Sitting in Your Office

The head should "float" comfortably above the spine, allowing free and independent motion of the head and neck without involving the shoulders. The top of a computer screen should be placed at about 10 degrees below "straight ahead," so that the back of the neck extends, curving slightly up and over. Ideally, the neck should be elongated and full, not compacted or tense. Place a picture behind the screen on the wall (or pick an object outside the window) so that you can look at each of the 4 corners and relax the eyes frequently. Staring for prolonged periods at the screen or any object at a fixed distance keeps the neck fixed and rigid. Standing up, walking or stretching every 15 minutes is recommended, as is the use of a headset telephone.

Ideally, your office chair and positioning should allow fluid, effortless pivoting motions — a gentle bending at the hip joint, as opposed to the dipping, spine-compressing torque that is common when reaching for a telephone, for example. Most seats throw the spine backward and off-center which makes fluid bending difficult and encourages the user to slump or overarch the back. It also cuts off blood circulation in the legs. A firm seat and flat, rigid seatback, like those provided by the TruComfort® system, encourage upright, natural positioning of the spine and allow you to develop your own natural lumbar curve.

Keep the upper and outer shoulder muscles relaxed so they drape down off the spine. Minimize the involvement of the deep rotator muscles in the shoulder by moving the whole arm when typing or writing. The elbow should move only slightly when controlling a mouse or writing tool. A computer keyboard or writing surface should be placed so that the wrist end of the forearm is about 5 degrees below parallel to the floor.

Rather than flat, straightened fingers, a curved, relaxed shape is recommended, with the majority of muscular work taking place on the underside of the hand. The pinkies especially should remain curved. Roll the forearm to move the whole hand small amounts, rather than lifting fingers or twisting them laterally to reach various keys. Visually check to see that muscles on the back of the hand and between thumb and forefinger are almost completely still. Every 5 to 15 minutes, drape the hands palms-down on the top of the legs, relaxing the fingers and the muscles on the back of the hands.

The feet should rest comfortably on the floor, soles flat, shoulder-width apart. Ideally, the seat cushion will be high enough so as to allow the thighs to angle slightly (about 5 degrees) down from the hips so that the knees are an inch or two lower than the hips