Well, here we are again. More and more businesses and schools are moving to either a fulltime or hybrid model for working from home. We’ve been there already. Some of us have been there since March. And a lot of us are feeling the strain, wondering if winter snow days will make this an even more regular occurrence.
While we’d never suggest changing out of your comfy clothes while working from home, we do have some tips for keeping your spine in check while adjusting to this new(ish) environment. It might be tempting to grab the laptop and curl up on the couch for the day’s work. It does seem to be the most comfortable option. But it could actually do more damage to your spinal alignment. Instead, Dr. Erin suggests working toward setting up a dedicated work space in your home with the following tips.
Tips for Protecting your Back While Working from Home:
Lumbar Support
Investing in a good quality office chair with lumbar support is ideal, but not always realistic, especially if multiple family members are working from home. Instead, you can use a small pillow or roll a towel and place it between your lower back and the chair to increase comfort and support your spinal alignment.
Check Those Elbows
With your shoulders relaxed, your elbows should be at 90 degrees to your workstation.
Laptop Placement
It seems counterintuitive, but if using a laptop, avoid working with it on your lap for long stretches of time. Instead, place your computer on a stand or pile of books, and if possible, use a separate keyboard and mouse to ensure they’re also at the correct height.
Set The Right Height
Set your computer station so that the top third of your screen is at eye level to ensure that your upper body is not hunched over.
Get Moving
Moving is just as important as the way you sit. Make sure you and the kids are getting up every half hour or so to stretch, walk around a bit and generally shake out the cobwebs.
Of course, even with the best workstation, a change in environment and an increased sedentary lifestyle can still leave your spine a bit out of whack. So make sure to keep up with your regular chiropractic adjustments and feel free to contact us for more tips and information.
