- Sitting is “the new smoking”
- Laptop monitors “don’t cause neck pain”
- Tall, bulky keyboard and mouse
- Harder, faster, stronger
I sat at a computer with poor posture for a decade.
What actually matters to me now is…
- Actionable computer ergonomics
- A consistent sleeping schedule
- Hot sauna
- Chiropractic care and soft tissue work
- Quality hydration
- Clean nutrition
- Nasal breathing as much as possible
- Intentional weightlifting
- Muscle recovery
- Sitting at a computer for long periods of time broke me, physically and mentally.
- But these practices are how I fixed my computer-related pain and excessive muscle tension.
Posture Propaganda I’m Not Falling For: Part 2
Instead of these popular propagandas, here’s what I do instead:
Sitting is “the new smoking”
Sitting is not the only enemy. It doesn’t matter what position we are working in. If we work in the same exact position for long periods of time, it can cause repetitive strain and overuse injuries. Which lead to chronic pain, excessive muscle tension, and joint dysfunction.
Laptop monitors “don’t cause neck pain”
Uhh yes, they definitely do. I know we need the convenience of a laptop when we travel. But when we are working in an office, or home office, an extended monitor is a crucial way to decrease computer-related pain. Laptop monitors are just too small and too low. Instead, I place the top of my external monitor at eye level, so my neck can be in a neutral, balanced position while I work.
Tall, bulky keyboard and mouse
These old dinosaur devices used to cause carpal tunnel syndrome in my wrists. The cause wasn’t actually the act of “typing.” It was the fact that I had to extend my wrists in order to lift my hands up onto my tall keyboard and mouse. Then, I’d hold my wrists in that vulnerable position for long periods of time.
When I switched to a flat keyboard and mouse, my wrist pain went away in a few days. It was pretty eye-opening how one small habit change (practiced consistently) made such a major improvement in my computer posture.
Harder, faster, stronger
Being in my late forties, I’m finished with overtraining. I just don’t recover like I used to. And “harder, faster, stronger” is more of a liability for me than an asset. There is a fine line between a good workout and overtraining. My goal is to walk right up to that fine line during every workout.
Any knucklehead can obliterate his muscles during a workout (like I used to). Instead, I want to get a workout that allows me to feel strong, pain-free, energetic, flexible, and mobile the day after.
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Thanks for your interest in computer posture.
Todd Bowen
