10/05/2026
Is Your Desk Job Hurting Your Neck and Back?
If you spend 6–8 hours a day in front of a computer and finish your workday with a stiff neck, tight shoulders, headaches, or an aching lower back, your work habits may be part of the problem.
And it may not simply be because you're sitting.
Research suggests that prolonged computer work combined with static posture, awkward positioning, and too few movement breaks is associated with neck and back complaints.
A 2025 review involving 7,814 office workers found associations between low-back pain and longer sitting time, poor sitting posture, fewer breaks, and static sitting.¹
A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis also found that computer or mouse use exceeding four hours per day was associated with an increased risk of arm, neck, and shoulder complaints.²
So what's the solution?
Instead of searching for the “perfect” sitting posture, remember this:
Your best posture may be your NEXT posture.
During your workday:
✓ Change positions regularly
✓ Get up and move throughout the day
✓ Keep your monitor at a comfortable height
✓ Avoid continually leaning toward your screen
✓ Keep your keyboard and mouse within easy reach
✓ Pay attention to symptoms that repeatedly appear during your workday
Your body was designed to move—not remain in one position for hours.
If your neck or back consistently bothers you after a day at the computer, don't just ask, “How is my posture?”
Ask:
“How long have I been in this posture?”
— Dr. Jason Gerard, DC
Lakewoods Chiropractic | Forest Lake, MN
References:
Applied Ergonomics, 2025. PMID: 40111906.
Systematic review and meta-analysis, 2026. PMID: 42228393.
