How to Create a Pain-free Work Space

By Lisa Lombardi

Is sitting at your desk making you feel like you're 100 years old? If you're anything like Anna Wahrman, a 30-year-old magazine editor in New York City, work can literally be a pain in the neck. "It seems like every day, I leave work with a headache," she says. "My neck and shoulders are constantly strained." She is not alone: 34% of all lost-workday injury and illnesses are caused by repetitive injuries  -- which include Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, tendonitis and lower back pain -- according the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Luckily, there are easy ways to ease your eye, back and neck pains. Ergonomics expert Erik Peper, PhD, professor and co-director of The Institute for Holistic Healing Studies Department of Health Education at San Francisco State University, offers the following tips to stop your workstation from giving you any undue stress.

Adjust your desk height
"Reaching up too high to your keyboard and mouse contributes to neck, shoulder and arm tension," says Peper. When you sit at your desk and type, your arms should form a 90 to 110 degree angle. If you need to flex your wrists up to meet your keyboard, raise your chair height, or sit on a pillow. Just be sure that your feet aren't left dangling. "Buy or create a footrest so that your feet can rest on that surface," Peper says.
 
Get wired
If you need to type or look up information while talking on the phone, a headset is a must. Cradling a phone between your shoulder and chin can put a serious crimp in your neck. "This asymmetrical position causes excessive muscle contractions and reduces blood flow to the muscles," explains Peper. But if wearing a headset makes you feel like a telemarketer, there's another option: Hold the phone with one hand, and switch sides from time to time. "Avoid attachable phone rests that claim to make tucking more comfortable," he cautions. "They do not significantly reduce neck and shoulder tension."

"Wearing a headset saved my life," says Brian Hiriuchi, a photo editor in Los Angeles. "I'm always flipping through files while on the phone. The headset lets me concentrate on who I am talking to, rather than worrying about the cramp developing in my neck."

Blink more
If staring at your computer all day long leaves your eyes burning or your vision blurry, the solution could be as simple as remembering to, well, blink. "Our blinking rate decreases approximately 70% when we focus on the screen as compared to when we relax," says Peper. "Try to remember to blink the end of every paragraph to keep your eyes properly moisturized." It also helps to give your eyes a break from the screen every hour or so.
 
Get up
Believe it or not, you can be straining your muscles by just sitting there. "Sitting immobilized for extended time periods often deactivates our back muscles," which leads to bad posture, says Peper. Sitting in a slumped position creates tension in your shoulders and can overstretch your spinal ligaments, causing strain on the discs. Frequent standing and stretching is key to keeping your body loose and aligned. Peper suggests routinely doing shoulder rolls at your desk: Sit or stand comfortably erect. Slowly roll your shoulders forward in large circles three or four times. Then reverse direction. Simple -- but it works wonders.

Sure, making these tweaks to your daily routine will require a little thought and effort, but you'll feel so good afterwards, it will be more than worth it!

Lisa Lombardi is an editor, writer, and mom in New York City.

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