Work Space: El Paso, TX. Chiropractor Dr. Alex Jimenez reviews the workspace environment to see whether it’s truly spine-friendly.
Work can be a pain, but it doesn’t have to be painful. Creating an office workspace to avoid back and neck strain is easier than you may think. Plus, rethinking your work environment is a fantastic chance to brush up on other healthy work habits as well as your posture.
Here are five ways you can design your office with your back in mind.
Table of Contents
Adjust Your Sitting Posture
If you’re not sitting right, even with the best equipment, your back will suffer. Pay attention to the position of your legs, hands, and head when sitting. To avoid back pain, make sure to do the following:
- Sit erect with your back and shoulders against the back of your chair
- Consider using a hands-free headset to stop shoulder and neck pain
- Don’t slouch
- Arms should rest on the armrests of your chair to avoid nerve pressure or circulatory difficulties
- Keep your feet flat on the flooring—don’t cross your legs
- Rest your shoulders while typing
Get A Good Chair
A well-constructed ergonomic seat helps increase your blood flow, reduce fatigue and stress, and decrease the chance of injury to your neck and back. Getting the best chair matters, so try it in a store rather than buying online, so you know how it feels before you buy. Make sure your office chair has the following:
- A good backrest that provides lumbar support
- The capability to recline (Sitting erect at a 90º angle is not good for your spine; a 100-degree to 110-degree angle is much better.)
- Flexible height (You don’t want the seat to be overly high—your feet must be flat on the floor)
- The ability to rotate or swivel, so you can easily change tasks
Invest In A Desk That Provides More Than Just Storage
One of the biggest pitfalls of a spine-friendly workspace is staying in one position for too long. Switching between sitting and standing is the best strategy, and some desks—known as sit-stand desks or sit-to-stand desks—encourage you to mix up your position throughout the workday.
Sit-to-stand desks offer you the choice of a workspace that is comfortable in both sitting and standing poses—and they have been discovered to simply help burn off calories. They come in various price points and styles, and a growing variety of companies are considering this investment to boost workplace wellness.
If you’re looking to boost the ergonomic quality of a traditional desk, make sure it is:
- Secure (not wobbly)
- Suitably high (generally 28″ to 30″ above the floor)
- Large enough for your computer, with surface space for writing along with other jobs.
- Not so large that you have to overreach to do your work, which could cause excessive stress on the back
Look At Your Computer
Since you do so much office work on computers, where you put your equipment can really affect how your back feels at work. Try the following tips:
- Tilt the keyboard down and slightly away from you for better wrist posture
- Be sure your mouse is close enough so you can use it with your arms relaxed, and let it be as close to your body as possible
- Set the monitor right in front of you at eye level, not off to the side, to avoid eye and neck strain. Adjustable monitor stands can help you find the ideal height.
- If using a notebook, consider getting an external monitor or keyboard (or both). This lets you adjust each part individually to create a comfortable setup.
Take a Break
This is not just a coffee break; it is a spine break. Stretch, take a quick walk, and get the blood flowing. It’s simple to get caught up in work and forget that you’ve been sitting or typing for a straight hour. Whether it’s a 15-minute walk or a two-minute stretch session, occasional breaks can help revive your muscles, and perhaps you can feel more productive, too.
You spend a lot of time at work—why not take a few extra steps to create a space that supports your back?
Post Disclaimer
General Disclaimer, Licenses and Board Certifications *
Professional Scope of Practice *
The information herein on "Work Space Tips for a Spine-Friendly Office" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.
Blog Information & Scope Discussions
Welcome to El Paso's Premier Wellness and Injury Care Clinic & Wellness Blog, where Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, FNP-C, a Multi-State board-certified Family Practice Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC) and Chiropractor (DC), presents insights on how our multidisciplinary team is dedicated to holistic healing and personalized care. Our practice aligns with evidence-based treatment protocols inspired by integrative medicine principles, similar to those on this site and on our family practice-based chiromed.com site, focusing on naturally restoring health for patients of all ages.
Our areas of multidisciplinary practice include Wellness & Nutrition, Chronic Pain, Personal Injury, Auto Accident Care, Work Injuries, Back Injury, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, Migraine Headaches, Sports Injuries, Severe Sciatica, Scoliosis, Complex Herniated Discs, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain, Complex Injuries, Stress Management, Functional Medicine Treatments, and in-scope care protocols.
Our information scope is multidisciplinary, focusing on musculoskeletal and physical medicine; wellness; contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations; associated somato-visceral reflex clinical dynamics; subluxation complexes; sensitive health issues; and functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.
We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and licensure jurisdiction. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for musculoskeletal injuries or disorders.
Our videos, posts, topics, and insights address clinical matters and issues that directly or indirectly relate to our clinical scope of practice.
Our office has made a reasonable effort to provide supportive citations and has identified relevant research studies that support our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies upon request to regulatory boards and the public.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how they may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to discuss the subject matter above further, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.
We are here to help you and your family.
Blessings
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, APRN, FNP-BC*, CCST, IFMCP, CFMP, ATN
email: [email protected]
Multidisciplinary Licensing & Board Certifications:
Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License #: TX5807, Verified: TX5807
New Mexico DC License #: NM-DC2182, Verified: NM-DC2182
Multi-State Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN*) in Texas & Multi-States
Multi-state Compact APRN License by Endorsement (42 States)
Texas APRN License #: 1191402, Verified: 1191402 *
New Mexico CNP License#: 90560, Verified
Florida APRN License #: 11043890, Verified: APRN11043890 *
Colorado License #: C-APN.0105610-C-NP, Verified: C-APN.0105610-C-NP
New York License #: N25929, Verified N25929
License Verification Link: Nursys License Verifier
* Prescriptive Authority Authorized
ANCC FNP-BC: Board Certified Nurse Practitioner*
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*
Graduate with Honors: ICHS: MSN-FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)
Degree Granted. Master's in Family Practice MSN Diploma (Cum Laude)
Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC*, CFMP, IFMCP, ATN, CCST
(Board Certified: Family Practice Nurse Practitioner—Multistate)*
(Licensed Nurse Practitioner & Chiropractor - Multistate)*
Clinical Director
Digital Business Card
Dr. Maria Cardenas, MD
(Board Certified: Internal Medicine)
(Licensed Medical Doctor)
Medical Director, Clinical Director & Collaborative Physician
NPI # 1164426749
MD License #: J2933
Licenses and Board Certifications:
MD: Medical Doctor
DC: Doctor of Chiropractic
APRNP: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
FNP-BC: Family Practice Specialization (Multi-State Board Certified)
RN: Registered Nurse (Multi-State Compact License)
CFMP: Certified Functional Medicine Provider
MSN-FNP: Master of Science in Family Practice Medicine
MSACP: Master of Science in Advanced Clinical Practice
IFMCP: Institute of Functional Medicine
CCST: Certified Chiropractic Spinal Trauma
ATN: Advanced Translational Neutrogenomics
Memberships & Associations:
TCA: Texas Chiropractic Association: Member ID: 104311
AANP: American Association of Nurse Practitioners: Member ID: 2198960
ANA: American Nurse Association: Member ID: 06458222 (District TX01)
TNA: Texas Nurse Association: Member ID: 06458222
NPI: 1205907805
| Primary Taxonomy | Selected Taxonomy | State | License Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 111N00000X - Chiropractor | NM | DC2182 |
| Yes | 111N00000X - Chiropractor | TX | DC5807 |
| Yes | 363LF0000X - Nurse Practitioner - Family | TX | 1191402 |
| Yes | 363LF0000X - Nurse Practitioner - Family | FL | 11043890 |
| Yes | 363LF0000X - Nurse Practitioner - Family | CO | C-APN.0105610-C-NP |
| Yes | 363LF0000X - Nurse Practitioner - Family | NY | N25929 |
| Yes | 363LF0000X - Nurse Practitioner - Family | NM |
90560 |
Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC*, CFMP, IFMCP, ATN, CCST
(Board Certified: Family Practice Nurse Practitioner—Multistate)*
(Licensed Nurse Practitioner & Chiropractor - Multistate)*
Clinical Director
Digital Business Card
Dr. Maria Cardenas, MD
(Board Certified: Internal Medicine)*
(Licensed Medical Doctor)*
Medical Director, Clinical Director & Collaborative Physician
NPI # 1164426749
MD License #: J2933
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