Has Your Computer Become A Pain In The Neck?

Has Your Computer Become A Pain In The Neck?

These days many of us spend hours sitting in front of our computers. For some it’s our work station, and for others it’s a play station. Like it or not, the computer has become the new information and recreation hub of the home.

Anytime you confine your body to a position for a prolonged period of time, it’s bound to get cranky sooner or later. One of the most common complaints of my computer-using patients is that of a sore neck, which, given time, also begins to take up real estate in their shoulder blade area as well.

In order to avoid this computer-generated pain-in-the-neck you must do a “body check” to assure the best possible alignment for your spine—if you plan on continuing to sit there in front of your monitor for hours on end!

• First, your monitor should be at eye level to prevent your head/neck from having to tip up down. If your computer screen is a fixed height, add a book under its base to raise it up, or lower your chair if you find you are looking down too much. Scroll down regularly to keep the words you are typing or reading directly in line with your eyes.
• Next, don’t crane your head and neck forward in order to bring the words into better focus. Instead, slide the monitor towards you. This will allow your head to remain stacked over your shoulders—where you neck is the happiest!
• Finally, make sure your arms are supported as you type and mouse. This can be done by using a chair with arm rests, moving the keyboard and/or mouse down onto the pull out shelf in your computer desk, or by resting your forearms on the edge of your desk as you use the keyboard.

Using ergonomic “fixes” such as these will help protect the joints, muscles and discs in your neck so your computer time can once again become a friend instead of a foe!