This article was originally published in the Winter 2023 issue of ICON/REFINED. 

Your business requires you to be at the top of your game each and every day—but what if your home office setup is actually working against your joint health? From your monitor to your chair, there are simple swaps you can make that’ll ease the strain on your joints so you can grind it out without getting worn down. 

Neck

Preserving your neck joints requires your ears to be centered over your shoulders. Your ears will follow your eyes, which will be directed by your computer screen height. Set your screen height so the top one-third is directly in front of your eyes. You don’t need to buy fancy equipment to fix your screen. Stack books or shoeboxes under the monitor or the laptop until you arrive at the right height. 

Arms

Put your pride aside and pretend you are a T-rex dinosaur (just go with it): Place your elbows next to your torso, then bend your elbows 90 degrees. Objects you use frequently, such as your computer mouse and keyboard should be within the T-rex reach zone. If you use a laptop most of the day, this may require getting an external keyboard, mouse, and keyboard tray. The return on this $50 investment can easily be over 1000% as you minimize the medical bills for conditions like shoulder impingement, arthritis, and carpal tunnel.

Legs

Practice equal opportunity. If you sit, place equal weight through both sits bones. If you cross your legs or curl one up in the chair, give each leg equal time in your favorite asymmetrical position. Not only will your hips and knees thank you, but your whole spine will too. 

Bonus Tip: Take a movement break at least one minute every hour. Movement is like oil for your joints—more is often better.