Kinnear Chiropractic

Desk posture: five small changes that help

Most of the neck and shoulder stiffness we see comes from eight hours at a screen. None of these changes cost money and all of them help.
A quiet treatment room at Kinnear Chiropractic with an oak table and a spine model on the shelf

1. Raise the screen

The top of the screen should sit at about eye level. A laptop on a desk puts your head forward and down all day. A stack of books under it and a separate keyboard fixes that in five minutes.

2. Feet flat, hips level

If your feet dangle, your lower back takes the strain. Lower the chair or use a footrest. Knees should sit level with or slightly below your hips.

3. Elbows close

Reaching forward for the keyboard rounds the shoulders. Pull the keyboard towards you so your elbows stay near your sides, bent at about a right angle.

4. Stand up every half hour

The best posture is the next one. Set a timer if you have to. Standing up, walking to the kitchen and coming back does more than any chair.

5. Look away from the screen

Every so often, look at something far away for a few seconds. It relaxes the small muscles at the back of the neck as well as the eyes.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If your neck pain is severe, came on suddenly, or comes with numbness or weakness, see a doctor.