Back pain in the morning? Can't touch your toes?' An ergonomic expert
shares tips to stay healthy if you're spending lots of time at your desk

Date:
Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:47:23 +0000

Description:
Dr. Lindsey Migliore explains how to best sit in your gaming or office chair.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Earlier this year I visited the global headquarters and showroom of gaming chair giant Secretlab in Singapore for an early look at the then unannounced Atlas task chair. Most of the trip was focused on the upcoming product, learning about how it was designed and getting some initial hands-on time, but also involved a lengthy chat with the companys ergonomic advisor, Dr. Lindsey Migliore.

On top of her work with brands like Secretlab, the physician is the founder
of GamerDoc, a consultancy firm that helps professional competitive players prevent injuries, and published a first of its kind handbook of esports medicine in 2021. She also delivers lectures on the subject around the world. I cant think of anyone better placed to tell you how best to sit in a chair, and she had plenty of useful advice some of which will likely come as a surprise, even if you already think you have perfect seating position. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: Dr. Lindsey Migliore PMR physician and esports medicine expert

Dr. Lindsey Migliore is a leading voice in esports medicine. She founded the consultancy firm GamerDoc and advises major hardware brands like Secretlab
and Herman Miller. In 2021 she published a first of its kind handbook of esports medicine. You could be sitting all wrong (Image credit: Future) Ergonomics back in the day used to be a little different. When I started working, it was the 90-90-90 rule. Stiff, upright, she begins, referring to the popular idea that your hips, knees, and elbows should all be at a 90 when youre sitting at a desk.

It started in airspace, and then worked its way into the rest of the world through assembly lines because business people didnt want their assembly workers to get injured, she continued. Thats where the 90-90-90 [rule] and
the origin of ergonomics came from. You may like Best gaming chair: top seats that we've tested, and expert buying advice Best office chairs of 2026: All-day comfort and ergonomic support for every budget Logitechs ergonomic keyboard and mouse helped alleviate my wrist pain, and both products are on sale now

Then we started applying it more to office workers, and how we all sat in the early 2000s. Thats when adjustability started blowing up; we got split keyboards, vertical mice, and sit-to-stand desks.

The advice, she argues, is now out of date and focuses too heavily on maintaining a perfect, still position: Adjustability is great, its essential, but they replaced perfect upright sitting with supported stillness theres no movement. Theres all this data from five, 10 years ago about how bad sitting still is for us, and how bad a sedentary lifestyle is for us. Its just as bad as diabetes. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me
with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Rather than staying static, she says that its vital to keep activating your muscles by moving around.

Back in the day when we were hunter-gatherers, you would eat food, and youd use that food to kill more food. But now we eat food, and we go to sleep. We eat food, and we watch Netflix for six hours, she adds with a chuckle.

Muscles are meant to take load, external force, and respond with tension
[...] but when you sit for a long period of time, that prolonged tension causes strain. What to read next Interview: AndaSeat talks chairs, desks and 'superior home office setups' Most comfortable gaming chairs Best gaming
desks in 2026

In the short term its pain, its discomfort, but in the long term the tissue remodels to get used to stillness, to get used to a lack of movement. Motion is key (Image credit: Future) Dr. Migliore says this is supported by plenty
of recent research: What were looking at in modern day ergonomics is that youve got to get your butts moving. Youve got to get up; youve got to move.
We know that movement is good.

As a result, she recommends chairs that offer dynamic tilt mechanisms and support multiple seating positions, like the Secretlab Atlas.

She also has some more general tips that everyone will be able to apply to their own setups, regardless of their chosen hardware.

Back pain in the morning? Cant touch your toes? she laughs, before suggesting that having your feet flat on the floor is the number one most important
thing when youre seated. Footrests can be introduced if you require some
added height or want to help stretch your ankles by propping your feet up at more of an angle.

Your knees should also be kept roughly in line with your hips, in the
position that you find most comfortable. For chairs with adjustable seat depth, the ideal position is two to three finger breadths between the back of your knee and the chair. You should also aim to have your lower back flat against the backrest to reduce the risk of your muscle tissue weakening. Reclining back on your chair for a rest in between intense tasks can be helpful as well, and promotes back movement.

She recommends using a desk with an adjustable height, saying that your
elbows should be at a 90-degree angle. The 90-90-90 rule isnt dead, she adds. Were just not focused on upright posture all the time. Your monitor should then be about an arm s length away from where youre sitting with the top of
it about level with your eyes.

She advises those with ultra-wide displays to ensure that the middle of the screen is used as a high focus area, with the sides reserved for less important programs so that youre not constantly turning your head and risking neck strain. As long as your head and neck are neutral and looking forward, youre good, she says.

If you're looking to upgrade your setup off the back of Dr. Migliore's
advice, you can see our recommendations for the best gaming chairs or best office chairs , and best office desks or best standing desks (perhaps even a gaming desk ) depending on what you're after. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/ergonomic-expert-shares-tips-to-stay-healthy- if-youre-spending-lots-of-time-at-your-desk


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