Posture Tips
Ergonomics for sitting, standing, and even working from the couch!
With the shift to working from home, and the massive increase in screen time, Dr. Jillian thought it would be helpful to share some of her favorite posture tips. These are great for working at your home desk set up - whether that may be your kitchen table, your couch, or your dresser - and can be used while unwinding at the end of the day watching TV or browsing social media.
Key points:
1- Assume a mid range position (vertical) to eliminate tissue tension.
Find a position where you feel balance. You should be able to maintain this happy place even when your muscles are completely relaxed.
2- Support and unload the weight of various body parts when in a vertical position.
Use pillows, towels, blankets - be creative!
IMPORTANT - supports should NOT push you out of your balance alignment.
Instead of rounding forward to reach your keys, try using these options ⤵️⤴️
Sitting at desk/kitchen table:
- sit all the way back in happy place
- adjust seat height to rest feet on floor/box
- place pillow/towel behind tailbone/low back
- adjust monitor height to get as close to 10 deg below eye level if possible with boxes/books
- support forearms with pillows to keep elbows higher than wrists to eliminate tension on neck
Recliner Position:
- Find happy place in sitting and then recline from hips without shifting out of balanced position
- Don't let your legs hang. Pillows under thighs/knees helps to eliminate tension off your hip flexors ultimately decreasing stress on your low back
- place pillow/towel behind tailbone/low back so you don't sink into the couch
- place lap top on top of a pillow or blanket
- support under elbows/arms with pillows to decrease tension on neck
- scrunch up a blanket behind/around your neck
Instead of this, try the posture below ⤵️
Standing Position:
- think about your body as building blocks and align your top half of your trunk over the lower half = Happy place
** think about the angles of these two blocks to be as vertical as possible**
- With feet side by side maintain equal weight through each leg
- knees relaxed (slightly bent)
- hip should be relaxed if have proper trunk alignment
- raise lap top with boxes/books while tilting the screen backward to prevent excessive downward gazing
- place pillow or blanket under elbows to support arms and decrease stress on neck
Test out these positions and let us know how it goes!
Follow along on Instagram for more work from home tips & workouts!
Questions or concerns?
DrProniewych@HouseofPhysicalTherapy.comAuthor: Jillian Proniewych, PT, DPT