Desk Job And Back Pain

When I graduated university, I couldn’t wait to get a desk job. Back then, working on a computer (to make a living) fascinated me.

I had worked some dirty jobs before I graduated. Waited tables, construction, hard physical labor, overnight shifts…

But after graduation, I could have a career where I sit in a chair and work at a desk? And I don’t have to work nights, or weekends? Sign me up!

But I had no idea how painful it can be, to sit at a computer 40 hours a week. Poor posture at a computer has caused me more pain than any physical labor job I’ve ever worked.

This article talks about what caused my computer pain.

It’ll also list proper posture tips that’ve helped fix my pain.

3 ways to improve computer posture ebook — This eBook explains how to turn your desk into an asset that promotes good computer posture. It covers ergonomic variables like elbow height, eye level, and foot position. Snag your free copy at SittingPosture.com/ebook.

Shoulder Pain From Sitting At Desk

There were many posture errors that contributed to my computer shoulder pain. The worst one was incorrect elbow level.

I’d often sit with my elbow level below my desk, keyboard, and mouse level.

This caused me to overuse my biceps, in order to lift my hands up onto the keyboard and mouse. This constant activation of my biceps led to excessive internal rotation and chronic tendonitis in my shoulders.

How To Relieve Shoulder Pain From Sitting At Desk?

Raise your desk chair height to the correct level.

I’m most comfortable with my elbows 2 or 3 inches above my desk height. But before I raise my chair, I make sure I’m sitting with an upright torso, with a neutral spine, with its natural curves intact.

Don’t slouch forward.

Anytime I place my hands on something (like a keyboard and mouse) for long periods of time, the muscles on the front of my torso tighten up and shorten (biceps, chest, abdomen). This causes me to slouch forward naturally.

The problem is, we need to fight this slouching when sitting at a desk. Otherwise, it could cause multiple posture problems.

Don’t use office chair armrests if they are too wide.

If office chair armrests are so wide, they cause you to flare your elbows away from your rib cage laterally, don’t use them.

This is a mistake I made for years. I had to activate my shoulders constantly to flare my elbows sideways to rest them on the armrests. This shoulder overuse caused chronic pain.

I’d rather leave my elbows suspended in the air, close to my rib cage, opposed to resting them on armrests that are too wide. For more info, check out How to Use Office Chair Armrests.

Lower Back Pain From Sitting At Desk

My lower back pain was often the location of my worst pain. But it wasn’t where the cause of the pain was found.

My lower back is often in a tug-of-war between my hamstrings and my upper back, shoulder area.

I used to keep my monitor too low. This caused excessive tension in the soft tissues surrounding my spine, on the lower back of my neck. It also contributed to my debilitating headaches.

I’d also pull my feet underneath my desk chair. This caused excessive overuse of my hamstrings.

How To Relieve Back Pain From Sitting At Desk

Raise your monitor until the top of the screen is at eye level.

This ergonomic adjustment didn’t just decrease my back pain, it decreased my neck pain and headaches.

When I’m adjusting my monitor, I make sure to do it when I’m sitting with an upright torso, with the natural curves of the spine intact. To get a better understanding of what an upright torso is, check out How to Sit Up Straight While Working.

proper sitting and standing computer posture — Notice how these users have their eye level (correctly) even with the top of their monitor screen. You’ll also notice how each of their elbows is 2 to 3 inches above their desk level. Both of these rules apply, regardless if we’re sitting or standing at our computer. Image by Reneshia via Megapixl.

Keep your feet flat on the floor (or a footrest, if necessary).

When I have my feet flat on the floor, it’s impossible to pull them underneath my desk chair. This allows me to work with relaxed hamstrings (which takes pressure off my lower back).

Side note: I only use a footrest if necessary. How I determine that has to do with how high I need to raise my chair (to get correct elbow height). If getting my elbow height 2 or 3 inches about desk level means my feet don’t touch the floor, then I need to rest them flat on a footrest.

Use a lumbar support.

The lumbar curve is arguably the most important natural curve in the spine. Once my lumbar curve flattens out, the rest of my spine goes out of alignment too.

A lumbar support is a great ergonomic tool that keeps my posture in check, while also providing support. It takes some of the pressure off my spine and my back muscles. It’s a valuable tool I use for preventing back pain.

lumbar support | Desk Job And Back Pain — Notice how this user has a lumbar support attached to her chair. It’s helping her maintain the healthy lumbar curve in her lower back, while she sits in a desk chair for long periods.

I switch between sitting and standing at my desk.

My daily routine is to switch between my sit and stand desk multiple times a day. It’s actually the same desk, but it’s height-adjustable. So I can easily and quickly go from sit to stand.

This gives my postural muscles a break. Mainly the core muscles that constantly support my torso when I sit.

Leg Pain From Sitting At Desk

Pulling my feet under my desk chair didn’t only cause tight hamstrings, which contributed to my back pain. Poor foot position caused excessive muscle tension, chronic pain, and joint dysfunction throughout my entire legs. All this nonsense led to me needing 3 ankle surgeries to repair bone spurs, bone chips, and a torn tendon.

Always keep your feet flat on the floor (or a footrest).

This decreases repetitive strain in my legs. It also maintains good joint function in my hips, knees, and ankles.

How To Relieve Leg Pain From Sitting At Desk

Always keep your feet flat on the floor (or a footrest, if necessary).

This decreases repetitive strain in my legs. It also maintains good joint function in my knees and ankles. Because it allows me to sit with relaxed hamstrings.

I also used to be a catcher when I played baseball at a younger age. Squatting down between pitches, thousands of times a season, led to me being hamstring dominant. It was fixable, but it took years of hard work (weightlifting, stretching, and muscle recovery techniques).

Always keep hip level slightly higher than knee level.

My hips were already overused when I used to sit all day. But having my hips lower than my knees just put even more of a load on my hips while I sat at my desk. Which caused them to get even tighter and shorter.

Keeping my hips 2 or 3 inches higher than my knee level (when I sit at my desk) has provided me with some relief.

correct sitting posture | Desk Job And Back Pain — Notice how this user’s hip level is 2 to 3 inches above his knee level. This is my personal preference for correct sitting posture. His feet are also flat on the floor, which is correct foot position at a computer. Image by Eraxion via Megapixl.

Correct Sitting Posture On Computer

I use a flat, ergonomic keyboard and mouse (not paid promotion).

I recently wrote an article titled Ergonomic Modifications For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It talks about how I completely erased my sore wrist from typing in 4 days. And my pain hasn’t come back since.

I rotate between sitting, standing, and a reclined position at my computer (multiple times per day).

Because the quality of our posture isn’t the only thing causing us pain. How long we stay in each position is also a valid factor in how much computer pain we have.

That’s Why I Rotate Between Sitting, Standing, and Reclining at My Desk (for Better Posture & Energy).

I wear toe socks everyday (not paid promo).

Let’s take an open-minded approach to this one. I’ve talked about how much foot position at a computer matters. So, anything that improves my posture in general, will also improve my computer ergonomics. Toe socks, have had a direct, positive effect on my posture. They’re the most performance-enhancing piece of clothing I’ve ever worn. You can read about my experience in my article titled Are Toe Socks Good For You and Do They Improve Posture?

toe socks | Desk Job And Back Pain — Here’s an image of my feet in my new toe socks, which have remarkably improved my toe alignment and foot function, plus many other benefits (not paid promo).

If you want more posture fixes in your inbox, sign up for my Computer Posture Newsletter.

It’s always free. I keep my emails short and to the point.

Because as full-time computer users, we’re super busy.

And I respect your time and energy.

Thanks for your interest in computer posture.

Todd Bowen – Computer Posture Correction and Pain-Free Ergonomics: For Office Workers Who Want to Increase Work Productivity

P.S. If you liked this article, you’ll love the digital store I just published.

Or, join hundreds of other high-performing, athletic office workers → Check out my free eBook that explains how to improve posture while sitting at computer.

Computer posture may happen at our desk. But computer ergonomics goes with us when we leave the office. Ergonomics also happens in the gym, the kitchen, even in the bedroom (sleep quality).

To learn healthy habits in hydration, breathing, and sleep quality, read how to improve posture at computer with ergonomics. All these are directly related to how good (or bad) my computer posture is.