Sitting pretty? Ergonomics for workaholics

Article published 12 November 2025

By Minahil Munir and Máire O’Dwyer

Look familiar? ‘Tech neck’ in action. Image by Richard Duijnstee from Pixabay.

More and more people are spending increasing amounts of time sitting at desks in their work environment, whether at home or in an office. Not surprisingly, this has led to a surge in musculoskeletal disorders and health problems like back pain and eye strain. Today we look at the risks of this uncomfortable aspect of the modern world – and more importantly at some solutions.

What is ergonomics?

We all know more or less what ergonomics is, but a more formal definition is useful:

[Ergonomics is] the application of psychological and physiological principles to the engineering and design of products, processes, and systems.
Primary goals are to reduce human error, increase productivity and system availability, and enhance safety, health and comfort with a specific focus on the interaction between the human and equipment.
(Source: Wikipedia, 2025)

So a major aspect of ergonomics is exploring how to create a comfortable and efficient workspace. People who work at a desk for long periods often experience pain and muscle tension, and the problem may be as simple as their ergonomic setup – how their desk, screen and other equipment are placed in relation to their body. Another major factor is too little movement during the course of the working day. Physical discomfort can lead to mental fatigue, with both contributing to reduced productivity and quality of work. So it’s important to look for ways to implement both a better work setup and a better daily routine.

First we look at the dangers of an unhealthy workspace and routine.

The health risks of desk-working

Short-term risks

Short-term health risks of desk-working include muscle fatigue, reduced circulation and muscle aches. These can be caused by poor screen setup, where the screen is too high; awkward posture due to the lack of a suitable chair; and lack of movement. Sitting for long periods with little or no physical movement reduces blood circulation and this can be highly dangerous if prolonged, leading to blood clots and chronic swelling.

The most common short-term problems are headache, muscle aches and mental fatigue. Headaches are often caused by tension in the neck and shoulders, which may be due to the shoulders being raised because the chair is placed too high. This leads to hunching over the mouse and keyboard, giving rise to pain and general discomfort.

Long-term risks

Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) is a general term for injuries that affect the musculoskeletal system, including bones, muscles, tendons and joints. Problems associated with MSD include chronic back pain, repetitive strain injuries and cervical spine (neck) issues. Chronic back pain can be caused by a lack of lumbar support and a bad sitting posture over long periods. Repetitive strain injuries can be caused by lack of recovery due to not taking sufficient breaks from repeated force on muscles and tendons. Cervical spine issues can be caused by a forward head posture – the dreaded ‘tech neck’. This occurs when the head’s weight is pushed forward, meaning the cervical disks must work harder, causing compression over time. Looking down at electronic devices also causes strain in the neck muscles and slumping of the shoulders. Pressure on the nerve supply in the neck can cause pain in the neck area and possibly also referred pain in the arms and hands.

Other long-term effects are circulatory issues and weakened vision. As mentioned, circulatory issues are caused by lack of movement and decreased blood flow. Over long periods this increases the risk of blood clots and varicose veins. Staring at a screen for hours every day can cause eye strain, potentially leading to vision problems.

‘Oooh, that hurts!’ Image by Arpit from Pixabay.

Solutions for a healthy workday

As unnerving as all this sounds, there are solutions. Putting a small amount of time into creating a healthy work setup and a better routine will greatly reduce many of these risks, making every working day more pleasant and comfortable.

Create a healthy office setup

We’ll look first at the experts’ advice for arranging office equipment ergonomically:

Chair: Make sure your chair has lumbar support to straighten your posture, ensuring your back is relaxed. Set the height so the armrests match the height of your desk. This means your shoulders won’t be raised or hunched, resulting in less muscle fatigue.
Desk: Ensure all equipment is at the right height in relation to your desk, and raise it if necessary with blocks or books. Some people find a standing desk helpful, and many standing desks adjust to allow both standing and sitting.
Monitor: Place the monitor straight in front of you, directly behind your keyboard, and about an arm’s length from your face (50–100cms away). Set the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level.
Keyboard and mouse: Place these close enough to avoid having to stretch. Ensure wrists and forearms are in line, and shoulders relaxed.
Footrest: Place your feet flat on the floor, or use a footrest to promote blood circulation and provide support.
Lighting: Reduce glare as much as possible. Adjustable lighting and window blinds can help to reduce eye strain and headaches.
Ventilation and temperature: Keep your workspace well-ventilated and ensure the temperature is comfortable without being too hot or too cold.

Keep to a healthy routine

The second way to manage the health problems of desk-working is to create a healthy daily routine that includes sufficient breaks:

Take a short morning walk to promote alertness and regulate your Circadian rhythm.
Use the 20–20–20 method to avoid eyestrain: focus on an object 20 feet away every 20 minutes for 20 seconds.
Take regular breaks. Health experts recommend moving for at least five minutes every hour to allow tense muscles to relax and blood circulation to reset.
Build walks, gym sessions or exercise classes into your weekly routine.
Stretch to relax your muscles after a day sitting at a desk.
If it’s hard to get out, try a home treadmill or exercise bike.

Some creative solutions: a standing desk. Image by reallywellmadedesks from Pixabay.

Why a healthy workspace is important for everyone

If you’re not experiencing problems right now, this may all seem irrelevant. But with ergonomics, every day counts. Little by little, problems can build up without your noticing, until a small problem becomes a big one. Investing time now to ‘healthify’ your work space and rethink your daily routine could prevent serious health problems in the future – and make every workday a comfortable one.