• Live Leaner
  • Posts
  • How to set up your monitor to prevent tech neck

How to set up your monitor to prevent tech neck

And how to sit to keep your spine healthy

Author

Diego Carrete
March 14, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

Hello there,

Last month I spent a week in Dubai with my good friend Olivier Girard who is one of the best ergonomists and posture specialists that exist. Who you will become is dictated by the 5 people you surround yourself with. I learned a lot not only about posture, but about life, adversity and purpose.

Now let’s talk about avoiding neck pain which is what you are here for but for that let me break down Olivier’s “Three Rules of Posture”:

Rule number 1
It states that the back shouldn’t be slouched, nor hollow nor twisted.

Rule number 2
It states that the neck must be relaxed in order not to impair blood flow.

Rule number 3
Posture is built from feet to head, you build your posture ensuring a strong, stable foundation.

Why you should not use dual screens? It’s all about the visual field, basically this set up most of the time violates at least 2 rules at once.

Your neck will be under tension and your back will be twisted

There are 5 factors that stress the neck:

  1. Extension (rearward)

  2. Flexion >20° (forward)

  3. Forward head posture

  4. Rotation

  5. Lateral flexion (sideways)

Prolonged sitting is not great, but prolonged standing isn't ideal either. Aim for a combination of both to avoid excessive pressure on any joint for extended periods.

What's the best posture? In my experience, it's about achieving maximum stability with minimal effort. Look to children as examples; they naturally embody this balance, despite carrying a load in their heads 50% heavier relative to their bodyweight.

How to avoid headaches if you sit for more than 4 hours a day?

Correct your line of sight. To decompress the neck, your gaze should be slightly downward. Neck pain seldom arises from being too relaxed. Headaches can result from the neck being either overly flexed or hyperextended, affecting internal systems, including the lymphatic system and immunity.

Diego Carrete. Chief Wellness Officer at First Abu Dhabi Bank

So, what about dual screens? 

While they can work, unless positioned correctly —ideally as in the center image below — they often exceed your visual field.

The center one is the only ergonomically sensible choice.

If you choose to employ dual screens as illustrated in the center example, and seek to enhance productivity, consider utilizing the support screen to split tasks accordingly (below):

A vertical screen may entail a neck extension

How to learn where to position your vertical (support) screen?

  1. Extend your arms in front of you

  2. With both eyes open, center a distant object, such as a wall clock or doorknob, within a triangular opening formed by your hands

  3. Close your left eye

  4. If the object remains centered, your right eye (the one that's open) is dominant

This is known as the Dominant Eye Test

Your main screen (horizontal) should be centered on your dominant eye. In my case, I position the monitor slightly to the right of my body, as my dominant eye is the right one.

If this was helpful, use the link below to share it with your loved ones or colleagues, they will thank you!

Share The Lean Executive Newsletter

{{rp_personalized_text}}

Copy & paste this link to others : {{rp_refer_url}}

Diego Carrete

Chief Executive Officer @ FIT LIFE FZCO

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Reply

or to participate.