Set Up Your Workstation To Avoid Neck Pain And Injury

With the modern-day lifestyle revolving around sitting in a chair hunched over a computer or laptop, it’s no wonder that neck pain is becoming one of the most prevalent problems in the Western world. 

If you have an office job or you work from home, you must think about your desk posture. One of the worst things about sitting in the same chair all day, every day for work is the resulting neck pain. Failing to sit properly could lead to chronic neck and shoulder pain that never seems to go away, even when you’re not working. 

In the post-pandemic world that we now live in, many of us are now working from home on makeshift desks. We’re sitting in bed or on the couch with our laptops awkwardly on our knees, having to hunch down to view the screen.

Not only does this affect your posture but it also leads to ongoing pains and aches in the upper body. The angle at which your head is pointed down makes a huge difference to the way the muscles feel, so staring down at a laptop that is resting on your legs is one of the worst ways to sit. 

It’s always important to take more care and consideration when deciding on your workstation setup. Doing so can improve your posture and reduce neck pain by relieving tension in the upper body muscles. 

Unfortunately, dealing with neck and shoulder pain can be tough and it may take several months to completely free yourself of pain. However, creating the perfect workstation setup as quickly as possible in your home means you can work on relieving tension immediately. 

Setting Up the Perfect Workstation Setup At Home

The first step when creating a great workstation at home is to consider the level of your screen. The screen should be at eye level so you aren’t having to lower your head at an angle. 

Consider how you can position your monitor so that it is at the perfect height for your head and eyes. You can do this by either raising your screen or adjusting your chair so that it is higher up. 

Usually, the former is easier because you don’t want to compromise your sitting position by raising your chair up too high. You can use a box or a set of books to raise your screen, or you could even get an adjustable screen that enables you to elevate or lower it. 

You shouldn’t need to lean in to see the screen and it should be centered in front of your head so that you aren’t needing to tilt or turn your head at all.

Position your mouse so that your forearm can rest on the desk when you’re using it. You shouldn't need to shrug or lean your upper body in any way.