A big contributor of neck and shoulder pain at work is Display Screen Equipment (DSE) use. If you are a desk worker, when did you last check your DSE set up? We should all do so from time to time to ensure we have a happy and healthy workspace. Details on how to set up your workstation can be found at the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.
Top tips to think about are:
- If you are a hybrid worker, it is particularly important to think about your DSE set up, as on office days you will likely be sharing desks with colleagues. If you are hot desking, make sure you adjust your desk every time. Don’t be afraid to modify the chair, or the screen height etc. to suit you.
- Prior to carrying out your DSE assessment, ask a colleague or family member to take a secret picture of you from behind and from the side, when you are engrossed in your work. This will hopefully give you some pointers on what your usual posture is and what needs addressing.
- If you work from multiple screens, try and put the one you work from the most in the middle, so you aren’t constantly looking left or right.
- If you are a laptop user, put your laptop on a laptop holder, or on a pile of books, and get a separate keyboard to prevent you leaning forwards into the laptop. For those whose eyesight isn’t what it was, a separate, larger screen can relieve eye strain AND neck strain!
- If you are someone that is on endless calls, make sure that you use a headset or headphones, so that you aren’t holding the phone to your ear with your shoulder.
- Move! This doesn’t have to be an official break, but could include a chat with a colleague, a visit to the toilet, taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking meetings or stretching at your desk.
- Have your lunch away from your desk. You need and deserve a break.
- This all extends to commuters too – sit with good posture, and don’t hang your head down looking at your phone or laptop for the whole ride to London! Jane is sad enough to observe people on her train ride in, and it makes her twitch!
By Jane Beazley
