May was “Correct Posture Month,” and sitting at a desk and working on a computer all day can lead to painful strains on your wrists, elbows, shoulders, and back because of the poor postural habits associated with desk-related jobs. By following simple suggestions, you can change some bad habits, making your day more comfortable and productive while preventing some of those painful work-related symptoms.Today, you do not have to maintain a highly physical occupation to succumb to work-related injuries. While jobs that require a great deal of bending or lifting may make one more injury prone, working at a computer all day can be just as taxing and stressful on a person’s wrists, shoulders, elbows, neck and spine. This can result in painful workplace injuries.Many people have heard of repetitive motion injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, which became more common as more people were spending long hours in front of their keyboards and computer monitors. The long hours occur not only in the office but also at home and school. The resulting stress and tension is affecting our children, too, during their formative years.Complaints of pain do not stop with carpal tunnel. People are also affected by lower back pain, tendonitis injuries and postural and spinal stress – all of these can influence a person’s ability to do his or her job (or perform in school).Listed below are hints to make your workstation more comfortable and reduce suffering from these painful injuries:Be sure your chair fits you correctly. You should be able tochange its height, and it should be able to recline slightly when you are reading, not utilizing the keyboard. There should be a couple of inches between the back of your knees and the edge of your chair.Position your computer monitor appropriately for you. The top of the screen should be at or just below eye level.Sit so your knee angle can vary between 90 degrees and 120 degrees. Never sit with your legs crossed at the knee.Keep your wrists in a neutral position while at the keyboard. Using a wrist rest can help teach you proper wrist posture.Take periodic stretch breaks. Stretching reminds your muscles that they can work differently. A good desk stretch: While sitting, drop your chin towards your chest, hold for five seconds. Lift your chin, turn your head 45 degrees and drop your chin to your collarbone – hold for five seconds. Lift chin and repeat to the other side. Ideally you should stretch your neck, upper back, shoulders, hands and wrists and lower back throughout the day.Show your children correct postures while they work at the computer and play video games. It will teach them life-long good habits.
