How to Sit Correctly When Using a Computer

This is an article that shows you how to sit correctly and how to position the device when using the computer for long periods of time. However, you should keep in mind that even if you’re sitting in the right position and with the device in place, it’s still a good idea to get up from time to time to do some stretching and get around.

Table of Contents

Sitting position on the chair

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Sit properly. Many office chairs and general recliners come with adjustable backrests and seats and even have mesh backrests. However, there are many different types of chairs, so you need to remember the following criteria: ^{[1] X Research Source}

Your thighs should be flat on the seat.
Calves and knees will form a right angle.
The feet will be flat on the floor and perpendicular to the shins.
Sit with your back and legs forming an angle of 100 to 135 degrees (if possible).
Your arms will be placed close to the sides of your body.
Relax your shoulders and neck.
Your eyes should naturally see the screen instead of leaning forward or squinting.

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Adjust any support on the seat. If your chair has a mesh backrest, backrest pillow, adjustable armrests or any special support, you should adjust accordingly.

Feel free to remove parts like the armrests and pillows if you feel it affects your posture.

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Sit close to the keyboard. Your keys must be placed directly in front of you, do not turn or bend to be able to use the computer.

Ideally, you should place your computer screen an arm’s length away from your body.

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Do not bow. It is easy for you to lower your head, bringing your chin close to your chest; This will cause neck, shoulder, and back pain, so you need to keep your head up even when you have to look down at the screen.

A simple fix is to adjust the height of the screen to your eye level.

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Deep breath. It’s usually easy to breathe shallowly while sitting, but this can actually cause some other problems. So, you should remember to take deep breaths often – especially when you feel dizzy or lightheaded. Besides, you remember to take a few deep breaths every hour.

A shallow breath can cause you to unconsciously correct your posture, while a deep breath down to your diaphragm will help you maintain the center of gravity of the pose.

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Organize documents and supplies around the computer. If there’s enough space on your desk to put your documents, phone, and other accessories, make sure you arrange them around your computer; The computer should be placed in the center of the table.

Some computer desks have additional compartments to put other items (eg documents, keyboards, stationery, etc.).
If your keyboard compartment isn’t adjustable, you’ll need to adjust the height of your desk and chair, or use a cushion on the chair to give you a comfortable position.

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Take short breaks several times throughout the workday to relax your muscles. Studies show that sitting constantly is very harmful to health. Walking around for a few minutes, standing and stretching or anything that keeps you from sitting all day is very beneficial!

Stand for 1-2 minutes, stretch, and/or walk every 20-30 minutes. When you have a lunch break or an appointment, you should try to choose a place away from your desk and stand when possible.

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Avoid eye fatigue. While your eyes may not seem to have much to do with your back and posture, eye strain can cause you to stoop, lean against your computer, and many other harmful postures. Just not looking at the computer screen for a few seconds can help relax your eyes.

A good way to avoid eye strain is to apply the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, you will look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
You can buy glasses that filter blue light (for example, glasses used when using a computer) to help reduce eye strain and improve nighttime sleep for only about 200,000 VND.

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Exercise for hands. Besides eyes, hands are also the most active part of your body when using a computer. You can prevent carpal tunnel syndrome by pressing on the joints in your hand while bending your fingers backward, or by squeezing something with your hand (such as a tennis ball).

Adjust the way you interact with the computer

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Remember to prioritize your priest. You should arrange your computer and keyboard to suit your posture, not the other way around! As you adjust to how you interact with your computer, you should review Part 1 of this article to ensure correct sitting posture.

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Identify the type of computer you are using. A desktop computer has a screen that is separate from the keyboard, while a laptop has a screen attached to the keyboard. Desktop computers often have adjustable screens and keyboards, while laptops have limited adjustment.

Consider purchasing a lifting or similar accessory for non-adjustable displays.
You can purchase a stand to place your laptop in in case you need to adjust the tilt of your keys while keeping the screen flat.

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Place the keyboard about 1.5cm – 2cm away from the edge of the table. Regardless of the type of computer you use, it’s best to keep the right distance between your keyboard and the edge of the table to help you put your hands and wrists in a natural position. ^{[2] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}

If the table does not have enough space, you can move the chair back or lean back on the chair.

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Adjust the height and tilt of the screen if possible. You’re better off placing the monitor at eye level, but this may not be possible with desktop computers. You need to push the monitor up or tilt it low to avoid neck and eye strain.

If possible, you should position the monitor so that the highest point is about 5cm to 8cm away from your eye level while sitting.
If you wear bifocals, you should lower the monitor to a position that allows your eyes to see comfortably.

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Adjust the tilt of the keyboard. Your shoulders should be relaxed and your hand should be in line with your wrist and lower arm; If this is not possible while seated correctly, you will need to tilt or lower the keyboard.

You will be able to adjust the tilt of the desktop keyboard according to your posture by changing the keyboard compartment or opening/closing the keyboard legs.
While this isn’t possible with laptops, you can purchase a tilt accessory to position the computer.

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Avoid using wrist pads. You should only use a wrist pad when the keyboard is above the position of the table; This accessory can affect arm posture, leading to fatigue and injury.

Wrist pads can also prevent blood circulation in the hands.

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Keep frequently used devices around you and on the same plane. Keyboards, computer mice, pens, documents, and other items should be placed at the same height (such as on a table) and within your reach. This helps you avoid changing positions to get to something. ^{[3] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Advice

If sunlight hits your computer screen, you should close the curtains or adjust the position.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Drinking water will help your body feel comfortable so that it does not affect your posture. What’s more, drinking enough water also means that you’ll have to stop working from time to time to go to the bathroom.
Some studies recommend sitting on a yoga ball because it’s the best exercise for your posture.
Adjusting the chair to suit your height and desk is the first thing you need to do when buying a new chair/desk or setting up a work area.
If the computer is quite far from where you are while sitting in the correct posture, you should increase the size of text and images on the computer to deal with this obstacle.
Every now and then, taking a break from work to do a stretch so that the upper and lower body are perpendicular to each other helps relax the back muscles and avoid back pain throughout the day. ^{[4] X Research Sources}
It is important that you take 1 or 2 minutes to stand/walk every 30 to 60 minutes. Sitting continuously for long periods of time can lead to neuralgia in the pelvic area; Sitting a lot also causes a number of health problems (such as clogged blood vessels, cardiovascular disease, etc.). ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Warning

You will feel your muscles go numb if you sit in front of the computer for too long.
Glare and blue light from the computer can give you headaches, leading to posture correction to avoid light. You can work around this by wearing glasses specifically designed for computer use, or by using a blue light filter (such as Windows night mode) on your computer.
Implement good work habits once you have a complete work area. No matter how perfect everything is, sitting still for long periods of time will stop blood circulation and harm your body.

Steps

Sitting position on the chair

Adjust the way you interact with the computer

Advice

Warning

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