In an effort to stem the number of coronavirus infections, we are being told to wherever possible work from home.  This means popping your laptop on a surface suitable for working, transforming kitchen tables and bedrooms into home offices.

Many are working under less-than-ideal ergonomic conditions—a kitchen chair that’s too low, a table that’s too high. A laptop perched precariously on your knees. You get the idea. Poor ergonomics can make or break your work-from-home experience.

Ergonomics is commonly associated only with office-based settings. Increasingly, as more of us work remotely, the importance of good ergonomics when working from home is more and more apparent.

However, millions of people in the UK are suffering from back pain due to their homeworking setup.

A home office that isn’t optimised ergonomically can increase the likelihood of back pain and spinal health issues (stemming from poor posture).  Good ergonomics ultimately ensures maximum comfort and safety, enhancing your productivity, all while keeping you healthy and pain-free.

Here are five ergonomic do’s and don’ts for the home worker:

• Don’t hunch over your laptop! – It is easy to work on your laptop for a few hours on the weekend, but doing so for hours and hours a week can lead to problems such as back, shoulder and neck strain.  Try to use an external monitor or laptop stand to prop up your screen, preferably with an external keyboard and mouse.  Remember when looking at the screen, your eye line should be level with the address bar on your web browser.
• Do follow the 20:20:20 rule! – For every 20 minutes spent looking at a computer screen, you should spend 20 seconds looking at something else 20 feet away. This gives your eye muscles a break and helps reduce eye strain.
• Don’t let your legs dangle! – Place your feet on a few books or boxes under your desk, so that your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor and your hips are slightly higher than your knees. This will reduce stress on your low back.
• Do use an office chair if possible! – The adjustable features on an office chair will save you from low back and neck discomfort.
• Don’t turn your sofa into a workstation! – As tempting as it is, your sofa is not the best place to work at your computer for the entire day. Although it may be comfortable, having your legs or full body in a vertical position can lead to muscle numbness and discomfort.

If you would like some further information, or to speak to a member of our team,  please call us on: Hitchin 01462 420077 or Luton 01582 579687, alternatively e-mail us at: hitchin@healesclinics.com or luton@healesclinics.com.