For most employees with a desk job, neck and back pain is a major concern.
The likely culprit is the office setup that's not ergonomically designed.
The problem is increasing as the number of people working from home goes up, as not everyone was prepared with the right tools and equipment when offices started to shut down during the pandemic. Kitchen tables became their desk for some people working from home, and the dining room chairs replaced office chairs. As a result, an increasing number of people with existing back and neck issues saw their pain get worse, while others who never had it started experiencing new aches for the first time while "tech neck" became an increasingly common concern.
If you are experiencing neck pain and want to alleviate it, along with medical assistance, you also need an ergonomic workstation. And if you are wondering how to get started with creating an ergonomic workstation, we are there for you.
In this post, we look at how you can create an ergonomic workstation such that it alleviates health concerns, including neck pain. We also look at some of the ergonomically designed products that can be a perfect addition to your workstation so you can work comfortably and more productively. But before we get started, let's look at the four critical aspects that you need to cover when creating an ergonomic workstation.
The Four Fundamentals of an Ergonomic Work Station
The four key areas you need to focus on when creating an ergonomic workstation include the following.
Adjusting your head’s position,
Aligning your arm’s position,
Creating a comfortable position for your back and
Keep in mind how often you move.
Based on these four fundamentals, here is how you can create an ergonomic workstation.
How to Create an Ergonomic Work Station to Alleviate Neck Pain?
Adjust the Monitor’s Height
Since a desk job requires a lot of time in a sitting position staring at the screen, how and where you place your monitor can significantly impact your health and performance. While most people do not put much thought into how they position their monitors, the inability to do so can put a lot of strain on your eyes, neck, shoulders, and back as it leads to awkward postures while trying to view a screen.
You can overcome this problem by adjusting your screen appropriately. Here are a few tips that can help you adjust your screen such that it doesn’t lead to discomfort while viewing.
Make sure there is at least 12 inches of distance between your eyes and your screen,
Place the monitor above your keyboard such that it makes an angle of around 15 degrees,
The top line of your screen is at or below your eye level.
If you work at a laptop, making these adjustments may seem quite simple, as a laptop allows you the flexibility to tilt the screen. But if you are working at a desktop or your job requires you to work on multiple screens simultaneously, it's best to invest in a monitor mount. A monitor mount will help you position your monitor appropriately while saving a lot of space at your workstation.
At Flexispot, you can find monitor mounts that offer full motion movement and all the flexibility of maximum viewing from any direction. With a monitor mount for your screens, you can keep your upper back and shoulders relaxed and prevent neck pain.
Look for Keyboard Comfort
The other critical aspect of setting up an ergonomic office to alleviate neck pain is aligning your arm’s position. Since your arms and fingers are constantly in contact with the keyboard of your desktop or laptop and the mouse, you need to know some best practices that help prevent injuries to your finger and wrist and cause neck pain.
Another critical aspect of aligning your arm’s position is to resist the temptation of hunching over when you are doing your work. Hunching leads to pressure on your arms and shoulders which eventually result in neck pain.
You can avoid these problems by arranging your keyboard and mouse in an ergonomic position such that you can keep your wrist extended while maintaining relaxed upper arms. You can also opt for ergonomic keyboards and mouse pads that help maintain a relaxed upper arm position.
Start With a Healthy Sitting
If you are spending around 8 hours every day in a sitting position, then you should make sure you are doing this right. By positioning yourself correctly, you can help prevent aches and pains and maintain a healthy posture that leads to long-term health.
So if you have recently switched to a work-at-home arrangement, don't get comfortable with the idea of using your dining chair as your work chair. Remember, your dining chair or kitchen stool is not designed to provide adequate support as you sit for long stretches.
Your office chair needs to support your arms, legs, back, and buttocks such that you can comfortably sit in the chair without feeling any contact stress in any part of your body. Moreover, your office chair should offer enough support for your back and neck, which is essential in preventing neck pain or tech neck as we know it, which is a typical side effect of slouching while staring at a screen.
The secret to alleviating neck pain is investing in an ergonomically designed office chair by a reliable supplier. While you can find several ergonomic office chairs on the market, always opt for the best ergonomic office solution providers such as Flexispot. At Flexispot, you can find all the types of ergonomic chairs that you need for a comfortable sitting at the most affordable prices.
The other secret to getting maximum comfort and benefit from an ergonomic chair is to position your body correctly in that chair. Most people invest in an ergonomic chair but do not position themselves appropriately, which leads to concerns like neck and back pain despite using an ergonomic chair. So when sitting in an ergonomic office chair, make sure your feet rest flat against the floor when you are in the sitting position. Moreover, the height of your knees should be at about equal height with your hips. You can also try using cushions or footrests to create a better ergonomic alignment.
Other factors such as your body composition and the height of your desk can also likely impact how comfortable you feel at your workstation.
It’s best to choose an ergonomic office chair that offers recline and tilt capabilities so you can easily take pressure off your spine. You can find ergonomic office chairs made from different materials such as breathable mesh or leather and fabric so you can choose the one that best suits your needs and offer maximum support to your spine.
Go for Sit-Stand Workspace Solutions
You may have invested in an ergonomic office chair and have placed your monitor, keyboard, and mouse in the right position, but it still doesn't mean that you should stay in there forever.
While working, you must take regular breaks to walk and stretch your body. But in recent years, healthcare practitioners have highlighted the positive health implications of standing while working. As a result, standing up at work is gaining popularity, so are the products designed to facilitate this type of work setup. However, standing upright all day can be equally detrimental as sitting all day, so you need to look for ergonomic solutions that offer you the flexibility to switch between the two positions. Hence, height-adjustable standing desks are becoming increasingly popular as they allow you to switch between standing and sitting, which lessens the strain on your neck and lower back.
Given the increasing popularity of sit-stand workspace solutions, you can find an overwhelming choice of height adjustable standing desk, but it is best to choose a durable and sturdy height adjustable standing desk like the Kana Bamboo Standing Desk. This standing desk by Flexispot is made from an eco-friendly bamboo desktop and features a robust structure and advanced dual-motor height adjusting system that allows the desk to hold more weight and ensure a seamless transition from sitting to standing and vice versa.
Final Words
An ergonomic workstation can help prevent and lessen existing neck pain. To create an ergonomic workstation, you need to ensure that you adjust your head, arms, and back position appropriately while knowing when you need to switch positions from sitting to standing and vice versa. Ergonomically designed products by Flexispot can help you with these four fundamental aspects of creating an ergonomic workstation that can help you alleviate neck pain while boosting your productivity at work.
