Computer ergonomics when working from home

Working from home for a longer period often means poorer ergonomics and new routines. We have previously highlighted important aspects to keep in mind when working from home, such as everyday physical activity and structure. In this article, we focus on computer ergonomics and tips on exercises to reduce the risk of pain and overuse injuries.

Computer ergonomics It is very common for office workers to experience pain in the neck and shoulders and to often suffer from headaches. A typical feature of these tensions is that the pain increases at the end of the day and often eases or is relieved in connection with physical activity. The cause is often related to sitting with the arms in front of the body and working statically; you also often unconsciously lift your shoulders up towards your ears. To avoid pain caused by lack of oxygen in the muscles, you can actively do a few different exercises several times a day. Try the resistance band exercises below.

Resistance band exercises: Low row with resistance band, about 15–20 reps

High row with resistance band, about 15–20 reps

Upright row with resistance band, about 15–20 reps

Active sitting It is easy to think that a sitting position relieves the back, but in fact it is quite the opposite. Some back muscles are indeed relieved, but the pressure on the spinal discs increases significantly. The reason is that the natural curve in the lower back easily flattens out or “rounds” when sitting. The curves of the spine are designed to distribute the load over a larger area; when this does not work, most of the load is instead taken up by one or a few discs. A good way to sit is in the so‑called rider position. In the rider position, you open up the hip angle by placing your feet under the seat while moving a bit forward on the chair.

Here is a video that shows how to sit with good technique: Video

Stand up and work The best thing for the spinal discs is to stand up and work as much as possible. But this requires having a desk or counter that is high enough for you to be able to stand in a good ergonomic position. The kitchen counter can be an alternative.

When standing, you should try to stand as relaxed as possible and with good posture. It is important to try to stand as symmetrically as you can, i.e. not leaning on one hip, not leaning forward or twisting to the side, and the shoulders should rest in a relaxed position without creeping up towards the ears.

At first, standing up can feel physically demanding. This is usually because the muscles are not used to working in a standing position over a longer period. It is good always to stabilize the back with the help of the deep back and core muscles. You activate these by “drawing” the navel diagonally in and up towards the spine, getting the feeling that you become a little taller. Another way is to visualize someone attaching a helium balloon to the back of your head, gently pulling you up towards the ceiling.

Lighting Something you might not think about much when working from home is the lighting conditions. It is important to have sufficient lighting but at the same time the possibility to shield yourself, for example with curtains, to avoid backlight and glare.

Good things to keep in mind regarding lighting: – Be careful to place equipment so that reflections and glare are avoided.

– To avoid glare, you should not have a light source that is too strong in the work area. This can lead to headaches and visual discomfort.

– Glare from ceiling lights can be avoided with glare protection or by choosing lamps with upward lighting.

– Glare from sunlight can be avoided with blinds, solar control film or roller shades.

– Screens should be placed at a right angle to the window to prevent daylight from falling onto the screen or daylight dazzling the user.

Screen A guideline is that the top edge of the screen should be at eye level. If the screen is too low, you can prop it up with books.

Keyboard Make sure the keyboard is thin so that the wrists are not bent upwards. You should not flip up the keyboard feet, as this leads to unfavorable angles for the arms.

Computer mouse Make sure the mouse is adapted to your hand so that the wrist is not bent upwards. It is better to have a small mouse than one that is too large. Try to position the mouse more in front of your body rather than out to the side. Switch to a trackball (mousetrapper) if you have problems and pain in the shoulders or forearms. Pain in the shoulder blade area radiating down the arm is often due to an incorrect position because the mouse is too far out to the side. Instead, try moving the keyboard forward and then placing the mouse closer to the midline, i.e. in front of your stomach.

On Wellr, your company can activate the ergonomics test for working from home. Employees who have poor ergonomics at home receive digital ergonomic measures to work with.