How good does working from home sound? You get to sleep in, roll out of bed 5 minutes before work with the only travel time being walking from your bed to your computer. It is something that has now become the norm over the past couple of years, but have you stopped and asked yourself if you have an appropriate desk setup at home? We have heard many different stories from clients as to how they have set up from home, ranging from having their own desk, using the dining table, working from the couch or even working from bed! A poor work setup can bring on all sorts of musculoskeletal issues which if left untreated can become quite debilitating. Let's take a closer look at the things you need to consider when it comes to your setup. What are the main components of your workstation which must be set up correctly Chair
Keyboard and Mouse
Desk
Other Items
Which areas are commonly affected as a result of a poor work setup? Back Both upper and lower back pain can be brought on by chair setup including incorrect height, lack of lumbar support and armrests prevent the chair from being brought closer to the desk. A poor chair setup will likely lead to a poor sitting posture which is also a common cause of back pain. Shoulders Incorrect keyboard and mouse setup can lead to shoulder pain which will often be due to a muscular overload. Lack of forearm support when using the keyboard as well as your mouse being positioned too far to the side will prevent the shoulder from relaxing. If often reaching out for other items this may also bring on shoulder pain.
What else can you do to help yourself? Break up your sitting, movement is key! You may have started to see a common theme in that many issues arise from being in the same position for long periods of time. Keeping your body moving helps prevent the cumulative build up of tightness and stiffness and is something that is often overlooked, for example having a stretch while making a cuppa! By incorporating some gentle movements and stretches into your daily routine while at work, this can help you stay relaxed and prevent build up of tension. We are all different and making sure you are comfortable with your own setup is most important. How can My Peak Performance Help? One thing we love to see in the clinic is our clients bringing in pictures of their desk setup which allows us to assess and modify components of the workstation that may be contributing to their pain. On top of this we use a combination of hands-on treatment to provide symptom relief, and implement a home exercise program to help get on top of these niggles and promote long term management of symptoms. Call us today on 9620 4948 if you’d like to get back to your peak performance at work! References
A Guide to Setting up Your Workstation. Government of Western Australia. https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/atoms/files/guide_to_setting_up_your_workstation.pdf How do I Set up a Workstation at Home? WorkSafe Australia. https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/Working_from_home_Workstation_Setup_%20Guide-COVID-19.pdf Setting up Your Workstation. WorkSafe QLD. https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/hazards/hazardous-manual-tasks/working-with-computers Comments are closed.
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