Are Some Ergonomic Directions Wrong?
Could you do an experiment right now? Grab a book, a magazine, or a device, like a Kindle or an iPad. Read for a minute and notice where you put your reading material. You’ll probably find that, like the people in the image below, you place the book low.
Ergonomic Directions for Position of the Monitor
But all of the ergonomic directions that I’m aware of tell us to put the top of the monitor at eye level, much higher than people’s comfortable reading angle.
Tipping the Head Back Leads to Pain
The woman below has followed these directions. Although the angle of the photo does not allow us to see exactly how high she has positioned the monitor, we can see that it’s too high. Her chin is up and her neck curves backward. No doubt she is uncomfortable at the computer all the time. She may not be conscious of her discomfort at first. However, eventually she’ll be so uncomfortable that she changes positions frequently, looking for relief that can’t be found – as long as her head is in this position.
Our bodies have an inner design that cannot be denied. In time, this strained position of holding the head up and tipped back will cause excessive muscular tension, and undue and uneven pressure on the vertebrae, discs, and bones. As she ages, this young woman will get more and more collapsed in her posture and shorter in height. Gravity cannot be disregarded. It will always win.
The 
Best Height for the Monitor
The best spot to place your monitor is low, close to where you would put a book. In the photo above, my head tips down as though I am reading a book. I couldn’t do this if the monitor was higher. Also, this angle is made possible because I am sitting high enough that my arms form a right angle to the computer.
The reason I like this chair is that the post under the seat rises up high enough so I can sit in Balance at my kitchen table. You can see how much higher the seat is than a standard folding chair. (The original link I had for the office chair is no longer available on Amazon. The current link looks like the identical chair but I can’t guarantee it.)
Sitting this high is essential because it allows your upper arms to hang down with your lower arms horizontal when your fingertips are on the keyboard. Without this alignment, your neck can’t be aligned when you look down.
Quick Reminders for Sitting
To sit comfortably move the tops of your legs back as you sit down, so your pelvis is vertical. Then drop your chest so your spine stacks. When looking down draw your chin to your throat and let your head have weight. In the beginning, you may feel a stretch up the back of your neck. That’s a good sign, it means your neck is aligned and safe. Once the neck muscles have stretched to their original length all sensation disappears and you are comfortable for a lifetime.
This Wednesday at 5:30 – 6:30 pm PT and Friday at noon PT, we will first do neck exercises for strength,. Then we’ll practice positioning and turning the neck and head. I would really like to view everyone at their desk. If you would like some feedback prepare your setup so I can quickly see what’s going on.
Until then, pay attention to the position of your neck when you work at a computer. Learn what your habit is so you’ll have the information you need to change it.
~ Jean Couch
