Office Basics:

How you spend most of your day plays a huge role in your overall health! Start here:

• Feet flat on the floor: if your chair is too high, look into a foot rest.

  • We don’t LOVE using exercise balls for extended periods. Yes, they engage the core and stability muscles, but when used for extended periods, these areas can fatigue and cause a slouching posture. They are not typically the best height and can cause poor posture elsewhere such as in the upper and lower extremities.

• Thighs parallel to the floor

• Chair should support the natural curve of the lumbar spine (low back)

  • If you don’t have support in the chair, try rolling up a small towel or sweatshirt and placing it behind the small of your back to mirror the natural curve of the low back.

• There should be a fist width space between the back of your knees and the edge of your chair

• Wrists are AT or below the level of the elbow

• Shoulders relaxed (there should be NO tension in the upper shoulders)

• You and your monitor should sit in line with the G & H keys

• To determine the distance between you and your monitor, extend your arm. The middle fingers should graze the screen. 

• To determine the height of the monitor, bring your head to a neutral position, close your eyes and open them. You should be looking at the address bar. If this is not the case, raise or lower the screen accordingly.

How to take breaks:

Shorter, more frequent breaks are better than extended, less frequent ones.

Ideally: 20 seconds to 1 minute of a break every 30 minutes

Simple is okay, do a couple laps around your kitchen, walk up and down the stairs twice, anything simple and non strenuous is helpful!

Favorites for mid back:

• Foam roll up and down the mid back for 20 seconds, hang out in any spots that feel “sticky”

• Laying on the foam roller or standing against the wall, perform a few snow angels (make sure to avoid shrugging the shoulders)

• Perform Cat/Cow a few times

• Perform thread the needle a few times

• Use a lacrosse ball on the pecs for 30 seconds each side

• Interlace the fingers overhead and reach the arms up as far as you can and push up to the ceiling with each arm individually, then pull down as though you are tucking the shoulder blade into the opposite pocket

• Pinch the shoulder blades together without arching your back a few times, relaxing in between

• Try to pull your chin straight back (looking straight ahead) to give yourself a double chin and hold for 10-20 seconds and release

Favorites for low back:

• Perform a few cat/ cows

• Kneeling hip flexor stretch

• Cross one calf over the opposite thigh in a figure eight position and lean forward

• Pelvic tilt forward, backward and shift hips side to side to break up tension patterns from a prolonged seated posture in one position

• Lacrosse ball roll to the glutes

• Airplane hip openers

Favorites for all the things:

• Deep, diaphragmatic breath

• GET ADJUSTED!

• Do a few body weight air squats and when you get to the bottom, place your elbows on your knees to gently drive the knees out as a good hip opener

How can Chiropractic help posture while working from home?

Adjustments to the neck, mid back and low back to help ensure proper movement in these areas and provide tension relief from sitting/ standing for prolonged periods.

Stress reduction!

Muscle work to reduce tension in the… 

• Shoulders: due to hunched mid back and rounded shoulders

• Hips: due to being in a flexed position for extended periods

• Neck: strain from looking down or improper positioning of the monitor

Strengthening exercises for the…

•  Mid back to keep shoulders back and down

• Glutes and core to help stabilize the low back/ hips

Schedule an Appointment

Schedule an appointment today online or by calling or texting our office at (720) 403-8255.

Read more at our blog Desk Ergonomics 101: Preventing Neck and Back Pain at Work