Have you, like many workers since 2020, increased the number of hours that you spend working at home?

According to the ONS, 44% of people in the UK were working at least partially from home in 2023. How many of us took the time to adjust our workstation setups at home to accommodate this change?

The importance of good working posture

I am a full-time student and have been working behind the scenes helping Jeremy with his website too. Because of this, I spend many hours a day at my desk at home. I started to notice that I was experiencing lower back pain and shoulder pain but at first, I didn’t make the connection between these aches and pains and my working habits.

Luckily, I identified the problem and am now pain-free!

Having read all of Jeremy’s workstation and home ergonomics advice, as well as how sitting affects disk pressure, I realised that my workstation setup was completely inadequate for my needs.

I was simply using my laptop, with no external mouse or keyboard, and a non-adjustable chair. All of this was a recipe for disaster: I was positioned too low for the desk, meaning that my shoulders were raised and tense while I was typing. My neck was strained downwards as I tried to focus on the screen, which was too low for my eye height. On top of that, I had a habit of sitting cross-legged, causing imbalance in my pelvis and lower back pain.

Sound familiar? There are some simple and economical changes that you can make today that are simply essential to your well-being when working from home!

Use a laptop stand

This lightweight, adjustable stand allows you to position your laptop at chest height, which is essential to avoid strain on the neck and eyes. It weighs around 600 grams and folds down, making it easily portable: I tend to take it with me to university or if I’m going to work in a café.

Added bonus: when you’re not using your laptop, it can be used as a stand for books or articles, again reducing the strain we experience when hunched over reading at our desks.

Once you get a laptop stand, make sure you also invest in…

Wireless keyboard and mouse

This is another essential piece of kit for your work-from-home station. Now that your laptop is positioned at chest level, you must ensure that your arms can rest at 90° to your elbows and that your shoulders remain relaxed at all times. You can do this with a separate keyboard and mouse.

Keep your space decluttered

Having a minimalist and organised desk contributes not only to better well-being and focus, but also helps to keep your body in alignment.

When switching between using the laptop or computer and reading or writing, make sure to position whatever you are focused on in front of you, and not twist the body or neck to work on different things. For example, when I’m typing, I will have my laptop and keyboard positioned directly in front of me; when I need to switch to reading on paper, I simply place the book or article on my laptop stand rather than twisting my neck to the side to look at the paper on the desk.

Updating your home office: how much does it cost?

There are many home workstation solutions these days, but we don’t always have the budget to accommodate them. However, some basic adjustments are absolutely necessary and won’t break the bank.

In total, I spent just less than £40 on the above essential pieces of kit and have noticed a huge difference in my posture when working from home. My shoulder pain has completely disappeared, and being able to keep my feet firmly planted on the floor has meant that my lower back is now pain-free.

When I am in the position to do so, I would love to get a sit-stand desk as my next purchase!

Advice about home workstation setup

If you are experiencing back pain, neck pain, tight shoulders or headaches, it could be to do with your working habits, whether you work from home or at the office. An experienced chiropractor and Alexander Technique practitioner like Jeremy can help point you in the right direction and relieve the symptoms in the long-term. Please contact the BackCare Clinic for more information.

–   Iona

 

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