Work & You – 10 Tips For Office Use

Your computer may be the cause of your neck, shoulder, back or arm pain. Stop and do something about it now. Your body can take all sorts of abuse and mistreatment for only so long before it starts screaming: “ENOUGH I WON’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!”.

• Be work ready. Get out of the office and start moving your body. We were not designed to sit hunched over a computer all day long. You may not be able to change your work but you can change what you do outside of work. Exercise will keep your muscles strong, your joints lubricated and it will fill your brain with oxygen, decreasing stress levels, giving you energy and keeping you healthy.
• Always sit in a comfortable, adjustable chair. Have your chair close to the desk so that your elbows, hips and knees are at 90 degree angles. Your forearms should be parallel to the desk- top or with a slight downward slope. Rest your feet flat on the floor or put them up on a footrest to raise them up.
• Your computer screen should sit an arms length away and be directly in front of you. Your eyes should be level with the top of the screen.
• Use a document holder when you can to avoid looking down too often.
• Adjust the brightness on the screen and in the room to avoid reflections.
• If using a laptop for extended periods plug a mouse in.
• Stretch every half hour, get up and do a different task. Move your muscles in the opposite direction to what you have been doing. Focus your eyes in the distance to relax them.
• Learn to touch type and to use the function keys on your computer.
• Don’t carry more than 15% of your body weight, i.e. a person weighing 50Kg should not carry more than 7.5Kg. Use a pack with straps over both shoulders (padded straps are better). Load the heaviest items close to your back. Make sure the straps are not too long (the pack should sit in the mid part of your back and not hang down near your lumbar spine). The Australian Physiotherapy Association recommends the Physio-Pak which comes in a range of sizes suitable for children to Adults. Ask us at City Physiotherapy at your next visit.
• Listen to your body. Early warning signs are there for a reason. Aches and pains, tingling, stiffness, burning or headaches are not normal.

If these symptoms persist then get on the phone and book yourself an appointment with City Physiotherapy today. We are here to help you! Getting on to your pain sooner means it can be resolved sooner too, leaving you to get on with your life.

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