SittingPosture.com

Get to Know Me: From Athlete to Computer Posture Expert – How I Fixed My Office Pain

My name is Todd Bowen. I’m a lifelong athlete and exerciser.

In a previous life, I played basketball, baseball, and beach volleyball. 🏀 ⚾️ 🏐

These days, I stay active with a balance of weightlifting and hot yoga. 🏋️‍♂️ 🧘‍♂️

I’m also extremely passionate about muscle recovery. ❤️‍🩹

I have a degree in Information Technology. Ergonomics was my favorite topic. Probably because of my interest in athletics. 🤓

Todd Bowen, Author of *45 Ways to Improve Computer Posture*

In 2022, I stopped eating fast-food and seed oils completely.

In the first 3 months of eating clean, I lost 45 pounds! It was eye-opening! 😳

My all-around quality of life improved tremendously. Especially when it came to my computer posture.

Healthy Sleep Habits for Better Computer Posture

Our computer posture benefits directly from good sleep!

The earlier in the day we get tired, the quicker our computer posture suffers.

Healthy Sleep Habits for Better Computer Posture — Healthy sleep habits for better computer posture. Image by ChatGPT.

Ergonomics is the study of people’s efficiency in the workplace.

And computer ergonomics isn’t just about posture.

It’s about our sleep, hydration, breathing, and nutrition habits working together.

Creating a sleep-friendly environment sets me up for success the next day, before my head even hits the pillow at night!

My Most Controversial Sitting Posture Tip

Here’s my most controversial sitting posture tip:

👉 “Sit up straight” is bad advice.

Nobody talks about this. And it always surprises me.

Controversial Sitting Posture Tip — Sitting up too straight is a computer posture mistake I used to make. It caused repetitive strain injuries, as well as spinal disc degeneration. Image by ChatGPT.

Instead, I say:

👍 “Sit with an upright torso. While maintaining a neutral, balanced spine, with its natural curves intact.”

Computer Knee Pain: Why It Happens and How to Fix It

I first experienced knee pain back in 2011.

I stopped running and weightlifting for 6 months, but the pain persisted.

Why? ⁉️

Because I was still sitting at a computer with incorrect knee position for 8 hours daily! 😖

illustration of a person sitting down and showing the cause of Computer Knee Pain — Computer Knee Pain: Why It Happens and How to Fix It. Image by Burlesck via Megapixl.

This article will talk about what exactly caused my computer knee pain. It’ll also go over how to fix those computer posture mistakes.

Computer Back Pain: Why It Happens and How to Fix It

It’s ironic that using a computer causes back pain.

I’m not lifting heavy weights. Or withstanding impact, like running or falling down (which are all common causes of back pain).

I’m literally just sitting in a chair! 😢

illustration of classic example of a user slouching forward, which causes multiple computer posture problems, including back pain — Here’s a classic example of a user slouching forward, which causes multiple computer posture problems, including back pain. Image by Eraxion via Megapixl.

So why exactly does computer use cause back pain? Read this rest of this article to learn why, as well as how to fix it.

How to Avoid Computer Wrist Pain

Wrist pain from computer use can be a real nightmare!

But I discovered mine was totally fixable with a couple easy ergonomic changes!

How to Avoid Computer Wrist Pain - in photo: AI generated image of a person with wrist pain — How to Avoid Computer Wrist Pain. Image by ChatGPT.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is when a nerve in the wrist gets compressed.

This can cause pain, numbness, and tingling.

Proper Computer Ergonomics

I want my computer workstation to be an asset that promotes good posture as soon as I sit (or stand).

Not a liability that creates posture mistakes immediately.

Most of my computer-related pain decreased when I started using proper computer ergonomics. Image via ChatGPT.

The key to preventing most of my computer posture problems lies in 3 simple ergonomic adjustments. They apply regardless if I’m working at a sitting or standing workstation.

This article will talk about those proper computer ergonomics.

Does Foot Position at a Computer Matter?

I used to think foot positioning, while sitting at a computer, was no big deal.

After all, I was in an office chair—barely putting weight on my feet, right?

Wrong!

I found out the hard way when poor foot posture led to THREE ankle surgeries for a torn tendon, bone chips, and bone spurs. Ouch! 😫

Does foot position at a computer matter? Definitely. Image by Vasilyrosca via Megapixl.

I tore the tendon playing basketball. But long before that day, I had major ankle dysfunction that caused me to twist my ankle.

And that dysfunction was caused by not keeping my ankles in a neutral position, while sitting at a computer for years.

Internal Shoulder Rotation and Computer-Related Pain

The Hidden Problem for Desk Workers

A lot of office workers don’t even know this. One of their biggest problems is excessive internal shoulder rotation.

It’s caused by holding a keyboard and mouse for long periods of time. This causes weak muscles and limited movement throughout the shoulders.

AI generated image of a person with Internal Shoulder Rotation and Computer-Related Pain — Excessive internal shoulder rotation is a major issue caused by poor computer posture. Image via ChatGPT.

I was years into my good computer posture journey before accidentally discovering how dysfunctional my shoulders were (during a CrossFit class).

One day, I went to do an overhead squat with an empty (45 pound) bar. I could barely hold the bar above my head. Much less do a squat in that position.

This is when I realized my external shoulder rotation was very limited and weak. And my internal rotation was excessive. It was a very big problem.

How to Use Office Chair Armrests

Most office chairs are simply too big, even for my 6’3″ frame!

Incorrect armrest positioning caused me painful shoulder and neck problems that took forever to heal.

I want to save you that trouble.

How to Use Office Chair Armrests - AI generated image of a person with long arms — How to use office chair armrests. Image via ChatGPT

This article will talk about ways to position armrests correctly. It also talks about how to support your arms when the armrests are too low and too wide.

Why are Office Chair Armrests Bad for Computer Posture?

The standard American desk chair is way too big for most of us. I’m 6’3″ and 200 pounds. These chairs are even way too big for me.

Working at a computer 8 hours a day is hard enough on our bodies. But armrests caused me unnecessary repetitive strain injuries in my shoulders, chest, and neck.

Why are Office Chair Armrests Bad for Computer Posture? — Why are office chair armrests bad for computer posture? Image via ChatGPT

This article will talk about the 3 main reasons that office chair armrests are problematic for good computer posture. It will talk about multiple posture issues armrests create if they cannot be adjusted to the correct position.

What happened after sitting at a computer for 9 years?

From 2002 to 2011, I sat with poor computer posture at a high-stress sales job.

Despite being a life-long athlete, sitting in that compromised position caused the most stubborn injuries I’ve ever had.

What happened after sitting at a computer for 9 years? - illustration of a person working in a desk with bruises on his face — This is how I felt sitting at a computer desk 8 hours a day. Image via *ChatGPT*

Before starting my career, I got an Information Technology degree in 2001. Which even included a class in Ergonomics.

But having a sedentary lifestyle for the next 9 years still crushed me, both physically and mentally.

Slouching forward for 8 hours a day caused chronic pain and excessive muscle tension. I had dysfunction in my back, neck, knees, wrists, the list goes on.

Posture Exercises for Office Workers

Computer work causes excessive muscle tension and chronic pain. It requires us to work in a sitting or standing posture for long periods of time. This makes our muscles, tendons, and ligaments incredibly tight and stiff. These issues are known as repetitive strain and overuse injuries.

But how do we fix this computer-related pain? How do we counteract this muscle dysfunction?

Living a pain-free life, while still working on a computer, is very possible. We just need to make small improvements to our daily habits. Then practice them on a consistent basis.

This article is about my favorite posture exercises for office workers. They require both stretching and strengthening in the same repetition. I use a weight that’s called a steel mace.

Posture Stretches for Office Workers

Even as a life-long athlete, I rarely used to stretch when I was younger. And I’m paying the price for it now. Especially due to the excessive muscle tension I’ve gotten from a sedentary lifestyle.

As I’ve gotten into my late 40’s, I stretch just about every day. But for me, it’s not always about how intense and painful the stretch is. I often get great results from light-intensity, long-duration stretches. I make sure to focus on my breathing slowly and deeply.

Posture Stretches for Office Workers - "touch your toes" stretch — Sitting at a computer for long periods of time used to cause my hamstrings to tighten and shorten. Here is a classic example of a “touch your toes” stretch. I’ve used this stretch to improve blood flow and lengthen my hamstrings. Image via ChatGPT.

This article will talk about how I combat repetitive strain injuries with 2 of my favorite stretches. One is called a door stretch. The other is called a cactus yoga pose, which I get the best results from while laying flat on the floor.

What is the Proper Monitor Height to Prevent Eye and Neck Strain?

I used to make painful computer posture mistakes when it came to monitor height. I would use a laptop monitor 8 hours a day. Laptop monitors are too small and too low. This caused me a lot of eye and neck strain. That neck strain would contribute to the painful headaches I used to get.

Once I realized using a laptop monitor wasn’t ergonomic, I switched to an external monitor. But I also kept that monitor height too low. I didn’t raise my external monitor up to the correct height until after the first couple years I had it.

person using the computer without Proper Monitor Height — This user is working on a laptop monitor. Notice his forward head posture. His head is tilted downward to see his screen. Holding this position for long periods of time will cause excessive muscle tension and chronic neck pain. Image via ChatGPT.

The proper monitor height is one of the most important variables of computer ergonomics. It’s helped me prevent:

eye strain
neck strain
headaches
slouching forward
spinal disc degeneration

This article will focus on reducing eye and neck strain with correct monitor placement. Which is actually a pretty simple fix.

How to Avoid Slouching While Working on a Computer

I used to slouch forward at a computer from 2002 to 2011. It’s one of the most destructive things I’ve ever done to my body. I worked in this poor posture for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Since then, maintaining a neutral spine at my workstation hasn’t been easy. But I can say that it’s possible to come back from years of slouching at a computer desk. We just need to make small posture improvements and practice them on a consistent, daily basis.

Avoid Slouching While Working on a Computer — This article will explain how to avoid slouching while working on a computer, by providing tips to sit upright at a desk. Image via ChatGPT.

This article will provide a list of what I require for my ergonomic desk setup for better posture. It will also go over proper computer posture tips to prevent slouching forward.

Correct Standing Position for Computer Work

Sitting at a computer for long periods of time caused me poor posture, decreased energy, decreased mental clarity, and low work productivity.

I still sit at a computer part-time. But I also turn my desk into a standing workstation for part of the day. After all the damage that sitting has done to my body, I wanted to learn how to stand at a computer with good posture.

Correct Standing Position for Computer Work - in photo: AI generated image of a woman working on a standing desk — This article will talk about the correct standing position for computer work. Image by ChatGPT.

This article will talk about the furniture and technology I use for my ergonomic standing desk setup. It’ll also talk about my computer ergonomic tips for correct posture at a standing desk.

Correct Sitting Position for Computer Work

Computer workstation ergonomics can be a complex topic. Computer-related pain hurts. It’s also stressful, depressing, and it can impact work productivity.

The goods news is, we can always improve. It might only be a 1% improvement. But imagine a 1% improvement every day, over a period of a few months.

The best way of posture correction for office workers is through small, healthy habits practiced on a daily basis. It took a long time for sitting at a computer to break our bodies down. It’s also going to take a long time to improve our posture.

But pain-free, productive computer posture is an attainable goal. And you reading this article is a big step towards that goal. So congratulations! That’s something to be proud of. Let’s get started with some healthy sitting habits.

Correct Sitting Position for Computer Work - AI generate image of a woman using the computer — This article will talk about the correct sitting posture for computer work. Image by ChatGPT.

This article will talk about the furniture and technology that I require for my ergonomic desk setup. It’ll also talk about healthy sitting habits for proper computer posture.

What are Ways to Reduce Shoulder Tension from Typing?

Why does sitting at a computer even cause shoulder pain? We’re not pushing any weight over our heads. Also, we’re not throwing a ball. We’re not pushing a door open. These are all actions that require shoulder strength.

Sitting at a computer causes shoulder tension for a few reasons. You’ll learn some causes of it later in this article. But in the end, this shoulder tension is a result of repetitive strain and overuse. When using a computer, we use our shoulders 8 hours a day, for light-intensity, long-duration muscle holds.

What are Ways to Reduce Shoulder Tension from Typing? - in photo: person with shoulder pain — What are ways to reduce shoulder tension from typing? Image via ChatGPT.

This article will talk about these ways to reduce shoulder tension from typing:

Maintain correct elbow height

Don’t slouch forward

Don’t use office chair armrests

What do I need to buy for an ergonomic workstation?

Computer posture can be a complex topic. I try to explain it in the easiest, most actionable way possible. But the advice, “Sit up straight,” isn’t going to get the job done. To get any real results, we’ll need to get more technical to improve computer posture.

Importance of ergonomic workstation - in photo: person with back pain while using the computer — How can I improve my posture while using a computer? Image via ChatGPT.

This article will explain how the technology and office furniture we use plays an important role in computer ergonomics. These tools can help us decrease computer-related pain, improve posture, and increase work productivity.