Oh no! It's monday morning again...

In the modern day world, we spend ever increasing amounts of time at work. At the same time the demographic in terms of job description has changed dramatically from manual to more sedentary office based work. This poses a particular problem for many people, as the human body is rather poorly designed for prolonged sitting. Not only is the long sitting a problem, but often at the work station is not setup for the requirements of the individual worker. The combination of excessive sitting and poorly fitting equipment (and dare I say it - bad posture) may lead to numerous common ailments, such as tense shoulders, neck stiffness, headache, low back pain, shoulder pain, tennis elbow or 'mouse elbow' and wrist pain.

Seven point guide to help you feel better at work

As you sit into your chair, in an upright position, your feet should rest flat on the floor, and your knees lie below the level of your hips. This will enable you to maintain a neutral angle in the pelvis and lower part of your spine, and to allow you to “sit up”. Avoid slouching (allowing your low back to protrude backwards) as this puts tremendous strain onto the muscles of the low back and causes pain. It could even be said, that the back rest on the chair becomes redundant when proper sitting posture is used.

Most people work at desks that are too low for them, according to industry experts. This will result in cramping, and having to bend your spine forward constantly to reach the keyboard. After finding your good sitting position and height, lift (or lower) your desk so that you can comfortably rest your forearms on the desk surface. You should notice that your shoulder muscles are very relaxed in this position. This will help you breathe easier, reduce tension in the shoulders, and avoid repetitive strain injuries of the arm such as tennis elbow and carpal tunnel syndrome.

As you sit comfortably at you desk, switch off your screen. If you can see your own reflection in the dark screen then it is at a proper height. Correct screen height will help you maintain good work posture. This will also lead to less strain on the neck muscles as there is less need to hang your head forward to peer at the screen.

Great amount of people have problems with their wrists or elbows due to mouse use. This most likely is due to two factors. First, the work station is incorrectly set up resulting in reaching, cramping, or straining. Secondly the person is using the muscles of the arm, forearm, wrist and hand in the wrong sequence to operate the mouse. Optimal mouse handling is a relaxed, almost ‘limp wristed’ action, where the forearm rests on the desk and the hand is allowed to lie on top of the mouse and most of the work is done by the fingers. Many people end up lifting the elbow up causing a bend in the wrist which constantly activates the wrist extensor muscles leading to tennis elbow. At the same time the shoulder tends to be lifted up towards the ear. This will cause tightness in the trapezius muscle on top of the shoulder and may even lead to neck pain and headaches.

After adjusting you work station, please ensure that you do not become static for too long at any given time. The temptation of simply working throught the day without moving may be great, especially with a more comfortable work station set-up - yet this will still cause problems. Often a quick stand-up, a wave of arms and a shake of legs every 15 – 20 minutes or so will be sufficient to keep your muscles dynamic. At lunch time it is advisable to go for a walk outside or even go up and down the stairs a few times to get your blood pumping. You could also utilise different positions and postures to add variety to your work day. Instead of staying rooted to the desk find a counter to pop your laptop onto so that you can work standing up. You can also kneel in front of your desk if you are stuck with a desktop computer. You can also employ the deep squat position to work on the laptop on the floor or use the deep squat on your chair in front of the desk top. Greater variation - Less stagnation.

Office environments these days are heavily air conditioned, which will suck the moisture out of your body. As you lose fluid, your muscles become more likely to cramp, which leads to stiffness and pain. Read the hydration article.

At Shepperton Chiropractic Clinic our aim is to enable you to sit, stand, lie down and move in an easy manner without suffering pain. Ensuring that your body is able to move in the right way, to be strong in the right places and flexible in the right places will improve your ability to sit comfortably, this will help you become more productive at work. Another benefit is, that you will be able to shrug off the strain of a day in the office easier on your way home and enjoy your evenings and weekends more.

In the modern office the equipment is sophisticated enough that it can be adjusted in a number of different ways. Take a few minutes to figuring out how this happens or find a colleague to help you. In case adjustments on the equipment are not possible, clever use of old telephone directories tend do the trick nicely.

For any further queries, or to book your consultation please call the clinic today on

01932 429584 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.