Key Takeaways

The Lower Back Needs Support: Place a small towel or cushion behind your back to support it and prevent slouching.
Look straight ahead: Raise your laptop so the top third is at eye level; this will help protect your neck.
The 90 Degree Rule: Your elbows, hips, and knees should all be at 90 Degree angles.
Exercise Improves Your Health: Every half an hour, get up and stretch, or if possible, walk a bit.
Medical review: If symptoms include tingling, numbness, or pain that worsens at night, consider discussing them with a doctor.

In my role as a General Practitioner, most of my time is spent with patients discussing their "numbers," that is, blood pressure, cholesterol, and iron levels. But a different "number" has been surprisingly frequent in my discussions with patients lately. It is eight. This refers to the number of hours (and more) that many of you spend at kitchen tables, on sofas, or at makeshift desks while working from home.

It is my term for the "WFH Wreck."

Clinic patients consistently report symptoms such as stiff necks, back pain on standing, and afternoon headaches. Home working, while offering tremendous flexibility, has come at the expense of our bodies due to poor setups. Instead of the daily commute, we now spend hours in barely changing postures, often sitting in chairs designed for dining, not for typing and paperwork.

The good news is that you don't need a corporate budget or a complete refurbishment to resolve this. All you need is a basic understanding of how the body works and a couple of clever tweaks to your behaviour and environment. Join us in learning practical ways to reduce discomfort and support healthier work habits.

What the Pain is all about: the "Bowling Ball" Theory

Common sense tells us that if the pain is to be relieved, it must first be understood.

The head weighs approximately 4.5 to 5 kilograms. Think about it. If a person's ears are aligned vertically over the shoulders, the neck muscles can carry the weight without becoming fatigued.

However, even a slight forward bend of the head to see a laptop screen more clearly, or sinking into a sofa, changes the scenario. The load on the neck muscles doubles with each inch the head is moved forward from the neutral position. When a person is bent over a notebook computer, the load on the neck is comparable to carrying 20-27 kg.

This explains why, at the end of the day, your shoulders feel as if heavy concrete blocks have been placed on them. Your muscles are so tired that they can no longer hold that 'bowling ball' for eight hours every day.

GP's Tip: Pain can sometimes be associated with prolonged static positions or repetitive strain. If you don't heed the pain signals, the minor problem can lead to chronic conditions such as tension headaches or sciatica.

Simple desk changes for better posture

It is not necessary to purchase a $1,000 chair to achieve comfort. The aim is to be in a "Neutral Posture", a state where the joints are relaxed and there is no muscular tension.

What I usually advise my patients in writing is the 90 90 90 Rule:

1. The Elbow Check

Be close to your desk, so your elbows don't have to extend far. The angle at the elbow joint should be 90 degrees, with the forearms comfortably resting along the body.

Repair: If the desk height is suitable for eating (as one would find at a kitchen table), it is so high that a person must hunch over to type. This results in neck tension. Place a cushion on the chair to raise the seat height so the elbows rest in a natural position.

2. The Hip & Knee Check

The angle at both the hip and knee should be about 90 degrees.

Repair: But when the floor supports your legs after raising the seating, your feet may be off the ground. Dangling feet is totally a big no-no. It does so by applying pressure to the backs of your thighs, restricting blood circulation. Use a footrest, a solid box, or even a stack of printer paper reams to support your feet flat on the ground.

3. The Lower Back Support

Kitchen chairs typically lack a backrest that contours to the natural "S" shape of the spine. Generally, the "S" shape is lost if a person sits in a slouched position.

Repair: Use a small towel or throw pillow to support your lumbar area. It should feel like friendly support and not pressure.

For more lifestyle tips on setting up your workspace, read our guide on Workplace Comfort.

The 'Laptop Trap' corrects the height of your screen.

This is the ultimate nemesis of office ergonomics. A laptop is designed to be carried around. Thus, it is not the sort of thing you would use day in, day out, for the whole 8 hours. As texting and screens are part of one unit, you are always in a predicament whether to keep the screen at eye level (which means your arms are in an uncomfortable position of reaching upwards) or to keep the keyboard at a comfortable level (and have your head looking down, putting a strain on your neck).

Without add-ons, it is not feasible to spend a full workday on a laptop.

The Golden Rule of Screens

You should be able to position the top third of your screen at eye level. Your gaze should be directed straight ahead, not downwards.

My GP Recommendation for Laptop Users:

Place your laptop on a stand, a book, or a cardboard box so the camera is at the same height as your eyes.
Getting equipped: Use an external keyboard and mouse on the desk surface (they can be relatively cheap).

With this simple arrangement, the "hunch" is eliminated immediately. For more detailed admin tips on equipment, check our Screen Position resource.

The vital role of breaks: movement is like lotion to the joints

I often tell my patients that the best posture is a change of posture.

Even with an ideal ergonomic arrangement, remember that the human body is not made to remain static. If a person remains in one position for an extended period, not only does blood flow decrease, but the muscles also stiffen.

The 30-minute Routine

Set a phone timer to go off every 30 minutes. When it rings, you can continue doing your work, but you must take a movement break:

Use the opportunity to stand while taking the phone.
Go to the kitchen and drink some water (hydration is good for spinal discs!).
Stretch your body.

Breaks for Comfort are not "slacking off"; they are, in fact, excellent body maintenance that ensures you have the stamina to carry on working.

Exercises to alleviate neck and back pain

There is absolutely no need for a gym membership here. The following three "desk side" exercises are often my recommendation for relieving tension while working.

1. The Chin Tuck (For "Tech Neck")

Make sure you are sitting upright.
Without moving your level of sight, slowly bring the head backwards as if you were making a double chin. Do not look up or down.
Hold the position for 3 seconds, then let go. Repeat 5 times.
Why? It realigns the head and neck to the natural anatomical position.

2. The Seated Cat Cow (For Stiffness)

Sitting on the edge of your chair, place your hands on your knees.
Taking a deep breath, arch your back whilst looking up (Cow).
Contract your tummy and round your back as you breathe out, head down (Cat).
Slowly repeat 5 times.

3. The Doorway Stretch (For Slumped Shoulders)

A doorway is the place where it is situated. Place your forearms on the door frame at shoulder height.
Gently lean forward until you feel the stretch in your chest.
For 20 seconds, stay in the position.
Why? While typing, the chest muscles tighten, causing them to hunch forward.

More easy exercise movements are presented in our Quick Stretches guide.

Visit your doctor if:

Stiffness is a common complaint, but when is the right time to schedule an appointment with your doctor?

Doctors want to help, and more particularly, I want to help you if:

This pain is so persistent that after a weekend rest, the pain is still the same.
Paresthesia: You have tingling, pins and needles, or numbness in your limbs.
Sleep problems: The pain wakes you up.
Frequent headaches: You experience frequent headaches that originate at the base of the neck.

Telehealth made easy

You don't necessarily have to visit the clinic every time you are in pain. With telehealth and through a video consultation, the following is possible:

Movement assessment: The doctor may observe your movement via video during a general clinical discussion.
Workstation check: You may choose to show your workspace during a consultation to discuss general setup considerations.
Referrals: When necessary, a referral to a physiotherapist or an exercise physiologist for individualised care can be provided.
Medical Certificates: If back pain is affecting your ability to work, a doctor may assess your situation during a consultation and determine whether a medical certificate is appropriate

If your symptoms are ongoing or concerning, book an online consultation to discuss your situation with a doctor.

Feel safe and protected when you share your health matters.

It is challenging, even when it comes to musculoskeletal issues, to talk about our health problems, and I am aware of that. However, you can be assured that at Prime Medic, we treat patient confidentiality as sacrosanct. We have stringent privacy standards that are comparable to those of a face-to-face clinic and are compliant with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

To safeguard your rights and freedom of speech, your consultation records and personal information are encrypted and stored securely. You can feel confident sharing personal information during telemedicine visits. Click here to learn more about how we Protect Your Information.

References:

The WFH Wreck vital ergonomic fixes if you are suffering neck and back pain from working at the desk