Covid Shoulder

by Zeinab Ndow

Kinesiologist, BKin

With working from home becoming the new normal among many of us, having an ergonomically designed workstation may not be at the top of our priority list. This may cause problems such as “Covid Shoulder” (as our physiotherapist Gail puts it) and neck pain from static seated postures sustained for long periods of time. In order to potentially prevent these types of injuries, addressing the engineering factors that come in to play may be necessary.

Tips for a healthier workstation:

  • Elbow angled at 90 degrees with respect to the keyboard and computer mouse
  • Wrists in neutral position (not angled upwards or downwards) 
  • Armrests should be at a height that support the forearms and allow your shoulders to be relaxed, (not shrugged or pulled down)
  • Make sure your neck remains neutral and is not protruding forward excessively to look at text on a screen, instead consider increasing the text font size on your screen 
  • Place a pillow or rolled towel in between the backrest and your back for added support
  • If seated in front of a computer, the top of the computer screen should be at eye level or slightly below the line of sight
  • If looking at documents on a desk, consider a vertical or angled document holder to lessen the possibility of neck pain from flexing the neck forward.
  • If writing at a desk, try to lean back in your seat and pull the chair closer to the desk instead of leaning forward in the chair and flexing the neck forward.
  • Stand up at least once every half hour and stretch or walk around for 5 minutes! Our bodies are made to move! 

If you are experiencing neck and back pain from working from home, or for guidance in preventing such injuries, book an appointment with one of our physiotherapists today.