TRANSCRIPTION 🔗
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Hey there, welcome back. I'm Dr. Hunter Schultz
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from 920 Chiropractic Health and Injury Care
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here in Green Bay. And today we're talking about
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something that affects almost every single one
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of my patients, ergonomics. Now I know that word
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can sound a little technical, but stick with
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me because this is genuinely one of the most
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practical things you can apply to your life starting
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today. We're talking about how you set up your
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space, your desk, your chair, your screen. and
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how those small details can either protect your
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body or slowly wear it down over time. Here's
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what I hear constantly in my office. People come
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in with neck pain, shoulder tension, low back
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stiffness. And when I ask them about their daily
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routine, they describe sitting for six, seven,
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eight hours a day in a setup that's just not
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working for their body. And the frustrating part
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is they didn't do anything dramatic, no accident,
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no big injury, just years of small stresses adding
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up. That's exactly what poor ergonomics does.
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It's a slow burn. So let's talk about what actually
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matters. First, your screen height. Whether you're
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at a desktop, a laptop, or even working from
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your kitchen table, your screen should be roughly
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at eye level. If you're looking down at a laptop
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all day, your head is drifting forward, and that
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puts a tremendous amount of strain on your neck
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and upper back. Think about it this way. Your
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head weighs around 10 to 12 pounds. For every
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inch it shifts forward, the stress on your spine
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roughly doubles. That adds up fast. So raise
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your laptop on a stand, prop it up on some books,
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whatever works. Just get that screen up where
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you're not constantly craning your neck downward.
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Second, your chair and your posture at the hips.
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Here's what I want you to think about. When you
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sit, your hips should be at roughly a 90 degree.
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Load full transcript
angle, maybe even slightly open, with your feet
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flat on the floor. A lot of people are either
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sitting too low, which rounds the lower back,
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or too high, which puts pressure under the thighs.
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If your chair isn't adjustable, a small cushion
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or a folded blanket under your seat can make
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a real difference. Try to keep your lower back
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supported, either with the chair's lumbar support
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or a rolled up towel placed right at that natural
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curve of your spine. Third, and this is a big
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one, movement. No ergonomic setup, no matter
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how perfect, is going to save you if you're completely
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still for hours on end. Your spine loves movement.
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It's designed for it. So set a timer every 30
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to 45 minutes. Stand up. walk around for a minute
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or two, do a few gentle neck rolls, stretch your
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chest open. It doesn't have to be a whole routine,
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just break up that static posture regularly.
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That simple habit alone can dramatically reduce
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the tension that builds up through a long work
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day. Now here's some practical advice for your
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home setup too, especially since so many of us
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are working from couches or beds these days.
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I get it, it's comfortable. but working from
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a soft surface with no support is one of the
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fastest ways to create postural problems. If
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you can, designate a real workspace with a chair
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and a surface at the right height. Even a kitchen
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table with a good chair beats a couch every single
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time for your spine. And one more thing, check
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your wrists and shoulders while you type. Your
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wrists should be relatively neutral, not bent
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upward or downward. Your shoulders should be
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relaxed, not shrugged up toward your ears. If
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you catch yourself tensing your shoulders, take
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a breath, let them drop and reset. Now if you're
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already dealing with neck pain, back pain, or
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headaches that seem to get worse through the
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work day, that's your body talking to you. Those
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are signs that something needs attention. A chiropractic
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evaluation can help us figure out exactly what's
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going on and get you feeling better, not just
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managing discomfort. Come see us at 920 Chiropractic
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Health and Injury Care right here in Green Bay.
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We'd love to help you move better, feel better,
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and work more comfortably every single day. You
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can reach out to us through our website or give
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us a call and we're here for you. Thanks so much
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for listening and I'll talk to you next time.