Ergonomics 101 — How to Set Up Your Desk So It Does Not Destroy Your Body
Your desk setup is either supporting your body or slowly breaking it down. Here is the 10-minute adjustment that makes the biggest difference to posture and daily pain.
Most desk setups in Nairobi offices and homes are doing quiet damage: laptops below eye level, chairs without lumbar support, keyboards too far from the body, monitors too close. The cumulative effect shows up in a decade of neck pain, wrist issues, and chronic lower back tension.
The 10-minute ergonomic reset
- Monitor height. Top of the screen should sit at or slightly below eye level. If you use a laptop, raise it — books, a box, a proper laptop riser — and use an external keyboard.
- Eye-to-screen distance. Roughly arm's length (50–70 cm). Closer than that and your neck juts forward; further and you squint.
- Keyboard and mouse. Both within easy reach so your elbows stay at 90° and close to your body. Elbows flying out is shoulder strain.
- Chair. Hips slightly higher than knees, feet flat on the floor (or a footrest), lower back supported. If your chair is wrong, a rolled towel at the lumbar curve is a cheap fix.
- Breaks. Every 45–60 minutes, stand and move for 2 minutes. Non-negotiable. No setup compensates for eight hours of stillness.
For corporate teams
If your team is working from laptops on dining tables, the cumulative cost is measurable: sick days, productivity drops, visits to physios. A one-time ergonomics consultation for your office or remote team pays for itself within weeks.
Individuals can book a one-hour virtual ergonomics session — we audit your setup on video, give you specific fixes, and send you a written plan.
Move better. Feel better.
Ready to get started?
Take the free posture screen — five minutes, instant results — or book directly with our team in Nairobi.
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