Yesterday, whilst working onsite in an office environment, I spent some of the afternoon following up on some employees who had been complaining of either shoulder tension/pain and pressure at the back of their legs in the sitting position. They thought this might be to do with how their work station was set up, as they were only uncomfortable whilst at work.
It turned out that they were quite right! The lady with the neck and shoulder tension was caused by the fact that her monitor was too low and her desk too high by 2 inches (5cm).
So, the ideal solution was to have the desk lowered (which in these offices we could arrange) but an interim solution was to increase the height of her chair and get a footstool. A monitor stand was ordered too. For the latter problem of leg pressure, a different chair was sourced, as someone had left the organisation. This chair had a smaller depth so better accommodated the lady's body measurements. This meant there was no longer pressure on the back of her legs thus improved circulation and better posture resulted.
If the desk/work station set up is poor, then often discomfort /pain results. This discomfort may be temporary initially but then become more constant and permeant if not addressed.
It is both the employers and employee’s responsibility, by law, to report and action problems with their desk/workstation according to the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974).
For more information on the government guidelines regarding the desk set up, look at this link.
Alternatively, If you or your workplace would like onsite assessment by trained assessors or you would like any more information, then contact us using the link below. Prices start at £60
http://www.athertonphysiotherapy.co.uk/contact.php
