We don’t start off with poor posture as children. It gets worse over time. As adults, sitting at a computer 8 hours a day causes a number of desk job health issues.
In 2012, I started improving my computer posture. It was difficult to learn what good computer posture looked like back then. Learning self-improvement on the internet wasn’t as abundant as it is today.
Once I finally learned what correct computer posture was, I couldn’t hold that healthy position for 5 minutes. I’d quickly slip back into a compromised, vulnerable, poor posture.
Even today, correct posture is a daily challenge for me. When I get to my computer in the morning, I have good posture. But even after years of studying computer ergonomics, my posture still gets gradually worse as the day goes on. Correct posture is always going to be a process that I’m working to maintain and improve.
The position we work in isn’t the cause of our chronic pain from desk work. Our pain is the effect we feel. Our poor posture can make our pain worse. But it isn’t the cause.
This article will help computer users understand how muscle tension is the cause of chronic pain.
Poor Computer Posture: The Cause and Effect Relationship Between Muscle Tension and Chronic Pain
This article is not professional medical advice. It’s based off my personal experience and opinions. For years, my desk job health issues caused excessive muscle tension and chronic pain. Bad computer posture also decreased my mental clarity, energy level, and work productivity.
All the workplace ergonomic tips I write about are directly related to improving posture at a computer. We are our own primary caretakers. Do your research. Make good decisions. And be the best advocate possible for your own healthcare.
Poor Computer Posture
Sitting at a computer desk is not the enemy. Perfect posture can even cause pain if we stay in that position for long periods of time.
That’s what makes the relationship between computer posture and pain so complex. Even if we have perfect posture, we will eventually feel the effect of pain. A good way to avoid this is to switch back and forth from sit and stand workstations. For more ideas on how to avoid sitting at a computer all day and its effects, check out my article titled How Often Should You Stand Up from Your Desk.
Poor Ergonomics and Chronic Pain
Sitting at a computer desk is an endurance event each day. Some of the muscles in our body are working overtime. Other muscles are deactivated and hardly working at all. This is a classic description of desk job muscle tension.
Our bodies weren’t made to hold the exact same position for long periods of time. We are capable of it, but it comes with costs. The first cost is muscle tension. The second cost is chronic pain.
Repetitive strain and overuse injuries cause our muscles to get tighter and tighter. Muscles are attached to tendons. Those tendons are attached to bone, often at a joint like the knee or shoulder. Muscles are designed to accommodate a lot of blood flow. Tendons contain a lot less blood flow than muscles.
As muscles get tighter, they pull our tendons. Then, our tendons pull our bodies out of alignment and into bad posture. This is why joint pain is a common computer-related injury. But the problem didn’t actually start in the joint.
Take a look at the drawing of a shoulder (above).
The muscles are depicted as red because they have more blood flow than tendons (which are depicted as white). Tight muscles cause overextension of the tendons. These tendons get inflamed and painful at the joint. People often make the mistake of treating the joint because it hurts. Compared to treating the tight muscle, which is actually the cause of the pain.
As Ida Rolf used to say, “The issue is in the tissues.” Meaning that desk job muscle tension is the cause of the pain. And the muscle is what we need to focus on healing.
When a muscle gets tight, its tendons typically get painful and inflamed quickly. The muscle might be sore, but this is normally temporary because muscles have more blood flow. And blood circulation decreases inflammation. Our tendons get a lot less blood flow than our muscles do. That’s why we are much more likely to feel pain in the tendons, before we feel it in the muscles.
Preventing Chronic Pain from Desk Work
Here are some of my favorite ways how to prevent muscle pain from computer use.
Can Chiropractic Care Improve Your Computer Posture?
Luckily, I’ve found a great chiropractor in my area that’s been helping me for years. She does adjustments like any chiropractor, but she also does soft tissue release work. I go to her once a week, regardless if I’m feeling any pain or not. To learn more about my experience, as well as what I look for in a chiropractor, check out my article titled Can Chiropractic Care Improve Your Computer Posture?
Top Recovery Tools for Better Posture
As far as decreasing tension and healing my muscles at home, I like to use multiple different tools. These include my Hypervolt Massage Gun, my Normatec Compression Sleeves, and my Eight Sleep mattress cover (that is temperature-controlled). To learn about these products and how they’ve helped me with computer posture and pain relief, read my article titled Top Recovery Tools for Better Posture.
How to Cold Plunge for Beginners
I started cold plunging in January 2023. I’ve gotten a number of health benefits from it. My cold plunge routine has helped improve my blood flow. When I have improved blood flow, my muscle pain is decreased. My muscle recovery is quicker. It’s also helped improve my nervous system regulation. Focusing on breathing slowly and deeply, while in the cold plunge, has helped me relax more in general.
Don’t get me wrong. The cold water is rough. But as soon as I get out and dry off, I feel a huge improvement every time. It’s one of my favorite home remedies for reducing pain and muscle tension.
Cold plunging also doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. I wrote an article about my basic cold plunge process. To see how easy cold plunging can be, read my article titled How to Cold Plunge for Beginners.
Ergonomic Office Setup for Pain Relief
Correct computer posture will greatly decrease the risk of muscle tension and chronic pain. I’ve created a free ebook that talks about the 3 most painful computer posture mistakes I used to make. The ways to fix these mistakes include correct eye level, elbow height, and foot positioning at a computer. My ebook tells you how to fix these ergonomic variables in relation to your desk level and monitor screen.
All the computer use and muscle strain relief tips in this ebook apply, regardless if you’re sitting at a computer or using a standing workstation. My ebook is titled 3 Ways to Improve Computer Posture Immediately! You can download it for free here.
How to Sit Properly at a Desk
Proper sitting posture doesn’t need to be complicated. I focus on a few important joint positions, then adjust my workstation around my body.
1. Raise Your Chair to the Correct Height
I adjust my chair height until my elbows are slightly higher than my keyboard, mouse, and work surface. I never want my elbows below desk level. That would force my biceps to stay activated just to lift my hands onto the desk.
This chair position should also place my hips slightly higher than my knees. At the bare minimum, I keep my hips even with my knees instead of letting them drop below knee level.
Learn more: Best Chair Height for Computer Work
2. Keep Your Feet Flat
My feet stay flat on the floor whenever I sit at a desk. I don’t rest on my toes, cross my legs, or pull my feet underneath my chair.
If the correct chair height lifts my feet off the floor, I use a footrest. This lets me maintain the correct elbow position without sacrificing my foot position.
Learn more: How to Position Your Feet When Sitting at a Computer
3. Keep Your Elbows, Hips, and Knees Near a 90 Degree Angle
My three most important sitting joints are my elbows, hips, and knees. I keep each joint at a 90 degree angle or slightly more open.
I especially prefer my hips and elbows to be slightly higher than 90 degrees. This helps me avoid excessive muscle activation in my biceps and hip flexors.
4. Sit With an Upright, Neutral Torso
Proper posture does not mean forcing myself to sit up as straight as possible. Sitting too straight can flatten the natural curves in my spine and cause just as much discomfort as slouching.
Instead, I keep my torso upright and my spine neutral, with its natural curves intact. This position is right in the middle of slouching forward and overcorrecting backward.
Learn more: Computer Posture: Why “Sit Up Straight” Is Bad Advice
5. Support Your Lower Back
I sit far enough back in my chair for the backrest to support me. If the chair doesn’t provide enough lumbar support, I add a separate cushion or lumbar roll.
Not everyone will need the same amount of support. I use enough to preserve the natural curve in my lower back without pushing my torso excessively forward.
Learn more: What Does Lumbar Support Do?
6. Keep Your Keyboard and Mouse Close
I place my keyboard and mouse near the edge of the desk and within a comfortable arm’s reach. This lets me keep my elbows close to my torso.
When these devices are too far away, I have to reach forward. My shoulders round, my chest compresses, and my torso naturally starts to slouch.
7. Place the Top of Your Monitor at Eye Level
Whether I’m using a laptop or desktop computer, I place the top of the monitor screen near eye level. I also keep the screen approximately 18 to 24 inches from my face.
A screen that is too low encourages forward head posture. This used to cause chronic neck tension, headaches, and pain for me.
Learn more: My Ergonomic Workstation Promotes Good Sitting Posture
8. Change Positions Throughout the Day
Even perfect sitting posture can cause repetitive strain when I hold it for too long. Our bodies were designed to move, not remain frozen in one position for eight hours.
I switch between sitting, standing, using a stool, and working in a slightly reclined position. I also take movement breaks and perform standing stretches throughout the day.
How Long Does It Take to Fix Posture?
I can move my body into a better posture within a few minutes. The harder part is developing enough strength, mobility, and body awareness to maintain that position consistently.
Based on my personal experience, I started noticing better posture awareness and slight alignment changes within 2 to 4 weeks. After approximately 4 to 8 weeks, my posture started feeling more natural and I experienced less discomfort.
After 2 to 3 months, my muscles felt stronger and my healthier posture habits became easier to maintain. The most noticeable, sustainable changes happened after approximately 3 to 6 months.
However, everyone’s timeline will be different. It depends on how long the poor posture has existed, the condition of the muscles and joints, the workstation setup, physical activity, and how consistently healthier habits are practiced.
There is also a difference between reversible posture problems caused by soft tissues and structural changes involving the spine. My timeline applies to my personal experience correcting muscle tension, imbalances, workstation problems, and unhealthy movement habits.
Posture correction is still an ongoing process for me. I don’t view it as something I fix once and never think about again. I maintain it through body awareness, ergonomic adjustments, movement, stretching, and strengthening.
For my complete timeline, read: How Long Does It Take to Fix Bad Posture?
How to Make a Computer Table More Ergonomic
I want my computer table to be an asset that naturally promotes good posture—not a liability that forces my body into painful positions.
1. Position the Work Surface Slightly Below Elbow Level
When sitting with an upright torso, I want my elbows slightly higher than the desk. My personal preference is approximately two inches above the work surface.
If the desk is too high, I raise my chair. If that lifts my feet off the floor, I add a footrest.
2. Use a Height-Adjustable Desk
A height-adjustable desk makes it easier for me to switch between sitting and standing. It also lets me adjust the table around my body instead of forcing my body to adapt to a fixed table.
When I stand, the same basic rules apply: my elbows remain slightly higher than the desk, the top of the screen stays near eye level, and my keyboard remains within a comfortable reach.
3. Raise the Monitor to Eye Level
I use a monitor stand or adjustable monitor arm to bring the top of the screen to eye level. This helps keep my neck in a more balanced position.
When using a laptop for long periods, I connect it to an external monitor. Another option is placing the laptop on a stand and using an external keyboard and mouse.
Learn more: Proper Computer Ergonomics That Avoid Posture Problems
4. Use a Flat Keyboard and Mouse
I prefer a flat, low-profile keyboard and mouse. Tall, bulky devices forced my wrists into extension and contributed to severe wrist pain.
My wrists stay straight, neutral, and supported lightly by the desk. They aren’t bent upward or angled excessively to either side.
Learn more: Ergonomic Modifications for Carpal Tunnel
5. Bring Everything Within a Comfortable Reach
I keep my most frequently used devices close to the front of the table. I shouldn’t have to straighten my arms, round my shoulders, or lean forward to reach them.
This includes my keyboard, mouse, phone, writing materials, and anything else I use repeatedly throughout the workday.
6. Add a Footrest When Necessary
A footrest helps when the desk forces me to raise my chair higher than my feet can comfortably accommodate.
Instead of lowering my chair and placing my elbows below the table, I keep the correct chair position and support both feet on the footrest.
7. Create Enough Space Under the Table
I remove storage boxes, computer equipment, and other objects that prevent me from placing my legs comfortably underneath the table.
I need enough space to keep my feet flat, my knees near a 90-degree angle, and my hips balanced. And I also want enough room to change my leg position without twisting my torso.
8. Make Position Changes Easy
An ergonomic computer table should make movement easier. I keep enough open space around my workstation to stand, walk, stretch, or change chairs without turning it into a major production.
The easier it is to change positions, the more likely I am to do it consistently.
For more workstation ideas, read: 13 Ergonomic Desk Setup Tips to Fix Bad Computer Posture
THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN COMPUTER POSTURE.
If you’ve read this far, congratulations! You’re taking valuable steps to reduce computer-related injuries by improving your posture. That’s something to be very proud of!
If you liked this article on poor computer posture, check out my free ebook titled 3 Ways to Improve Computer Posture Immediately!
>>> Click here to download your free copy
This ebook is a great supplement to the article you just read. In this ebook, you’ll learn 3 of the most painful, poor computer posture mistakes. Then, you’ll learn how to fix those mistakes immediately with 3 simple changes to your ergonomic computer desk setup.
Go to SittingPosture.com/ebook to learn more.
Take care,
Todd Bowen