Backache - working at home

[cheeseisthebest]

I have a proper chair so that's not the issue but I'm getting awful backache and I don't know why. Is it my posture? What should I do?

You need the whole set up checking, monitor height, desk, chair etc. Do you stand up/walk around regularly? Do you do much other exercise?

Are you moving around enough?

Make sure you take frequent breaks - I know I'm terrible for working for hours without a break when I'm at home and not distracted by colleagues.

You do need a whole Dse review and your work should help you do it

For me it was because my laptop screen wasn't lift to the right height

Please do it quickly. I had a frozen shoulder which lasted months

I'm a total fidget so constantly getting up and moving around. Yep I do exercise. Would my work come out and check my desk etc? I finished at 6 and back still hurts. It's my neck shoulder blades and middle of my back that hurt.

Oh do you know what I used to have a laptop stand that raised it and I've lost it. Don't think I had the pain then, I hadn't made the connection.

A foot rest has fixed my neck and shoulder pain. My screen is at eye level. I used to be in such pain.

The top of your screen should be about eye level - if you are working from home most of the time, I think it's definitely worth investing in a monitor and a separate keyboard and mouse.

Your employer should give you training on DSE set up, have you got a checklist you can go through to make sure you've got your chair and equipment set up correctly and your desk at the right height and stuff?

There's a video on this page which helps you check your set-up

Managing home workers' health and safety

Thank you so much, I've found the laptop stand and raised it up

👍 extra back/neck problems are an issue with home working as all those DSE assessments we’d do in the office don’t happen and easy to forget.

If you're using just a laptop, it's not possible to work in an appropriate position. Raising the screen to eye level means that the keyboard will be in the wrong place for your arms.

Either raise the laptop to the right level for your eyes and use a separate keyboard at desk level, or have a monitor at the right level for your eyes and use your laptop keyboard at desk level.

I think the lack of ergonomic planning for home working will come back to haunt us in years to come.