Prolonged Sitting, Back Pain & Desk Set Up: How to Survive the Office
Danielle Ivie, DPT, CSCS | Founder of Powered by Movement Physical Therapy
You have probably heard the phrase “sitting is the new smoking”. This phrase was coined to encourage everyone to move more, which I am all about. Sedentary behavior is a massive problem with most adults spending the majority of their time sitting – in a car, in front of a desk, or in front of a screen. Movement is medicine and we know that the more you move the better you will feel.
I also understand that modern society is built around technology and we cannot entirely avoid sitting, especially if you have a desk job. Standing desks and walking pads are all the rage to get more movement in the office, but if you are anything like me you cannot focus on deep work while standing up. I wish I could, but I just can’t. So what are other alternatives to support posture, increase movement throughout the day and reduce muscle stiffness at your desk? Let’s dive in.
ERGONOMIC DESK SET UP
The set up of your desk may contribute to muscle stiffness and pain problems if you are sitting for prolonged periods of time at work. Consistent breaks are key to reducing muscle stiffness, and I recommend getting up from your desk at least once per hour whenever possible. But, knowing that is not always doable, here are tips for efficient posture set up at your desk:
- Sit with your body “sandwiched” between your chair and desk. Your hips should be all the way back in your chair, feet supported on the ground, and pushed in close to your desk.
- Your forearms should be supported on the desk. Move your keyboard back so that your forearms are supported instead of wrists only supported at the edge of the desk.
- The top of your monitors should be at eye level. This reduces strain at your neck from looking up or down all day. If you have multiple monitors, set them up as close to each other as possible and centered in front of you so you are not turning your head one direction all day long.
- You should not be reaching down to your desk. When sitting in your chair, you almost want to reach up slightly to put your forearms on the table. If slouched down and forward all day, that increases tension on your neck and shoulders.
DESKERCISE
Small, frequent movements throughout the day are key to reducing muscle stiffness and increasing activity levels throughout the day when working a desk job. Here are 6 simple exercises you can do at your desk – they are quick, no equipment, and can get you out of that stiff funk.
A better desk set up can change a lot of stiffness, but movement is the best option. If you can focus at a standing desk, amazing! If not, try these 6 simple exercises to keep you moving at work. There is nothing worse than missing out on your favorite workouts or activities you love due to nagging pain that you can’t seem to get rid of. It takes a toll on you and your quality of life, and life is too short not to move well, move often and enjoy doing it.
At PXM, we help active people in St. Louis recover from injury, optimize movement, and stay out of pain for the long term while reaching their health & fitness goals. With our unique approach to physical therapy, our top priority is to provide you with holistic, fitness forward healthcare that emphasizes your goals.
We get you back to thriving in the activities you love with our 3 step process:
POWER UP: Diagnose and understand the root cause of your problem.
POWER BOOST: Create a custom plan for you to restore function & get back to what you love.
POWER PEAK: Optimize performance to keep pain away for good & get stronger than ever.
Not sure if PXM is right for you? Have more questions? Schedule a Free Consultation today.
Dr. Danielle Ivie, DPT, CSCS
Powered by Movement, LLC
567 Hanley Industrial Ct., Brentwood, MO 63144
314-252-0504 | www.poweredxmovement.com