For many people, a huge portion of their day is spent sitting at a desk or using a computer. And while this can be great for helping them get all their work done, this type of positioning can often be very harmful to your body. 

Luckily, with the right posture and support, you can continue to work at your desk or on your computer without causing any long-term damage to the musculoskeletal structure of your body. To show you who this can be done, here are three tips for protecting your body when sitting at a desk or using a computer.

Support Your Back Properly

One of the largest areas of your body that you need to be concerned with when sitting for extended periods of time is your back. When not supported correctly, your back can suffer from a lot of pain and damage that can take years to counteract. 

To help you avoid this, Hannah Newman, a contributor to Greatist.com, recommends that, when seated at your desk, you find a chair that will give you the proper amount of lumbar support. To know when you’ve found this, you should have a slight curve in your lumbar spine, which is the most natural position. Otherwise, your spine could curve in the opposite direction and cause you a lot of problems. 

Keep Everything At The Right Level

Another problem people have when using a computer at a desk is that the accessories they have aren’t situated at the right places or levels for them. To have your desk set up to minimize pain and strain on your body, you might need to do some adjusting to your work station.

According to Dr. Tyler Wheeler, a contributor to WebMD.com, you should position your monitor so that it’s right in front of your eyes when your neck is in a neutral position. Additionally, your keyboard and mouse should be below your chest so that you don’t have to keep your elbows flexed in order to use them. 

Give Your Body A Break

Even if you’re sitting at your desk in the more ergonomic way possible, there’s still no substitute for giving your body a break from being in one constant position. 

To allow your body the rest it needs, Gregory Minnis, a contributor to Healthline.com, recommends that you get up from your desk and do a little light moving around about every 30 minutes. If you can’t get up this often, just being cognizant that you should try to move your body more and allow your joints and muscles to rest as often as possible is a great step forward. 

If you spend a lot of your day sitting at a desk or using a computer, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you protect your body from this wear and tear.