Q&A for How to Sit at a Computer

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  • Question
    How can you avoid computer related repetitive stress injuries?
    Claire Bowe is a Physical Therapist and the Owner of Rose Physical Therapy Group, a physical therapy clinic based in Washington D.C. Claire has over 20 years of patient care experience and specializes in a personalized, one-on-one therapeutic approach to physical therapy. Claire is certified in Mechanical Diagnosis & Therapy (MDT) by the McKenzie Institute and is an Ergonomic Assessment Specialist under the United States Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). She holds an M.Ed. in Special Education from Portland State University, an MA in Physical Therapy from Governors State University, and a BS from Oregon State University.
    Physical Therapist
    Expert Answer
    Try to keep good posture with your feet flat on the floor and your legs bent at a 90-degree angle. You may need to adjust your seat height to reach these marks. Also, your computer should be at eye-level and your mouse should be in easy reaching-distance.
  • Question
    What should the room light position be - should it be at the back or front of the computer?
    Community Answer
    Ideally, the light source should be in front of the computer or to the side. Light shining from behind the computer tends to create glare on the screen, which causes eye strain.
  • Question
    Why do I get neck pain while working at my desk?
    Community Answer
    By not moving your head, you are causing the muscles in your neck to become cramped. Try turning your head every fifteen minutes or performing neck stretches.
  • Question
    Why is it important to position my monitor properly?
    Community Answer
    To avoid strain on your eyes, neck, and body.
  • Question
    What is the best position for using my computer?
    Community Answer
    It depends on how you like to sit. If you have a desk, you can get a cushioned chair or roller chair to move from one computer to another.
  • Question
    Why does the back of my neck feel sore after several hours sitting at my computer?
    Community Answer
    Probably because you're craning your neck forward to look at the screen. Make sure you're using correct posture at your desk or wherever you're sitting and take frequent breaks to get up, move around, and stretch.
  • Question
    What can I do if I'm following all of the correct positions, but still have pain in my right elbow?
    Community Answer
    You can reposition your arm, or wrap it in some sort of ace bandage. You can try applying ice to it, to see if that helps with the pain. However, if the pain persists you should speak to your doctor.
  • Question
    Sometimes I have to use a laptop instead of my desktop. How can I sit with good posture and use the built-in keyboard?
    Community Answer
    Sadly, laptops are just not built to allow for good form. They are built for compactness. It might be wise to buy an external keyboard if you use it for long hours.
  • Question
    Why might I be feeling shoulder pain that radiates down to my right hand?
    Community Answer
    You are not resting your arm on your elbow when using your mouse. You are right-handed, right? So all of the weight of your arm is straining your shoulder. Try to keep your arm rest level with your mouse and rest on your elbow.
  • Question
    What are the three best ways to avoid discomfort when using a monitor?
    Community Answer
    Sit in the computer chair properly, put your arms in the correct position, and curve your fingers.
  • Question
    What about a laptop?
    Community Answer
    You would do the same. Laptops and computers are like the same thing, but laptops are portable.
  • Question
    I feel like I am getting a hunch back from sitting at the computer. What is causing this?
    Community Answer
    It sounds like you have poor posture and you're sitting for too long. Try getting up and moving around every once in a while, and sit up straight. You may need to invest in a new, more ergonomic computer chair.
  • Question
    Why do I have back pain after using a computer?
    Community Answer
    Back problems that occur after using a computer are very likely caused by your sitting posture and the height of your keyboard relative to your hands.
  • Question
    How do I sit comfortably in a computer lab?
    Community Answer
    Sit straight up with your feet flat on the floor. Your keyboard should be at the edge of your desk, and your monitor should be at eye level.
  • Question
    How do I keep my legs from falling asleep?
    Community Answer
    Set a timer every half hour to stand up and move about. You can also buy and adjustable desk so you can stand while you work sometimes.
  • Question
    How do I avoid neck pain caused by tilting to the left/right while using a dual-monitor setup?
    Community Answer
    Make sure they are far enough away, close together, and at the correct level. Your eyes should be level with an imaginary line separating the top 1/3 and bottom 2/3 of the viewable area.
  • Question
    How to avoid neck pain when working at a computer?
    Community Answer
    Regularly stretch your neck towards the left, right, front, and back. Make sure to give your eyes a break for a few minutes every hour or two so they don't get over-strained (which can contribute to headaches). Also, make sure you are sitting up straight and not hunching your head over the keyboard.
  • Question
    What angle should my knee joint make?
    Community Answer
    Have your knees bent at 90 degrees and your hands in a comfortable position.
  • Question
    Is it bad to sit with my arms at a 130 degree angle and above? Is it better to stand up with my arms at a 90 degree angle? Or should I just sit down?
    Community Answer
    If you're sitting in a way that is bad for you, then you should feel some discomfort along your spine and neck. As long as you don't sit in a position like that frequently for long periods of time, you should be fine.
  • Question
    How often am I to get up from my computer to rest the body?
    Community Answer
    Ideally, every 30 minutes to 1 hour. At most, every 2 hours.
  • Question
    How do I deal with shoulder pain?
    Community Answer
    You can do physical therapy exercises, but consult a doctor if the pain persists.
  • Question
    Why should you push on the computer table?
    Community Answer
    You would push back on the computer table when you're ready to get up from your seat or if you want to take a nap -- doing so helps propel you backwards.
  • Question
    What are some good ways to prevent eye strain when using a computer for long periods of time? (I feel like I tend to furrow my brow a lot when using a computer.)
    Community Answer
    If your computer has a function to reduce blue light, then I would recommend using that, but if not there are some programs that you can download to help, like f.lux, which changes your monitor settings to help reduce eye strain.
  • Question
    If I crack my neck too hard while at the computer, will it break?
    Community Answer
    No, neck cracking will not break your neck, but it can dislodge clots and cause dangerous issues, so you should avoid it.
  • Question
    What should be the proper arrangement of my feet when sitting on a computer chair? I always get knee strain.
    Community Answer
    Consider getting a foot rest that's adjustable in height and angle; they're not that expensive.
  • Question
    How do you reach the floor if you are short?
    Community Answer
    Adjust your chair height if it allows it, but some do not go low enough. If you can't lower the chair enough, then use a small resting chair for your feet or another item that allows your feet to rest and prevent blood circulation and other problems. You may also find a chair with feet/back recliner option or another feet/back resting feature. Some chairs only allow the rotation of the entire chair in horizontal axis, those may cause blood circulation problems to your feet.
  • Question
    What's the easiest way to memorize the keys on a keyboard?
    Community Answer
    There isn't really an easy way or shortcut; it's a matter of consistent daily practice until you've developed the muscle memory. Try the methods in Type .
  • Question
    What are your recommendations if I work with a laptop and graph tablet, which means the laptop is further away from me?
    Community Answer
    Follow the same instructions as in the article, just try to sit as comfortable as you can while you do it. If you can, invest on a laptop stand. It raises the laptop to eye position and will feel for comfortable to look at.
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