Aching back? How to take the strain out of your desk job

As you get back to work in the new year, bear in mind the desk you're chained to.

Sitting incorrectly can cause anything from back pain to constipation - and even affect your creativity - so make sure you're sitting well.

Janice Korte is an ergonomist with office furniture supplier Formfunc Studio. Experts in the science of work and the body, ergonomists study human capabilities in relation to work demands, or how our bodies function at work.

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Standing desks are one solution, as they make you move around rather than sitting for hours at a time, but they are not always practical.

How you sit at a traditional desk can be adjusted.

"The problem is that when people sit at their desks, they are upright, eyes focused downward at a laptop or screen. They are slowly compressing the spine, and scrunching the organs. It also limits blood flow to the brain," says Korte.

None of which is conducive to creativity or productivity.

"The restricted blood flow causes migraines in extreme situations. The worst part of sitting upright is that you place weight on your neck, several kilograms' worth, which is like holding up a dumbbell for hours."

Headaches almost always arise due to incorrect screen level.

"Vision drives your posture. Laptops are difficult because screens are attached to the keyboard."

The correct height for a screen is eye level.

An arm-lift can raise the screen to eye level and make it mobile, which changes the direction of the eye and keeps it flexible.

A cheaper alternative is to place your computer screen on two reams of copy paper. However, a laptop raised this way puts pressure on the arms.

Ideally, you should sit leaning backwards, relieving the upright compression .

Korte demonstrates the defence mechanisms the body creates when sitting for long periods - the legs and knees scrunch up into a jockey position.

"The natural shape of the spine should be a guide to the way we adust ourselves to sit. Stretching is like oiling the engine."

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The thighs must always be higher than the knees, and chairs should provide lumbar or lower-back support.

Adjust your chair so that your thighs are parallel to the ground and the knee bend is away from the chair. There must be 4cm between the back of your knees and the chair. Use an arm rest or the desk as a support for the wrists.

Not everyone is the same height or has the same thigh length, says Korte - so "make adjustments".

You should have three adjustments on a chair. Lumbar support, height adjustment and seat depth. Arm-height adjustment is a plus.

"The arms of your chair shouldn't hit the front of the desk; it should go under them. And it is always better to recline your chair than to sit up," says Korte.

"The results are immediate. Fresh blood to the brain increases productivity."

• International ergonomics expert Dr Alan Hedge will visit South Africa next month. Call 011-467-1318  or e-mail Formfunc Studio for information and details.