you need a cushion or a higher seat, do you need a document holder, do you need a different size mouse that better fits the size of your hand?” asked Abraham. “There are so many variables that can come into play.” If you are on the phone regularly consider using a headset to avoid crooking your shoulder.
And since the pandemic, the number of people working from home has dramatically increased and for some that means working at kitchen table or other improvised space, which may make it even more challenging to have a healthy setup.
Children and teens are also not immune to strains or injuries like tendonitis whether it’s hours of gaming or studying, sitting or leaning on a bed with a handheld device can create problems.
While an appropriate workspace is important to preventing overuse injuries, so too is taking quick breaks to stand up and stretch or walk around, said Abraham. Easy, whole body stretches including rolling shoulders back, head and neck circles and rotating ankles can be done at or near the desk a couple of times a day.
“A lot of us only make changes when something hurts or there is a problem,” said Abraham. “But it’s really important to be accountable to yourself and take the right preventative measures to ensure better productivity and overall quality of life.”
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