Whenever a patient comes in with aches and pains, we need to look at any and all factors that might have led them there. Ergonomics concerning the desk, your sleeping position, or how you sit in the car could all be relevant.

Desk Ergonomics

A poorly set-up desk can cause shoulder tension from hitching, upper back stiffness from slouching, and a tight chest to name a few symptoms. The image above gives a very general guideline for decent ergonomics.

An Ergonomic Chair

When patients sheepishly admit to working at the dining table, they’re often surprised to hear that that’s not necessarily an issue. What’s more important than the desk is the chair. A good chair will:

• have moveable arm rests, but ideally half length so you can still tuck right in
• have a variable height seat
• any back or neck supports could be a bonus, but might also encourage you into awkward positions you could do without

With these changes, you’ll be able to position yourself so that your arms are at the same height as the table, with wrists, shoulders, and back relaxed. Note that if your wrists are making firm contact with the table, and you feel like a padded mouse mat would be a good idea, take note of your arm position. Are your elbows and shoulders a little bit high? Could you lower your seat a touch so your forearms are truly horizontal? It’s likely that if you’re just too high for your desk, you’ll end up slumping anyway, so it’s worth adjusting.

Screens and Keyboards

Patterns of tension can be clearer than you expect. Sometimes on examination we can feel enough tension that we can guess that the patient has a second screen, and which side of the desk it’s on. There’s only so much you can do if you’re hotdesking or if you work from home and have to clear your workspace for dinner every night. But there are small changes that keep tension at bay.

• If you use a laptop, could you place it on a riser and plug in an external keyboard and mouse?
• Or could you plug in a second screen, positioned above the laptop screen, and do most of your work there? Glancing down to the lower screen periodically won’t present too much of an issue.
• For those who need two screens and use them equally, let the position reflect that. Place both screens next to each other in the centre of your desk.

Common Desk Based Aches and Pains

Left unmanaged, suboptimal desk posture can lead to:

• Tension in the chest and weakness in the upper back. This can develop into upper cross syndrome or thoracic outlet syndrome.
• Stiffness in the upper back (which often doesn’t cause any local issues) can predispose neck and lower back pain.
• Prolonged pressure from the desk (or padded mouse mat!) on the wrist encourages carpal tunnel syndrome.

Whatever your aches and pains, you can always ask for ergonomic advice at your appointment. It may be relevant to your symptoms anyway, and anything we can do to help you stay pain free is worth discussing.

Click here to book an appointment for your aches and pains in Horley or Crawley