If you spend a significant amount of time sitting at your desk for work or other reasons, it is essential to position your body properly to prevent pain and injury. Correct posture at a desk helps keep your spine and joints in proper alignment, decreases stress on ligaments, prevents fatigue, strain, backache and pain, and reduces the risk of arthritis, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Step 1
Sit facing forward, with your back straight and your shoulders back. Your buttocks should press against the back of the chair. Do not hunch or slouch.
Step 2
Place a rolled-up towel in the natural curves of your back to increase support and prevent the temptation to push your back flat against the chair.
Step 3
Distribute your weight evenly across both hips, making sure not to lean toward one side or the other.
Step 4
Keep your knees bent at right angles, slightly higher than or even with your hips. Do not cross your legs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends lowering your chair slightly or resting your feet on a low stool if necessary to obtain the correct height.
Step 5
Adjust the height of your desk and chair so that you are sitting close to the writing or typing surface and your work is tilted slightly up toward your face.
Step 6
Lay your elbows on armrests, if available, and extend your lower arms toward your writing surface or keyboard. Your lower arms should be positioned at an angle from your elbows, not extended straight out away from your body. Move your keyboard back so that your lower arms can rest on the desk if your chair doesn't have armwrests. Use a wrist support if you're using a keyboard.
Step 7
Look straight ahead when sitting and working, and do not place documents or your computer monitor off to one side. You should not need to move your head to read your screen, and you should not look up or down repeatedly between the computer and your documents. Use a document holder that attaches to the side of your monitor, if needed.
Step 8
Buy a headrest or headset if you spend a significant time on the telephone while sitting at your desk. Do not hold the phone between your ear and shoulder. Doing so can cause muscle strain, fatigue and pain, according to the CDC.
Things You'll Need
- Small towel or lumbar support pillow
- Small step stool
- Keyboard wrist support
- Document holder for monitor
