7 Physio Tips for Keeping Injury-Free While Working from Home

Some of us are lucky enough to have lumbar supports built into the chair. If not, they are very affordable online and are totally worth it.
The Lumbar support reduces the amount of lumbar flexion (rounding your lower back), which in turn reduces the amount of thoracic flexion (rounding of the upper back and neck).

Avoid rounding your shoulders and neck too much by keeping your screen at eye level. Even the smallest changes in the angles of your head can have a big influence on the muscles in your neck and back.
If you are using a laptop, there are nifty little laptop stands, which are totally worth investing in!

If you have multiple screens try and stack them on top of each other, or move them both more centrally. If you have more than two screens, make sure you arrange the screens in order of frequent use.

Seems obvious, but just standing up and walking a few yards will help move some fresh blood around and engage some muscles otherwise not being used.
When we are sat down, we have bent knees, closed hips, disengaged core and glutes, plus a rounding of the back. Sounds pretty miserable! So charge your phone at the opposite side of the room, or have regular tea and water breaks. A mid-afternoon dance around the ‘home office’ is also strongly advised.

Keep it simple! Here are some great desk stretch ideas:

• Gently rotate your shoulders in circles
• Reach up over your head and lean side to side
• Gently stretch your neck from side to side (think ear to shoulder)
• Reach behind your chair to stretch your chest

It is not actually the sitting specifically that causes the pain, as people with standing desks will also complain of pain. Instead, it is the static posture of doing just one or the other. Our bodies are designed to be flexible, strong and agile. So it’s no wonder that after sitting down for 8+ hours per day, our body begins to winge and moan.