Repeat after me:
Sitting at a computer doesn’t have to hurt.
Sitting at a computer doesn’t have to hurt.
Sitting at a computer doesn’t have to hurt.
By reading this article, you’re taking a huge step forward to decrease your computer-related pain. Mmkay?
Surprisingly, it can be pain-free. Productive, even.
This article will give 5 ways I make how to sit at a computer without pain simple, comfortable, and efficient.
How to Sit at a Computer Without Pain
1. I keep my elbow height slightly above my desk level.
2. I use an external monitor instead of my laptop monitor.
3. I keep the top of my monitor even with my eye level.
4. I ALWAYS keep my feet flat on the floor (or a footrest, if necessary).
5. I switch between these working positions multiple times a day:
- sitting in a chair
- standing
- sitting on a stool
- reclined
If your computer posture hurts you:
Make small changes. Practice them daily.
Just by reading this far down…
You’re taking a powerful step forward to improve your quality of life.
That’s something to be very proud of.
You’re doing great ✌️
Computer Chair Posture
Computer users struggling with pain:
I know sitting sucks…but understand these cues for proper posture:
Adjust your chair height, until your elbow height is above desk level.
Avoid this mistake: I never want to let my elbow height drop below desk level. I made this mistake for years. It caused overuse of my biceps, in order to lift my hands up onto my keyboard and mouse. My biceps got chronically tighter and also shorter. This overloaded the tendons connecting my biceps to bone in my shoulders. This also meant excessive internal rotation, chronic shoulder pain, and inflammation for years.
My solution: I always sit with my elbows at desk level or higher. My personal preference, I’m most comfortable with my elbows about 2 inches above my desk level. So this allows my biceps to relax. It puts a little more strain on my triceps, but that’s never caused an issue for me.
If the correct chair height allows you to rest your feet on the floor, keep them flat on the floor. Do not pull your feet under your chair.
Poor foot position at a computer caused chronic pain, excessive tension, and joint dysfunction. In fact, this didn’t only occur throughout my legs. It went all the way up into my lower back. All because of poor foot position, while sitting in a chair, while using a desktop computer.
Avoid this mistake: I used to pull my feet under my chair. This would cause me to keep my hamstrings constantly activated 8 hours a day. In addition, this repetitive strain and overuse caused my hamstrings to shorten.
On the front side of my legs, my quadriceps were also overextended 8 hours a day. Over time, they lengthened. So this imbalance of energy and muscle activation took years for me to fix.
My solution: All this dysfunction could’ve been avoided if I had kept my feet flat on the floor. This also would’ve decreased repetitive strain and overuse. It also would’ve kept my ankles and knees in balanced, neutral positions.
If that correct chair height raises your feet off the floor, use a footrest.
Getting my elbow height correct is an important ergonomic variable for me. But I’m not going to lower my chair just to rest my feet on the floor. In this case, I use a footrest. And I also keep my feet flat on the footrest. This allows me to rest my feet flat, while keeping the correct chair and elbow height.
Since I’m 6’3″ tall, I usually don’t need a footrest. But sometimes I do. It depends on the chair design and the desk height. I adjust those 2 variables so that my elbow height is slightly over my desk (a couple inches).
Make sure your hip level is higher than your knees.
Avoid this mistake: I used to sit with my chair too low. It would cause my hips to drop below my knee level. Sitting with good posture puts enough strain on our hips. But sitting with our hips too low makes that strain exponentially worse.
My solution: The correct chair height will ideally put my elbows a couple inches above desk level. It will also put my hip level above my knees. But if this chair height lifts my feet off the floor, I simply use a footrest.
Do not use the chair armrests if they are too wide, causing you to flare your elbows out laterally (away from your rib cage).
Avoid this mistake: When I would use office chair armrests, it was impossible to keep my shoulders relaxed. They were always activated (in order to rest my elbows on the armrests). This constant shoulder activation led to neck pain and tension.
The standard American office chair is too big for all of us. They are basically a XXXX-Large. I wouldn’t wear a 4XL suit to a job. So why are we sitting in 4XL chairs?
My solution: I don’t use armrests if they are going to cause pain. I’d rather suspend my elbows in the air. I’d keep my shoulders lightly activated to support my arms. Another way I support my arms, I keep my wrists straight and flat on the desk.
Computer ergonomics can get complex.
My goal is to simplify it the best I can.
So computer users can focus more on their jobs…
Instead of their computer-related pain.
If you like this article, my Computer Posture Newsletter should be very helpful for you. (it’s free)
Especially if you’re an athletic office worker, who wants to improve computer posture and increase work productivity.
I write about easy, actionable ways to:
- Decrease computer-related pain
- Increase energy
- Improve mental clarity
- Decrease muscle tension
- Improve joint function
Click here to sign up for my Computer Posture Newsletter.
P.S. It’s always free. And you can unsubscribe anytime. Click here to unlock access.
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