Ergonomics question

September 10, 2009 7:28 PM

Help me to achieve a pain-free workstation. I seem to be an ergonomic freak. After my job's ergo chief and her boss have measured me, changed my chair, and lowered my desk, I still have such neck and shoulder pain after an hour at the desk that my productivity is severely compromised. For hours after, I'm in pain.

I bop around to different workstations in different companies - at all of which I work at desktops - and in several years only one has correctly assessed and situated me well (which indicates to me that it is possible to be comfortable). Her lodestar for ergonomics was a Cornell webpage, which isn't serving me well at my current station. I've changed chairs; I'm looking at OSHA's page; I'm doing everything that's correct, but I'm in pain. Today I went to a chiropractor and am considering paying (through the nose, as my COBRA insurance doesn't support it) for acupuncture.

My questions:
1. What is the most effective ergonomic guideline you've used? Particularly if you're an outlier such as I seem to be;

2. I often work as a temp. How frustrated could my current employers be with my inability to be comfortable at a desk that seems to work for most employees? As much as a pain-free existence is important to me, a job-free existence is much more bleak. I don't want to call much attention to myself here.

3. Does Aleve, which was recommended to me by the current temp employer's nurse, actually work for this kind of pain?

4. What should one do after the ergo people haven't helped, and after the chiropractor experience?

I've looked at previous ergonomic questions and have noted some of the gadgets people have recommended, but most of those seemed to be for those who work at home, or have to do with the keyboard. Since I've worked well with a standard keyboard, I'm wondering what else could be the problem.

Thank you for any help.

posted by goofyfoot to Work & Money (13 answers total)

Have you tried stretching occasionally throughout the day? Here are some official recommended stretches.
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 7:34 PM on September 10, 2009

Maybe a foot rest for your feet? In my experience, Aleve does actually work for this kind of pain.

My wrists, particularly my right one, is damaged from repetitive stress. Perhaps your pain is coming from damage already done, in which case you should see an occupational therapist. When my wrists do act up, I wear a brace to bed, which is more effective for me than trying to type with it.
posted by motsque at 7:57 PM on September 10, 2009

I used to have horrific problems when I worked in a corporate office, with back and neck pain. It turned out that the problem wasn't the desk, or me, it was the stupid chairs. I bought a memory foam butt cushion, and was nearly instantly better.
posted by strixus at 7:58 PM on September 10, 2009

My profession requires hours in front a computer, every day. A few tips that have worked for me include:

1. - Keep your eye level aligned (adjustable chair) near the top of the LCD/monitor you are looking at. This alignment requires a neutral head position, using your eyes to see the screen instead of craning your neck.
- Keep your feet up off the ground. Either with a special foot ramp or an old computer tower case.
- For your mousing hand, keep the forearm and elbow on the desk. On my work desk, my mouse ends up next to the monitor on the desk.
- Keep your arms at a relaxed 90 degree angle. For me this requires a height adjustable chair and low desk.
- Relax the shoulders, usually my neck and trapezium muscles are clenched for hours before I notice that my stress is manifesting up the back of my neck.

4. Stretch, walk more, relax, maybe a shot of whiskey after work.
posted by limited slip at 8:00 PM on September 10, 2009

Your spine should be fairly straight and upright, with your shoulders back, including your neck being straight and your wrists straight too. Think ballerina. Are you this way. Likely not. I recommend that you set up a camera to take pictures of you every now and then showing your posture. This can be a video cam or a regular camera that takes a picture every few minutes. Get the data. You probably slouch, bend wrist, slump shoulders. You are not alone. Concentration on posture matters. A good chair can help. A foot rest can help. Etc. If you can swing it, get the option to stand for part of your day. A stand up desk is the absolute best thing for any postural related issues.
posted by caddis at 8:09 PM on September 10, 2009

Don't just focus on your desk, focus on what you're doing when you're not at the desk. Do you exercise? Are you getting enough? What about weight bearing exercises and stretches that will strengthen the muscles in your back, and loosen up those no-doubt tight hip flexors and ham strings?

Don't underestimate what a difference this can make.
posted by smoke at 8:27 PM on September 10, 2009

I had another thought! When you say "shoulder pain" do you mean pain up by your neck, or more like pain in your arms where they meet your shoulder? A few years back, I had trouble with arm pain that radiated all the way up to my shoulder that was cured by switching to an ergonomic keyboard at work. It's weird at first, but it keeps your arms in a more neutral position. You could be using your shoulder muscles to hold your arms at an angle that makes a standard keyboard less stressful for your wrists.

I'll also second limited slip's comment about relaxing the shoulders. If you're a person who tends to hold stress there, you may be tensing up those muscles subconsciously while you're engrossed in your work.
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 8:34 PM on September 10, 2009

Response by poster: Thank you all. I've already incorporated some of these suggestions, but more, please.
posted by goofyfoot at 9:52 PM on September 10, 2009

Where is your pain, and do you have an oddly proportioned body?

If you're an outlier, we need to know why - where the pain is would especially help.


But - tip.
Try rubbing with opposite hand on each side, or get someone else to rub, the top pectoral muscle connecting with the shoulder, right along. If this is painful - that's a good clue. Rub it between gentle and firm ('good' pain, not ow pain), until it's relaxed and doesn't hurt anymore - this is a surprisingly quick drop-off.
So, if it was sore, pay an awful lot of attention to making sure you're not holding your forearms 'up' to type, elbows are at roughly 90degrees and that you can relax them.
Having the forearms up, causes the pecs to cramp up.
The pecs cramping up pulls your shoulders forward.
Your shoulders forward causes the upper back to bend over to compensate and causes upperback pain.
The bent upper back causes the lower back to either bend in or out, causing further lower back pain.

See the crazy chain of events?
That seems to be how your body works, so, be really aware of any part of your body you are having to hold tense while working. Tense is bad.

(I'm not a physio etc, I just like giving people massages/backrubs - apparently I'm pretty damn good).


Also, use workrave or something similar to remind you to take a stretch break, and remind you to notice if there is any part of your body you are holding tense.
posted by Elysum at 10:45 PM on September 10, 2009

Instead of the chiropractor or acupuncturist, it might not hurt to visit a doctor and get checked out. I have a lot of trouble getting comfortable sitting for long and get very stiff and sore no matter what unless I change positions, stretch, and walk around. This is due to an inflammatory arthritis. Aleve (Naproxen) definitely helps with my pain, by decreasing inflammation.

I'm not saying OMG there's something horribly wrong with you, but I am saying that if you're having this much trouble it might be worth checking with a doctor to make sure there's not something bad going on and maybe getting a referral for physical therapy to look for and correct any mechanical problems. It could be as simple as bad posture or a slight asymmetry in your body that's being exacerbated by sitting all day.
posted by hydropsyche at 4:30 AM on September 11, 2009

Neck and shoulder pain could be caused more by simply holding yourself tense rather than in any position per se. Do you hold your breath while you work?

Perhaps yoga and some breathing exercises would help.

(I highly doubt that acupuncture is the way to go, by the way.)
posted by callmejay at 10:16 AM on September 11, 2009

I've had various ergonomic problems through the years. My wrists were relatively easy to deal with, but slow to resolve. I do nor yet have a good handle on my current shoulder problems.

But here is what I've learned so far.

Take frequent breaks. I also use workrave. Get something like that. If you can't install software, buy a watch with a countdown timer. Take 30 second breaks every 5 minutes and 5 minute breaks every 20 to 30 minutes. It might seem like a lot, but if you don't have your health, eventually you won't be able to work at all. This sort of problem becomes that serious for many people.

In terms of positioning yourself at your desk, you probably do not have much flexibility with your workstation setup if you are a temp. How long are your assignments usually? You may need to put some gear into a suitcase and take it with you to each assignment.

Try a footrest, as mentioned above; they are cheap. Also, try a different kind of mouse. I use a Logitech trackball. Perhaps a different keyboard. I just got the Kinesis Countour, which was expensive and is tough to type on, but seems to help me. A cheaper alternative that might work for you is the MS Natural Elite.

Reams of paper are your friend. They are a cheap way to raise a computer monitor, keyboard, or mouse. Your feet should be either flat on the floor or on a footrest. From there, there will be a proper height for your chair so that your legs are supported evenly.

If your desk height is fixed, as most are, then you have to adjust your chair to the right height and then use a footrest or not to get your feet situated correctly.

I would agree with the monitor height suggestion above.

I need to use something to raise the height of my trackball because my keyboard is taller than usual b/c of the countour.

If you ever need to use a laptop, use it with an external keyboard and mouse. Use reams of paper to lift it's screen to the proper height.

Again, it's your health, which is most important. And also, I would stay away from chiropracters. Go to a real doctor and perhaps a physical therapist. Accupuncture and massage may also help. I also use Salonpas menthol patches.

Good luck.
posted by reddot at 7:52 PM on September 11, 2009

Maybe you need glasses or a new prescription -- when I'm overdue for a new prescription I get neck/shoulder pain from unconsciously leaning forward to see the computer screen better.
posted by Jacqueline at 4:16 AM on September 12, 2009