Muscle and joint problems can be caused or made worse due to your work station set up. Please ensure you have completed a
Sedentary work at a computer increases the risk of problems in the neck and shoulders, as well as the hands, wrists, arms, and elbows. Early symptoms such as niggling dull aches or discomfort are initially relieved following short breaks from work. However, if these are ignored, the discomfort may become more persistent despite rest and be accompanied by other symptoms like:
The onset of symptoms may occur when you’re feeling particularly pressured or stressed, whether from personal anxieties or work concerns.
Headaches and migraines can also be triggered by tension in muscles as the result of psychological pressures. You may notice problems:
Keyboard workers are particularly vulnerable to muscular pains or problems with joints and tendons because of the prolonged static muscular effort required to support upper limbs in fixed or awkward postures during keyboard and mouse use. Key factors known to increase the risk of muscle and joint problems are:
Awareness of your posture at work is essential so that you can identify changes that should be made to reduce the risk of problems from your work at the computer.
Every day before starting work, but also throughout the day, ensure your chair is adjusted to support upright posture, allowing your back, shoulder and neck muscles to relax whilst sitting static.
Make sure you’ve adjusted your chair to support an upright but relaxed posture, then position your screen(s) so you can maintain a correct posture whilst working.
If you use a laptop for more than an hour at a time always use an additional keyboard and mouse, which will ensure you can maintain the correct posture for keyboard/screen work.
Relax against the chair back, keep your elbows close to your sides and draw your chair close to the desk. Bring your keyboard and mouse close to the desk edge, leaving sufficient space to rest your wrists when not typing.
If you need to look at your fingers to type, avoid dropping your head forward. Instead remain upright, using your chair for support, pull your chin in and lower your eyes (not your head) to view your keyboard.
Lift your wrists to type, keeping them straight, not flexed back. A wrist support should only be used when at rest.
Reduce mouse use by using keyboard shortcuts instead. When using the mouse be careful to hold it lightly with a relaxed hand when in use. When not operating the mouse, release your hold and relax your arm or do some stretching exercises.
Position the screen (or if using multiple screens, your main screen) straight in front of you. You should not view the screen with your neck twisted to one side. Maintain the correct sitting and typing posture and position your screen so you can view it with relaxed eyes, looking down as you would for comfortable reading. The top of the screen should be no higher than your eyebrows, to reduce visual fatigue and the risk of neck problems.
A comfortable viewing distance is generally 50-60cm (20-24"), but this is determined by your vision and whether you wear glasses. Single focus lenses are preferable for screen use. Varifocals are not recommended as they can cause neck problems. If you do wear varifocals, make sure your screen is positioned so that you do not need to extend your neck to get the screen in focus.
If you are having difficulties with seeing your screen clearly, we offer eye test vouchers for DSE users.
To avoid uncomfortable glare (from bright sunlight) or reflection (mirror image of window/reflected sunlight) when viewing your screen, ensure you do not face into, or have your back to, a window. Position your computer workstation away from the window, if at all possible, and at right angles to it, to reduce the risk of these problems.
Long periods of uninterrupted keyboard/screen work greatly increase the risk of muscular problems and pain as a result of remaining static whilst muscles are tense. Frequent short breaks from your screen are better than longer infrequent ones. Plan your day to break up longer spells at your keyboard with other varied tasks.
Do not:
Do:
If you have followed all of the above advice but continue to experience problems, you should contact your DSE facilitator and arrange a workstation assessment without further delay.
Become keyboard competent by learning to touch-type. This will reduce the risk of health problems because:
Studies have shown that psychological risk factors are of equal importance to physical risk factors in influencing health, in particular musculoskeletal health. Feeling pressured or stressed increases the risk of physical tension and discomfort. Coping with particularly stressful demands, whether at work or at home, can influence behaviour which may increase the risk of health problems. For example, an individual may forego rest breaks in an effort to cope with high workload or tight deadlines.
Here are some questions you may need to consider and discuss with your manager to manage work pressure appropriately.
If you are still experiencing problems after following the above information regarding correct workstation set up, you should contact your department's DSE facilitator so they can assess your workstation.
If the problem is not resolved, the facilitator will contact Health and Safety to request a further workstation assessment. Following the outcome of their assessment, the Health and Safety Adviser may advise an Occupational Health referral.
You should review your DSE assessment whenever there are significant changes to your workstation and follow the advice on this page if you experience any problems.
If you have a health concern that you think is caused or made worse by your work, you should seek help straight away. In the first instance, you should aim to discuss any issues with your manager and agree how to remedy the problem. If you can’t talk to your direct manager, then your Head of Department or Employee Relations Adviser can also advise you.