STOP Neck, Back, & Headache Pain At Work - Ergonomic Desk Set Up

How to sit at work to minimize neck pain, back pain, and muscle knots. Ergonomic workstation setup presented by a doctor of physical therapy to put your individual body type in the best position possible while sitting at a desk.

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Spending long amounts of time seated at a desk with poor posture can lead to back and neck pain, headaches, and even a lack of productivity.

In order to to avoid tension and pain and maximize your efforts, it’s crucial that you set up your workspace correctly.

Presented in this video (and outlined below) are four simple steps to set up your workstation the right way so you can avoid pain later on.

HOW TO SET UP YOUR WORKSTATION
0:00 WHY ERGONOMICS ARE IMPORTANT
1:09 ADJUST CHAIR HEIGHT
1:45 90/90/90 POSITIONING
3:15 ADJUST MONITOR HEIGHT
4:27 DUAL MONITOR SETUP
5:02 LAPTOPS
5:40 KEYBOARD AND MOUSE
6:42 TAKE BREAKS

STEP ONE: (1:09) Adjust your chair height so your desk surface is elbow-height.
The biggest problem I encounter is that the desk height is too tall or the chair height too short. This increases tension in your neck and upper shoulders as your shoulders have to stay elevated (up towards your ears) for hours on end.
Step one is to adjust your seat height so that your work surface is the same height as your elbows.

STEP TWO (1:45) : Hips, knees, and ankles in a position of 90/90/90
We want a 90-100 degree bend in our hips and a 90 degree bend in our knees and ankles. Your back should be up against the backrest and your fee flat on the floor. This will minimize strain in your lower back as well as evenly distribute your weight throughout your hamstrings.
If you’re “vertically challenged” you may need a footstool, books, or reams of paper to achieve the 90-degree bend in your knees and ankles.

STEP THREE (3:15) : Adjust your monitor(s) to the correct distance and height.
We want the monitor to be the correct distance away from our eyes to avoid eye strain and craning forward at our neck/upper back. A general rule of thumb for most people is one arm’s length.
You want the top of the monitor to be eye level. This can be easily achieved with an adjustable monitor, or if necessary, a couple of reams of paper.
*A word about dual monitors (4:27) : If you work from multiple monitors you want to setup your primary monitor directly in front of you with the secondary monitor to the side.
If you spend equal time on both monitors, set them up side-by-side and sit directly in the middle of them.
(5:02) If you primarily work from a laptop - use a laptop stand or “kickstand” and an external/bluetooth keyboard/mouse to stay in good posture. You can see my favorite stand and keyboard at the links found above.

Having your monitor at the wrong height can lead to tension headaches. If you get these, this video can help you out:

STEP FOUR (5:40): Adjust your keyboard and mouse to maintain a 90-degree bend in your elbows.
All this setup means nothing if you can’t actually maintain this position while you work! Moving your keyboard and mouse closer to you and maintaining your elbow angle at 90 degrees will help keep you in this good posture that we’ve established.

*BONUS* STEP FIVE (6:42): Take breaks.
One of the best ways to minimize pain and discomfort while at work is to take regular breaks from your desk posture. I recommend that people stand up and stretch/walk around for about 30-60 seconds every 30-60 minutes. This will help you avoid the fatigue and stiffness that often comes from staying seated in one position for too long.

There you have them! Four simple steps (and one bonus tip) to help you set up your ideal workspace!

If you found this video beneficial be sure to hit the “thumbs up” button above to “like” it!

If you know someone who might benefit from this info be sure to “share” this video with them!

If you have any questions or comments be sure to leave them below and I’ll get to them as soon as I can.

Thanks so much for watching and I’ll see you again soon here on Tone and Tighten!

[danielalbert]

People disliking this video don't know the struggle of having neck pains.. Thank you for the video bro!

[herasean]

As an illustrator I can spend 10 hours per day sitting in front of my computer. I got severe back and neck pain... I bought a new table and a chair because of this video 😂 thank you for the tips, they're super helpful

[Sagi_babyxo]

Been having neck and shoulder pain for over two months now. Went to the doctor today and was told it is probably my posture at work and how I sleep. :( going to try to make changes at work but I sort a lot of paperwork and computer work all day long and during peak season, I do not have a chance to take breaks or even lunches. Thanks for the video! definitely going to use this to change the way I sit at work. My biggest problem is crossing my feet when I sit.

[aliilaiwrning]

Just had an ergonomic assessment of my workspace and everything you shared is exactly what the industrial hygienist recommended. They also recommended I get fitted for an ergonomic chair! Woohoo! Hope my employer has deep pockets!

[ryanjenkins]

This video was straight gold. No fat at all. Great advice and exactly what I was looking for!!! Thank you!! 🙏🙏

[vin]

Perfect. I quickly made changes to my setup as you mentioned. I have been experiencing bad neck pain since past 2 weeks. I will monitor the suggestions you gave here !

[itsmichyy]

Thank you so much for this! Been suffering from neck pain because of online class, this is such a big help ㅠㅠ

[tano]

Having a high desk and a laptop injured my neck and the muscles of my shoulder blade. Now i cant work or game for a week. Take this seriusly or you are going to regret it.

[anneoc]

Do you have a video about the ergonomics of driving a car. Thanks. You are helping this old body!

[pauliewalnuts]

switched to monitor and had pain in my throat region however your tip that the top of the monitor should be in line with eyes has honestly saved me from possibly a lifetime of pain. I was looking up too high was the reason. Thank you so much!!!

[mursefaneca]

Bless you, mate. Really helped me remember fundamentals that I've been neglecting (no wonder my neck has been hurting).

[myrsilife]

Thanks for making this thorough and informative video! Both of my hands are severely injured with computer-related RSI. I love that you mentioned taking breaks! Overuse in tandem with poor posture causes huge risks to one's health. I advocate for even longer breaks: people who are at-risk for computer-related RSI need to take weeks-long vacations from work every year!

[LornaJBurnsBridges]

This was absolutely fabulous 💞I think you should absolutely repost this again especially with what’s going on with COVID-19 and being isolated more people working at home more than ever. They’re on all types of video conferences & the second phase is coming probably gonna be worse than the first time😔

[ayandasgupta]

Very informative. Thanks doc...These tips can really help a lot of people struggling to get off the neck pain while working from home....🙏

[judithnnenna]

I came across your you tube channel today and the knowledge I have gained through your videos are priceless. Presently, some of my painful joints are taken care off by practicing some of the exercises you shared. Thank you so much for what you do and I am sharing this good news with others right away.

[nomadicwolf]

Huh... so that's how I developed bad posture after playing video games & sitting at school for years in non-ergonomic positions. Thank you for the solution!

[Ramyapad]

Will do all as my neck back and head paining at work and home Thanks Ramya

[jmhxvii]

Thanks you so much, I use a laptop and this help a lot! God bless you abundantly.

[moonshimmer]

I’m suffering from these issues and I’m really glad you made this video. Thank you

[loissemanek]

I'm an artist and this really helps. Thank's because I have scoliosis and pinched nerves so it's super important for me.