Setting up a computer workstation that is as healthy as possible for your neck, back, shoulders, and wrists is very important.

Here are guidelines to properly set up your computer workstation and avoid an injury that could earn you a trip to your friendly physical therapist.

Watch the videos below, or Read More.

1. Sit with your buttocks all the way back in the chair.
2. Your feet should rest on the floor or on a foot stool.
3. Your knees should be lower than your hips, so that your hips are bent at approximately 100 degrees.
4. If your seat does not tilt forward, you can add a wedge cushion under your buttocks.
5. The back of the chair should support your lower back as it curves inward. If it doesn’t, you can add an inflatable lumbar support roll.
6. Ideally your keyboard rests below elbow height, so that your elbows are open to approximately 100 degrees, relaxed at your side.
7. Keep your shoulders and neck aligned and relaxed, with your mouse as close as possible to your body. If your right shoulder or arm is painful, you might want to consider transferring your mouse to the left side of the keyboard, where it can be at a closer angle to your body, as the keyboard lacks a number pad on the left side as it has on the right.
8. The top of your screen should be at the same height as your eyebrows.

If you are working a lot on a laptop, consider investing in an external keyboard and mouse. You can rest the laptop on books to get it to the correct height and bring the external keyboard and mouse to a more ergonomically friendly position. Also try to avoid using your laptop in an unhealthy posture.

Remember that even if your workstation is set up perfectly, our bodies are not meant to stay in one position for a long period of time. It is really important to get up at least once and hour, walk around, do some stretches, (we’ll show you stretches on another video, stay tuned!) take some relaxation breaths, and then return to your work. If you take more frequent breaks, you’ll find that you are not only more productive, but also less tired at the end of your workday. • About Deanna Savant

Sit Up Straight. Your Back Thanks You.

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