Ergonomics Expert Explains How to Set Up Your Desk | Pro Tip

Here's your desk. Your chair. Monitor. Keyboard. Mouse. Phone. A plant? Sure. Problem is, your desk isn't really built for you. It's for anyone. Spending eight hours a day reaching, slouching, or craning can lead to pain. At least, that's what John Sinkay from the Hospital for Special Surgery says. I do say that. Every day. So, he's here to… well, he can tell you. I'm here to show you how to set up your desk ergonomically so you can avoid pain later on in life. Step one, adjust your chair. The average desk height is 29 to 30 inches tall. For some, this could be too tall or too short. That's where your chair comes in. The first thing you want to do is adjust the height. When you do, make sure your elbows are bent to 90 degrees. So, if a person's feet are not touching the floor, this could become an issue, so we're going to give her a footstool. If you don't have access to a footrest, we recommend using a ream of paper. Step two is adjust your monitor. The tip is to have the monitor close enough about arm's length so you're able to read without having to strain your eyes or to bend forward and adjust your posture. So, what you want to do is raise the monitor up until the top of the screen is eye level. If your monitor is not adjustable in height, use your reams of paper. Much better. If you work from two monitors, consider how you use them. If you have a primary monitor, you want that directly in front of you. If you use both monitors equally, you want them lined up so you are in the middle of the two. For a laptop, you want to use a kickstand to raise the screen up to the proper height. Then, you can attach an external keyboard and mouse to it. Step number three is to mind your mouse and your keyboard. Where your hands end up is where your keyboard should be. Your mouse should end up right next to your keyboard. You want to move from your elbow instead of your shoulder to prevent overuse or strain or pain. The key is not to reach for your tools. Step four is to position your phone. You want to put the phone on your non-writing side so you don't have to cradle it to your shoulder. This could eventually lead to neck pain. If you're on the phone a good portion of your day, you want to consider using a headset. That way your hands are free to write down anything or to type on the computer. Step five, move. After 10-15 minutes, we all begin to slouch in our chairs. So here are some basic exercises you can do while sitting in your chair. The first exercise is a chin tuck. The second exercise is for your upper traps. You're going to do a basic stretch where you bend your head to one side and then gently pull for a little more oomph. The third exercise is called a scapular retraction. You basically are going to squeeze your shoulders back. The fourth exercise is for your lower back. This is what we call a pelvic tilt. The most important thing you want to do is get up out of your chair every hour. Get up and walk. Get something to eat. Get something to drink. Just get up. John? John, are we done? Yeah, we're good. Great.