Category: uncategorized

Poor computer posture can lead to physical therapy.

But many physical therapists use complex, confusing words.

This article will talk about a couple of those words, explained simply.

How you can tell you’re using good computer posture while sitting at your desk:

→ Your elbow level is slightly above desk level.

(holding my elbow below desk level caused biceps overuse, which led to pain in the tendons that connect my biceps to my shoulders)

What does the term “sedentary” even mean?

Ergonomics can get complex.

Here are 2 terms that helped me understand it…

At 24 years old (2001), I was excited to graduate college.

I couldn’t wait to get an office job. A real career.

I thought sitting at a computer for a living would be amazing.

At 48 years old (now), I’ve learned sitting at a computer causes chronic pain.

The most stubborn injuries I’ve ever had.

The biggest lessons 24 years taught me (that you might need to hear too):

But not like you think.

You’re not competing with your cube mate.

In the sport of computer posture, you’re competing against yourself.

→ Your physical energy.
→ Your mental clarity.
→ Your work productivity.

It’s all currency.

The more valuable the currency, the more successful you’ll be.

→ You’ll have more sales at work.
→ You’ll have more energy for the gym.
→ You’ll have more peace away from your desk.

My number 1 computer posture tip:

→ Get elbow and desk height correct.

The reason? It’s the number 1 way to avoid slouching forward.

Because less slouching is very important.

Ergonomics can get complex.

Avoiding repetitive strain and overuse injuries can be a daunting task. 

But I’ve lived through it. I’ve done all the hard work and research.

I’ll lay out everything I’ve learned. 

All you have to do is show up with an open mind and consistent effort.

This article will go over some key terms that helped me understand ergonomics better.

Computer ergonomics can get complex. 😵‍💫

This article will talk about terms that helped me understand computer ergonomics better.

Good computer posture will always be a process for me.

Repetitive strain injuries been killing me lately.

Here’s how I went heavy on muscle recovery on August 6, 2025…

It took me 10 years to realize my mistake.

After sitting at a computer with poor posture for 10 years…

I finally understood that good posture is only part of the equation.

When it comes to fixing computer posture, whether it’s releasing muscle tension, decreasing chronic pain, or improving work productivity…

It all starts with intentional exercises that improve my stretching, strengthening, and movement.

Computer ergonomics can get complex. 😵‍💫

This article will talk about terms that helped me understand computer ergonomics better.

I was on the phone with a woman. (phone date)

She asked me what I was passionate about. I told her…

“I want to help office workers decrease their computer-related pain.”

I know that answer doesn’t seem typical. It can get dicey quick.

It’s always risky. She might find it a boring topic.

But she was interested in my answer. (phew)

→ Neutral spine: the natural, S-shaped alignment of your spine. It’s the foundation of healthy sitting and standing posture.

“Sit up straight” is not great advice. It’s not specific enough. It can lead to sitting up “too straight,” which flattens out the natural curves in the spine. This can cause similar damage as slouching forward.

When sitting (or standing) with good posture, a neutral spine maintains the natural curves.

→ Natural curves: The 3 major curves of the spine are found in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions.

Understanding what these curves look like is the first step. The second step is to have the body awareness to know when we’re holding these curves out of alignment.

Sitting 8 hours straight used to make me slouch forward at my computer.

Which caused pain, tension, and spinal disc degeneration in my back.

Swapping to a height-adjustable desk was an important move in my computer ergonomics routine.

It decreased my pain, boosted my mood, and sharpened my focus.

But it took practice to dial in the ergonomics.

I didn’t go from sitting all day, to standing all day.

Here’s the shortcut…

→ Repetitive strain injury: caused by repeated, or constant, muscle activation (such as typing or mousing). 

It can often be made worse by poor posture or workstation setup. 

Repetitive can mean constant muscle activation in my upper back (from slouching forward). 

Or, repetitive can mean clicking a mouse repeatedly hundreds of times a day.

→ Carpal tunnel syndrome: pain in the wrists that is commonly caused by repetitive strain and overuse. 

I used to have this pain because I held my wrists in an extended position for long periods of time.

Wrists should be straight and neutral when using a keyboard and mouse, not bent up or down.

My free eBook is titled, 3 Ways to Improve Computer Posture Immediately!

I made it as short as I could (11 pages). But sitting at a desk (8 hours a day) doesn’t leave much time for reading. So I wanted to shorten it even more.

3 Ways to Improve Computer Posture

In this article, I’m going to summarize my eBook in 8 sentences. Because poor posture can be understood quickly. And our workstations should be an asset that promote good posture as soon as we sit down (or stand up) in position.

Today’s early a.m. routine as a computer posture maniac 👨🏻‍💻

→ I got out of my temperature-controlled bed.

I kept it at 72° F all night, so I didn’t wake up with night sweats mid-sleep.

→ I kept on the mouth tape I used while sleeping.

This promotes nasal-breathing all night instead of mouth-breathing.

As a lifelong athlete, I often used to skip stretching after exercise.

Add that in with years of computer-related tension.

❌ I used to slouch forward at my desk, while typing constantly for 8 hours.

All while my shoulders were internally rotated and my upper back was locked into place.

All this caused excessive shoulder tension.

✅ The best fix I’ve found?