Hands And Back Hurt? Here's How To Make Your Office Desk Setup More Comfortable

It's probably safe to say that working in an office — sitting down, hunched over a desk with the delicate nerves of your wrist pressed against a hard table, and your eyes staring straight into a bright screen — is one of the most unnatural situations possible for a human being. And yet many of us do it every day, 40 hours a week, all year, minus two weeks. Cue an aching back, hands, wrists, and eyes — what doesn't hurt after eight hours at a desk? We probably can't remove ourselves from offices quite yet, but we can at least make the experience less painful and more ergonomic. Before you head to the doctor to treat the pain and discomfort, I have some suggestions that might prevent said pain and discomfort in the first place.

This guide is for anyone who works at a desk, though primarily for people working from a home office where they have full control of their setup and space. Ideally, your workspace would have every item on this list, but even just one could result in a huge improvement — at least, anecdotally speaking. I make no claims here that the following are scientifically proven to work, just that they have worked for me as someone who's spent years sitting in an office. I promise, at least some items on this list will make a difference.

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Upgrade your mouse and keyboard

If you change only one thing in your workspace, let it be your peripherals. Chances are high you're using a low-profile style keyboard with membrane switches that have short travel, and a small-ish travel-sized mouse. Though they're cheap and convenient, they have a bill that may come due in the form of wrist and finger pain, or worse, manifest as serious, debilitating conditions like repetitive strain injury or carpal tunnel syndrome. We'd imagine, for most people, spending a bit now beats spending a ton later in medical bills.

For the mouse, we'd recommend a bigger ergonomic one shaped to fit your whole hand. The Logitech MX Master 4 continues to be the gold standard of wireless ergonomic mice, with wonderful features like a fast-scrolling mouse wheel and haptic feedback. It's a mouse that makes any other mouse feel inferior once you've used it extensively. There are other ergonomic mice we'd highly recommend, too, for smaller budgets. The price for mice like these can be off-putting, we admit, but trust us when we say that these mice earn their keep, both in comfort of use and in how much more productive you'll likely feel. You might also try a trackball mouse, which is viewed by some as more ergonomic than standard drag-and-click mice.

For keyboards, we'd highly recommend a mechanical keyboard. Though they're popular for their nostalgic sound and typing experience, there is evidence that they're also less painful to type on. Personally, I feel that this is because the long travel on mechanical keyboard keys gently slows your fingers to a stop, unlike a low-profile membrane keyboard, where your fingers effectively slam into the key with minimal resistance. I'd recommend the Lofree Flow Lite100 , or one of these mechanical keyboards .

Improve your existing peripherals

We totally understand if the prices of ergonomic mice and mechanical keyboards are not encouraging. If so, there are much cheaper ways to retrofit the peripherals you already have. For one, consider getting a keyboard riser if the current angle of your keyboard makes it uncomfortable or painful to type on. Think of the Apple Magic Keyboard . We like this ESC Flip keyboard stand , which works with flat-backed keyboards and gives them three new adjustable angles. Otherwise, buying a simple wrist rest for your keyboard and mouse goes a long way, in my experience. I personally recommend the Gorilla Grip Memory Foam Wrist Rest .

Some non-ergonomic mice can also be fixed, believe it or not. Take the Apple Magic Mouse, which most agree is the least ergonomic mouse on planet Earth. Since Apple has yet to change that state of affairs, a lot of people have found clever ways to fix it. We'd recommend Elevation Lab's MagicGrips for the least invasive retrofit; they give you a stronger, more relaxed hold on your mouse. Another take is the Elementing Mello silicone cushion , which simply adds a back hump to the mouse that may better suit some.

If you have a 3D printer, you can create whatever you want, and much more economically so. As one example, Flowers Gear on MakerWorld has a brilliantly simple Apple Magic Mouse ergonomic attachment that has garnered over 800 likes. If you don't have the Apple Magic Mouse, then chances are high someone else out there has made a fix for yours, specifically.

Invest in a decent chair

Do not subject yourself to an uncomfortable chair, I implore you. This is the number two area where an investment is 130% worth it. Personally, I'd focus on three things: adjustability (a chair that lets you control the height and position of everything, including the armrests and lumbar support), a comfy material (such as mesh, which is breathable and thus ideal for long work sessions), and lumbar support. Lumbar support (the support just above your pelvis) is widely recommended for easing lower back pain. I'd say upgrade your chair even if you only spend a couple of hours a day in it.

We could give a ton of recommendations here. We've reviewed a lot of thrones in the past, like the NeueChair . But if you want my personal recommendation, I can give a full-throated five stars to the Sihoo M57 . It ticks all the boxes on my list: super adjustable, comfy to sit in, with great lumbar support, and it's served me well for years now. It's also relatively affordable, retailing for $319.99 on the official website — but by all means, shop around. Don't take my word for it; head to a local furniture store and actually sit down in the thing before you tap plastic.

Consider a standing desk

Even though the pandemic is over, work-from-home is far from dead. More people work from home now than they did in 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . That means a lot of people are still in their home offices and, importantly, have the full freedom to jump on another pandemic trend: the standing desk . Sitting for long periods, as most of us do, comes with a whole host of harms and risks, requiring significant moderate activity to cancel them out ... or, you could just stand up and move more often. I've been a standing desk user for years, and I really can't overstate how big an improvement it has been.

This is, in my view, the number three category where splurging is totally worth it. In our review, we rated the Secretlab Magnus Pro highly; it retails for $988. For significantly cheaper options that are recommended by the experts, try this Fezibo electric standing desk or the FlexiSpot pneumatic overbed table . Anecdotally, I have had good luck with a couple of the cheap, alphabet-soup brands on Amazon, though caveat emptor when going that route. I'd recommend electric standing desks since all you have to do is press a button and it will go to a preset height.

Unfortunately, cheap standing desks do (in my experience) tend to have limited desktop space and struggle to lift more than a couple of monitors and some small accoutrements, like speakers and maybe a mini PC . Having said that, a lot of their disadvantages can be fixed with a few choice accessories .

Upgrade your cushions, back support, and standing space

Regardless of whether you choose a sitting or standing desk, make that workspace where you put your nose to the grindstone as comfortable as you can. As a personal recommendation, I can vouch for the Everlasting Comfort memory foam seat cushion and lumbar support — the latter of which is great if you don't have lumbar support on your existing chair. The seat cushion's tailbone cutout makes it very comfy to sit on for long periods and will most likely beat out whatever cushion you're currently sitting on.

If you have a standing desk, I find that an anti-fatigue mat does wonders. The balls of your feet can start to hurt depending on your standing posture, even if you have a carpeted floor. We'd recommend the Featol anti-fatigue mat , which gets high ratings from users and experts. The only caveat with anti-fatigue mats such as these is that you can't roll your desk chair on top of them. Unfortunately, you may be forced to set the anti-fatigue mat down every time you stand, though this isn't a huge issue in my experience since you're usually standing or sitting for at least a couple of hours at a time.

A highly optional recommendation I have is a foot hammock. People swear by these things. Everlasting Comfort also makes a foot hammock designed for desks as well as travel. Some reviews of foot hammocks praise them for relieving pressure on the lower spine.

Increase your screen height

Generally speaking, you want your screens a bit higher than they likely are, high enough that the top of the screen is just below eye level. Personally, though, I prefer them to be just a bit higher, since in my experience lower screens encourage you to slouch. Chances are decent that, whether you're using external monitors or a laptop screen, they're not at quite the right height. Fixing it is easy and cheap.

The most straightforward method is to use one of these computer monitor stands . I've had them under monitors myself, and they are more than sturdy enough. Importantly, they give you some of that space back underneath to store things that don't fit elsewhere. For a laptop, I like this adjustable laptop stand . It works great, I think, both for a laptop-only setup (with an external keyboard and mouse) and for a laptop paired with an external screen or screens.

Buy a massage gun

Even if you have a nice chair and/or a standing desk, sitting or standing still will get uncomfortable after even just a few hours. That's the cold, hard reality of the thing. One of the most effective forms of relief I've personally found is a massage gun, which can do wonders for your lower back, your rear end, your hamstrings, the bottom of your feet, and any other sore areas afflicted by long sitting or standing sessions — like sore shoulders from weak posture. The TheraGun Therabody Mini gets strong reviews from both users and experts. It's small, easy to grip and maneuver, and comes with multiple settings. We'd also recommend these massage guns on Amazon .

Usually, I'll use my massage gun after having sat down for a long stretch, say four hours. It only takes a couple of minutes to get significant relief, enabling me to endure another sitting gauntlet (what can you do, right?). Anecdotally speaking, it's similar in efficacy to going out for a walk. Studies of massage guns suggest they are quite effective at easing stiff muscles and perhaps aid recovery. Study or no study, do educate yourself on how to use one of these. Massage guns can hurt you if used incorrectly, so consult a licensed physical therapist if possible.

Try a posture-fixing device

It's not news to anyone that bad posture is widely considered a major contributor to back and shoulder pain, especially behind a desk. Fixing your posture is challenging. Aside from exercises, it mostly comes down to a conscious effort to pull your shoulders and neck back. One of the most brilliant devices we've ever seen for addressing bad posture is the Upright Go 2 posture corrector and trainer.

In a nutshell, you stick this thing between your shoulder blades, and then any time it detects you slouching, it vibrates, reminding you to straighten up. In theory, the Upright should transform that conscious effort to not slouch into a subconscious one. The reviews we've seen of the Upright Go 2 suggest it can be quite effective. Certainly more effective, in my opinion, than one of those posture correctors that force you into the right posture rather than letting your body develop correct posture. It's a bit pricey ($99.95 on its website), but then again, whatever medical bills you accrue from bad posture will probably cost much, much more.

Download an app to fix your posture

Not everyone can afford — or wants — to spend $100 on a device that may or may not fix posture. Something much cheaper that may help is an app. There are several apps that claim to help correct posture. One is SitTall , a macOS-only app that costs $5.99 and tackles slouching with an ingenious solution: the motion sensors in your AirPods . Once calibrated with your correct posture position and slouching position, it will gently remind you when you're slouching, similar to the Upright Go 2, but with hardware you may already own. Headjust is another Mac app that employs a similar philosophy, but it gives you information about your slouching rather than interrupting you to fix it. Reviewers like it, though it can be a little buggy.

Dorso Posture Monitor is another option, letting you use either your AirPods or your camera. It gets positive reviews, though only a handful so far. Another option we found available on Windows and Linux as well as Mac is SitApp . The free version gives you one hour of posture monitoring per day. Unfortunately, it does cost £34.99 a year for the Pro version, or £69.99 for a lifetime purchase — but if you try the free version and it works, that may be justified.

Use a break reminder app

Posture-fixing doodads and apps may be overcomplicating what should be a very simple, straightforward reminder: get up from your chair, stretch, and walk around a bit. One option we really like is LookAway , a macOS-only app that pushes minimally intrusive notifications to take a break, look away from your screen, and blink more often. For some people, finding time to take a break isn't the issue; it's that they get so consumed by work that they forget. LookAway has a ton of settings for customizing when you're reminded of breaks, how long they should be, what your office hours are, and more. It costs $19 for a one-time license.

If LookAway's pricing turns you off, ZenBreak and BreakTimer are free alternatives that offer simple break reminders, and both have Mac, Windows, and Linux versions. You might also be interested in Stretchly , another cross-platform break reminder app that does more or less the same thing. Having used break reminder apps like these myself, I find they are a surprisingly effective and non-invasive way to encourage you to get up more often.

Also, if you have an Apple Watch, then you already have a built-in "break" reminder on your wrist. Apple's "Time to Stand" taps your wrist when you've been sitting too long, and I personally find it to be better than the apps, since it's with you at all times — at your desk or anywhere else you sit too long. Samsung Galaxy watches have these too, called "Inactive time alerts," and Google Pixel watches have move notifications.

Consider a walking pad

A truly niche recommendation is a walking pad. This is basically a tiny treadmill that goes under your standing desk and lets you walk while you work. There is limited evidence that so-called "active workstations" may make you work better (via Mayo Clinic ). The same research found they cut down on sedentary time without hurting job performance. Case in point, this may be a meaningful improvement over an already-life-improving standing desk setup. I can totally agree with this because I found that (anecdotally) walking produces less back pain than standing still, even with good posture.

Now, this is a hesitant recommendation. First, walking pads are often quite an investment. We recommend the Urevo CyberPad , which gets high ratings from reviewers and sets you back $479.99. So yeah, not cheap. Second, a walking pad may not be a good choice for someone who is clumsy or has poor coordination in general, and at the end of the day, walking around the room, office, or outside is free.

You may be better off with a sitting bike, where there's less chance of you losing balance, falling, and hurting yourself — though this does mean you'll be sitting, which I feel does negate some of the benefit gained from standing and walking. In any case, some movement is better than no movement, and an expert recommended under-desk bike you can use while sitting in your office chair is the DeskCycle .

How we came up with this list

In creating this list, I'm drawing on years of experience fine-tuning my own desk setup to be as perfect as I can get it for ergonomics, reduced back pain, and improved posture; I'm no expert, but what I've achieved definitely works for me, and so I try to share some of that here. I have used and owned many products on this list, and for those I haven't, I have friends who have and who would give each and every one two thumbs up. For the handful of products where that wasn't the case, I chose ones that have received a spread of positive expert and user reviews.

We tried our best to make this list a grab bag of sorts where you can pick and choose the parts that work for you and discard the rest. Where possible, we appealed to evidence, and where we couldn't find evidence, I leaned on my personal experience and opinion. So by no means is this list definitive or clinical — but you can trust that we've done our due diligence and we're not spouting hot air.

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Read the original article on SlashGear .