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Desk Ergonomics: Health Check for Your Desk

11/28/2021

Work Ergonomics is an important aspect in all of our lives as we spend most of our time at work throughout the week. That said, without a proper computer set-up at work, many injuries can come as a result! Injuries such as muscle strains, neck pain, low back pain, and even tendonitis in the elbow, forearm, wrist, or hand can occur. Poor posture at work can lead to a decrease in function and an increase in overall pain. Additionally, prolonged positions of poor postures can lead to a reduction in your abdominal cavity causing a decrease in function of your vital organs such as your lungs. However, here at Empire we focus on improving function and reducing the risk of injury!
For this reason, below are some quick tips to keep you safe at work:

Your wrists should not be resting on the keyboard but rather be kept in a neutral position to reduce stress on the wrist. The wrists should be held up even with the back of your hands.
Your fingers should be in a straight line with your forearms when typing. To make this easier, you can tilt the back edge of the keyboard down.
The keyboard should be just above your lap so your elbows are bent at ~90 degrees.
The monitor should be slightly below eye level and straight ahead while being arm's length away.
Chair position should be kept in a place where it supports your back in an upright position while maintaining the curve in your low back. If your chair does not have enough support then you can consider putting a rolled towel or cushion behind your low back.
The height of the chair should allow both your feet to be flat on the ground with your thighs parallel to the ground.
It is always beneficial to have a desk that can be both standing or sitting as shown in the picture below. Taking a break from these prolonged positions can help reduce stress on certain areas of the body and decrease symptoms of pain

By: Dr. Kyle Ioos, PT, DPT

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Do you suffer from tech neck?

11/21/2021

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Tech neck is a newer term used to characterize
the symptoms that occur as a direct result of spending too much time at the computer or on your phone. Unfortunately, this is the nature of most of our jobs today. Our visual gazes have moved down and forwards, pulling us into poor posture, causing repetitive stress and strain to the muscles of the upper back, shoulders and neck. Symptoms of tech neck may include pain, stiffness, muscle spasms, and headaches. If not corrected or left untreated, these symptoms could continue to worsen over time and eventually develop into a more chronic condition. This is why it is imperative that we address ways we can all make positive changes to prevent the start of or the exacerbation of this condition. Here are some helpful tips and exercises you can implement into your work routine to promote a healthy and pain free life.

1. Cervical Retraction/Chin tucks

Slowly draw your head back so that your ears line up with your shoulders.
Perform 15 repetitions, holding the position for 5 seconds. Complete this every hour that you are sitting at your desk.

2. Scapular retraction

Move your shoulder blades back and down.
Perform 15 repetitions, holding the position for 5 seconds. Complete this every hour that you are sitting at your desk.

3. Upper Trapezius Stretch

While sitting in a chair, hold the seat with one hand and place your other hand on your head to assist in bending your head to the side until a nice stretch is felt.
Perform 2 repetitions to each side, holding for 30 seconds each time. Complete this 3-5 times throughout your work day.

If these exercises worked for you, email me to get 3 more:
[email protected]

By: Dr. Josh Hammond, PT, DPT

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Balancing healthy habits at work

11/14/2021

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Hi there! With more and more people returning to the office, we wanted to offer some tips for staying healthy at work! If you are still working from home, don’t worry these tips can be helpful for you too!

We know how difficult it can be to stay healthy when you are so busy but we hope these tips are an easy place to start!

1) Moving every hour
If you sit at a desk, do your best to get up at least once an hour and walk around your office/home for 5 minutes. If you really cannot leave your desk then try just standing at your desk and doing a few quick exercises: bend the knees 10 times, go up on your toes 10 times, and lift your arms overhead 10 times to get the blood flowing! If you suffer from neck or shoulder pain, look out for Josh’s post in a couple weeks about ways to help combat that!
2) Drink plenty of water
It’s recommended a person drink at least ½ their weight in ounces of water a day. So if you weigh 140lbs you should be drinking at least 70 ounces of water/day. If you aren’t a huge fan of how water tastes, try adding fresh fruit to your water bottle and leave it in for the day; it will add great flavor!
3) Try to limit screen time
I know it’s difficult since we all use computers/tablets/phones all day, everyday. But during your lunch break try reading a book or listening to a podcast and give your eyes a break! If you’re able, go for a walk during lunch or sit outside on a nice day to help improve your energy!
4) Set specific work hours
For those working from home: try to establish set hours you work (i.e. 8AM-5PM) and do your best to perform work duties during these hours only. Of course it’s not always that simple, and work often requires attention during personal hours but do your best to stick to a schedule.

By: Dr. Elizabeth Bynum, PT, DBT

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Posture: Ease Aches & Pains at Work

11/7/2021

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Had this question asked in my clinic this week that I wanted to share with you (It’s a common question I often get asked about posture)…

’Tony, I’ve recently had Repetitive Strain Injury from work and although I’ve been given a wrist rest for when I’m on the computer, I still seem to suffer from bad posture. What would help improve my posture at work??…’
– Clare, 49, Brewster

A lot of people underestimate the power of great posture and the advantages it can provide to your lifestyle.

Think of it in this way, a lot of your time is spent at work doing whatever it is that you do, but if you have bad posture throughout your day, in the long run, it can have a serious effect.

Some people can spend hours either at a desk or stood up at work and those hours of having bad posture can add up to something serious if it is not dealt with.

Here’s a few ways to have better posture and ultimately, make it a healthy habit in your lifestyle.

This tip might seem quite obvious but the first thing I’d recommend is to keep your body straight. If you have an office job then adjust your seating if you are sat down for a long period of time. Remember the chair’s features are there for a reason, to make you feel supported!

Sit up straight and adjust the chair so that it feels comfortable and supportive. Sometimes, depending on how long you are sat for, even if you are sitting in a good position, it can feel tiring. If this is the case, then try shifting towards the front of your seat with a straight back from time to time. This can sometimes help ease your back muscles and stop you
from slouching.

If you stand up at work, then standing straight really does help. I know at times it can feel like a relief to rest your body weight on one leg whilst resting the rest of your body on a desk or worktop. Sound familiar?

Unfortunately this is pretty much how not to stand. Ultimately all you are doing to your body is putting strain on particular muscles while you ‘rest’. When standing, make sure your body weight is spread evenly to the front, back and sides of the feet.

Another great tip is to get up (if you are not already) and move! Yes you could finish off that one last email but I think we both know that, that one email will lead to something else. As a result, you will not only be glued to your chair all day, but may end up putting more pressure on the neck and back.

The best time to get up and moving is when you start to feel your body slouch a little and find it hard to keep in a comfortable position. If it’s possible, try and get up from your chair every half an hour or so and do a few stretches or walk around for a few minutes.

Think of it as a coffee break for your body. After a few minutes you’ll come back to your desk refreshed and ready to start working.

If like Clare, you are thinking of using posture-friendly props, then great. They are easy to find and can make a big difference to your posture at work. As Clare has done, she has decided to use a wrist rest to help ease her symptoms of Repetitive Strain Injury.

However there are many other props that will help you at work. Footrests, back supports and even a pillow can help ease back pain. Even positioning your computer screen in level to your resting eye position, will help avoid straining the neck with the head tilted forward.

If you don’t work in an office and are based more outdoors, then even using correct footwear, bags and backpacks can help minimize back strain and can encourage good posture.

So my answer to Clare is this- yes, a prop can help ease pain from poor posture, but remember to put the other tips in place too.

The solution lies not only in putting these actions in place, but also committing to these tips in the long run. It may not be a quick fix but you will be easing your pain in the long term. This is one of the healthy habits that everyone needs in their working day!

By: Dr. Tony Tanzi, PT, DPT, CSCS

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Desk Ergonomics: Health Check for Your Desk

Do you suffer from tech neck?

Balancing healthy habits at work

Posture: Ease Aches & Pains at Work

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