I work with a lot of clients who spend long hours in front of their computers. Sometimes they think it’s absurd that they have so much tension from just sitting in front of a computer all day. The fact of the matter is that spending long periods of time in front of the computer can be very taxing on the body, especially the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and low back.
In addition to stretching, staying hydrated, and taking breaks from the computer throughout the day, one of the best ways to keep muscles loose is to make sure your workspace is set up ergonomically.
If your company has an ergonomics department, take advantage of this invaluable resource! An ergonomics specialist looks at the way you work at your current workstation and makes changes to ensure you’re working in the most efficient way for your muscles. Common changes made are raising the height of the monitor to be at or just below eye level, adjusting the keyboard so your wrists and hands are in-line with your forearms, and adding a lumbar support cushion for the low back.
For those of you who don’t have access to an ergonomics specialist, lots of helpful information can be found online. I like the guidelines provided by OSHA at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/index.html. OSHA provides a great diagram of how your workspace should look as well as a really useful checklist for setting up your workspace on your own. For example, if you answer “No” to “Head and neck are upright and in-line with torso (not bent down/back)”, OSHA tells you to check the height of your monitor, chair, and/or keyboard. Going through this checklist and referring to the diagram allows you to find a more comfortable and efficient way of working that will lessen your chances of accumulating work-related muscle tension.