Three things that matter about desk posture

There is no single correct sitting position, and hunting for one is a poor use of your attention. Research has repeatedly failed to find a posture that predicts who gets neck and back pain. What does predict it is how long you hold any position without changing it.

1. Move more often than you sit well

The best posture is the next one. Standing up every 30 to 40 minutes — even for a minute — does more for a stiff neck than an expensive chair used without moving. Set a reminder if you get absorbed in work.

2. Get the screen height right

The top of your screen should sit roughly at eye level, so your neck is not held in a small forward tilt for hours. Laptop users pay the biggest price here: a stand plus a separate keyboard fixes more neck pain than any stretch we can give you.

3. Support your forearms

Unsupported arms hang from your neck and shoulders all day. Letting your forearms rest on the desk or armrests takes that load off the upper trapezius, which is where most desk-related aching shows up.

What matters less than you think

Sitting up straight through willpower, expensive posture-correcting braces, and worrying about slouching all rank far below the three above. If your neck aches by mid-afternoon, change the frequency of movement and the screen height first.

If the ache persists despite those changes, or you get pins and needles into the arm or hand, it is worth being assessed properly rather than buying more equipment.