Shoulder pain and injury is frequently caused by repetitive motion and poor posture. Too often, computer users unconsciously sit in awkward positions instead of maintaining a neutral sitting position. This quickly leads to soreness and pain.

Here are some tips for finding relief and improving your posture for pain free typing.

1. Rest and Stretch: Give your muscles a break. Stand up and walk around at least every hour. During your break, stretch the sore muscle area to relieve any building tension. Here are some effective shoulder stretches recommended by National Institute of Health.
2. Restore Proper Sitting Posture: A good ergonomic chair can and should serve as the basis for good posture.  You should adjust it to fit you specifically. First, evaluate the back rest. Does the shape of the chair properly support the curvature of your lower back? A rolled towel or additional lumbar support can encourage proper posture and relieve muscle strain. Next, adjust the chair height to ensure that your feet rest flat on the floor. Finally, the armrests should be placed low enough that you can relax both arms and shoulders freely at your side during computer use.
3. Re-position the Computer Screen: You should never have to bend your neck or move your body to view your computer monitor. Instead, it should be centered directly in front of you, raised to eye level, and about an arm’s length from your body. An easy-to-install monitor shelf can quickly add height for better viewing. Also, if you frequently type from a document or notebook, try adding a document holder  immediately next to your monitor to improve your neck position.
4. Adjust Your Work Space: A significant contributor to shoulder pain is the improper height and placement of your keyboard and mouse. An adjustable tray allows the freedom to quickly reposition your keyboard and mouse. The best keyboard placement is one or two inches above your legs, just below your elbow height. A slight angle away from your body will help you relax your hands as well. Your computer mouse should be tight against the keyboard, at the same height and angle, so that you never have to reach outward for your mouse.
5. Upgrade Your keyboard. Ergonomic keyboards are specially designed to encourage good hand and wrist posture, relaxing your arms and shoulders and making your typing more comfortable and efficient. You may benefit from the mini keyboard or a left-handed keyboard that do not have a number pad on the right side, allowing you to bring the mouse in even closer, thus decreasing muscle strain. When looking for a new keyboard, try several different designs to find one that fits your hands as well as your typing style.

Poor posture can impact your comfort and productivity at work. Upgrade to good, ergonomic chair for better support. Try an adjustable keyboard tray to  help arrange your workspace for better posture. These quick tips can help relieve pain and improve your comfort at work.

I can always tell if I have spent too much time at my computer by the headaches I experience at the end of the day. Computer headaches can often be traced to muscle tension in the neck and shoulders. Although headaches are triggered for many reasons, there are a few typical office “fixes” that can help with work-induced headaches. Here are some of the tips that have helped me.

Tips to reduce neck and shoulder tension and to prevent work-induced headaches:

• Move Your Computer Screen:  This is all about neck position and eye strain. If you hold your neck awkwardly while looking at your computer, you will quickly strain your neck and your eyes, or both, normally resulting in a headache.  For better placement, follow these easy rules:  1) Make sure your monitor is directly in front of you, centered on your body. 2) When sitting back in your chair, your screen should be about an arms-length away; find a good distance that allows your eyes to read easily. 3) Lastly, your monitor should sit up at eye level; a monitor or desk riser can add the necessary height. You should never have to look up or down at your screen. 
• Use a document holder:  Looking back and forth from your notepad or book up to your computer screen can strain the muscles in your neck and shoulders. And constanly refocusing your eyes from your document to your monitor will overwork your eyes. A document holder moves your notes to a better location. Place your document holder as close to your monitor as possible, at about the same distance away from your eyes.
• Correct your posture: Good, ergonomic posture is all about minimizing the work your muscles are doing while sitting at your computer; basically, your muslces are in their most relaxed position possible. Here are a few quick rules to think about: 1) Make sure your chair is properly adjusted and that you have enough lumbar support for your lower back. 2) Move your keyboard is in the proper place about two inches from your lap, slightly sloped away from your body. Try an adjustable keyboard tray to adjust your keyboard quickly and easily. 3) If you find you are tensing your shoulders, move your armrests out of the way while typing.
• Take frequent breaks: Stop and stretch your muscles; move around to get your blood flowing again. Even if you don’t have time for a break, try standing up while you return phone calls or thinking through a problem. Even just a minute or two can help prevent muscle strain.

Headaches can be frustrating and even debilitating, with a significant impact on productivity and concentration.Try adding helpful tools, such as an adjustable keyboard tray or a document holder to help reduce the strain of the muscles in your neck and shoulders. These changes may seem small, but a few improvements to your posture and habits can make a big impact on your life.