Thanks to improved remote working technology and 24/7 connectivity, employee demand for flexibility, and cost-savings opportunities, 60 percent of companies offer to telecommute, working remotely from home on an occasional or regular basis, according to the latest benefits survey from the Society for Human Resource Management. American employees are taking advantage.
Two decades ago, only 20 percent of companies offered it. A 2016 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that more employees are working from home than ever before.
In a Gallup poll released earlier this year, 43 percent of Americans said they spent at least some time working remotely. Combine this with the increase of entrepreneurs and people that run an online business out of their home; it seems this trend will only continue to grow.
Working from the comforts of your home is not always best for your joints and muscles. While some who work from home have a separate home office with a desk, desktop computer, and comfortable chair, many do not. A more typical setup up is the person slouched over a laptop on their couch or at the kitchen table. Some people even use their laptop while lying in bed. Improper laptop use can lead to various musculoskeletal issues.
The most important tip when working from home is to have a designated workstation with a comfortable office chair. While this would preferably be a height adjustable desk, not everyone has space or budget to have a freestanding desk in their home. If that is the case, then set up your workstation on a stable flat surface such as a kitchen/dining table or a countertop.
Your chair should be adjustable so you can get the proper body positioning and height when sitting, especially if you’re using a surface that is not height adjustable.
If you have a desktop computer at home, the top of the monitor screen should be at eye level. It should be placed at least 20 inches from your eyes or about arms length away. If you have armrests on you chair it will help decrease neck and upper back strain. You arms should be close to your body and elbows bent at a 90 degree angle. Your wrist should be in line with your forearms when typing and the mouse should be close by the keyboard. If you have to reach for the keyboard or mouse it increases strain.
Fewer people have desktop computers outside of their office as laptop computers have become more popular for their portability. Unfortunately, certain ergonomic features are compromised for the sake of portability. Keyboard spacing, screen size and positioning, and mouse touch pads are all poorly designed when it comes to laptop computers. Furthermore, it is nearly impossible to have good posture when using a keyboard fixed to the laptop.
With laptops the keyboard and monitor are attached to each other, so you can not have the keyboard at the proper height for your arms and have the screen at the proper height for your eyes at the same time.
If you have to look down at the screen all day it can lead to neck, upper back, and shoulder pain and produce a rounded hunched posture. Remember, the screen should be at a level that your eyes are in line with the top portion of the monitor while maintaining proper posture. As laptops tend towards smaller and smaller devices, the keyboard gets smaller and is not ideal for typing, and can place strain on the hands, wrists, and forearms.
If you put the laptop in a position where the screen is at a proper height it then forces you to reach for the keyboard to type. This again causes the rounded sitting posture and puts excessive stress on the shoulders, upper body and neck.
Despite the poor ergonomics inherent to laptops, there are certain steps you can take to improve your ergonomics when using a laptop.
- You can get an inexpensive full sized wireless keyboard and mouse for your laptop.
- Place a stand underneath the laptop so that the screen is at the optimal height that aligns with your eyes.
- There are affordable stand up desk converters that you can place on top of your desk or table to make it into a standing desk. This is perfect for laptop users as you can easily go from seated to standing.
- Take a break every hour. Get up and move around.
Creating a better ergonomic home environment is easy if you follow the steps we have outlined above. Doing so will help improve productivity and the quality of your work, but will also help prevent stress and injury.
Sean Flynn, DC
Sioux City, IA Chiropractor
Resources
- The Desk Jockey Manifesto
- The Chiropractic Success Academy
- http://www.goldtouch.com/setting-up-home-office-ergonomics/
- http://batchbook.com/blog/10-ergonomic-tips-for-setting-up-your-home-workstation/
- http://blogs.ergotron.com/blog/2010/10/06/the-secret-life-of-work-from-home-ergonomics/
- https://www.thoughtco.com/set-up-laptop-as-a-desktop-1206662
- http://www.dehs.umn.edu/ergo_office_laptop.htm
- https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/us/remote-workers-work-from-home.html
- https://www.fastcompany.com/3061567/more-people-work-from-home-now-than-ever-before
- https://www.marketplace.org/2016/07/21/business/working-home
- http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2496597,00.asp