Refine search for Peripherals

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

Author	Wil Harris
Published	1st Jul 2008

4 comments

Email this to a friend

TrustedReviews Newsletters

Most people assume that a desk is a desk is a desk. However, nothing could be farther from the truth (unless your desk was a duck). When you're sat at your perfectly supporting chair, feeling like you have the posture of a teenaged supermodel, the whole effect will rapidly unwind if your desk is too high or too low. At a bare minimum, your desk should be height adjustable so that you can match it to your chair. Although you might think that merely adjusting your chair to your desk height would be enough, having both adjustable allows you to find exactly the right position in which to spend your eight hour day.

Image courtesy of HumanScale

Once you've got your body at the right height, consider your legs. Your feet should be planted firmly on the floor, or alternatively on a foot rest attached to your desk for maximum stability. Having your legs swinging will put too much strain on your lower back and could lead to sciatica.

Your desk may be covered with paperwork and photos of your dog, but the desk surface itself can cause problems. Positioning a light directly above it can cause glare if the surface is glossy, and to avoid problems a desk surface should always be matte. Also think about the other accessories on your desk - do you have a document holder? If you regularly flick between documents and your computer screen, put a document holder next to the screen so that your eyes aren't constantly having to refocus.

Image courtesy of HumanScale

Probably the most used equipment on your desk is your computer, so positioning this properly is key. Although it's tempting to simply plonk your keyboard directly in front of you, consider exactly how much of the keyboard you are using. If you never use the number pad, move the keyboard to the right so that the main letters are directly in front of you. Even better, get a keyboard without a number pad so that you can place the mouse where it would otherwise be. Placing your mouse too far back on a desk is a common problem, and one that can lead to back and shoulder problems as you hold your arm unsupported while using the mouse. Ideally use a cordless mouse to avoid cable tangles and any issues positioning the little rodent exactly where you want it.

It almost goes without saying that you should be sitting straight-on to your desk, but for those who regularly like to dawdle or doodle at an angle, your back will thank me for reminding you.

Latest 4 of 4 Comments

Have your say: Leave a comment below about this article.

Spode said on 1st July 2008

I've had a whole host of back problems for the last 5 years. My lower back pain was a combination of the chair I was using, and my bed. I had an £80 chair and didn't think for one minute it could be problem, but when I started sitting on a second chair I bought for £15, things got a lot better as it didn't have that gap in the lumbar zone.

I went to Toronto for the launch of the X800 and after a few nights in the hotel bed, my back pain went away. One night at home and the pain was back - so I decided to check what was going on. The base of the bed in the house I was renting was made of thin steel rods, which had all bent in. When I lifted the mattress, I could just see an indentation of my body! I bent all the bars back and then put a sheet of hard board over the top. I recently had an MRI on my back, I do have a partial rupture in a disc in my lower back, but all these changes definitely made a difference (getting a doctor to take back pain seriously at when you're under 20 is very difficult...)

I've also had a lot of problems with my upper back, mainly trapped nerves and general aching. At one point, I couldn't get out of bed, so paramedics had to climb out of the window and carry me to hospital - that was a fun Monday. After an MRI they suggested I had slight degeneration in 3 discs in the middle of my back, but not enough to be causing the trapped nerves. So I was left trying to work out what was going on.

I started analysing my posture on my desk and realised that I often end up with my shoulders hunched forwards. I find this happens when your arms are too close together. If you space your arms further apart, it naturally pushes your shoulders back into a neutral position. I also found when I was walking I had the same problem, so I concentrated on keeping my shoulders in a "normal" position (although I can tell you, at first it didn't feel it).

Another thing that really helped, that I'm surprised wasn't mentioned, is the use of a posture chair:

http://www.backinaction.co.uk/kneeling

I have something similar to this and I use it for a few hours each day - sometimes the whole day if i feel like it. At first, it hurts to use it, as you use your core muscles to keep yourself upright. But after a while, you get used to it, and your back is strengthened because of it! It's like free physio :) I think I paid about £25 for mine - well worth it.

I've had a whole host of back problems for the last 5 years. My lower back pain was a combination of the chair I was using, and my bed. I had an £80 chair and didn't thin... more

Ed said on 1st July 2008

I tried one of those posture chairs and found it hurt my shins and knees. I think I was a bit tall for it, maybe. In hindsight I probably should've stuck with it for a while -... more

Xiphias said on 1st July 2008

Unfortunately many of the suggestions can be difficult to follow. For example you recommended an armed chair, yet many armed chairs have fairly long and high arms which will preven... more

Lon Bailey said on 3rd July 2008

The thing about chairs is that you need to try before you buy. I was going to get a high back chair when I visited the back2 shop and after trying several out, I found a cheaper mo... more

See all 4 comments on this article.

Add your comment

You must be logged in to comment. Login or register here.