Is your desk set-up sabotaging your spine this winter?

As a McTimoney chiropractor and yoga teacher, winter is when I see an increase in office workers in the clinic with neck pain, headaches, and that nagging ache between the shoulder blades. And here's what surprises most people: it's not just about how you sit, but also how we tackle that drop in temperature.

The Winter Desk Trap

When temperatures drop, we make small changes that can create huge problems. That extra jumper that feels tight around the shoulder is restricting your range of movement. You are hunching as its cold, making your shoulders more rounded. The draft from the window behind you is making you tense.

Meanwhile, darker mornings and evenings are turning us into hibernating bears and stopping some of us from going to classes or out exercising.

Your spine doesn't stand a chance.

The Real Culprits

1. Screen Height in Bulky Clothing

That cozy oversized cardigan or thick jumper changes your relationship with your desk, compared to the sun dress or t-shirt and shorts of August. Know is the time to re-check your desk set up, and the height of your chair. Also remember feet should be flat on the floor and this also changes with the shoes you wear.

2. The Radiator Effect

If you're lucky enough to have a radiator near your desk, you might be twisting or leaning towards it to stay warm. This asymmetry, maintained for hours daily across the cold months, creates compensatory patterns throughout your body.  As you adapt to the twisted position, suddenly one hip feels different, one shoulder blade sticks out more, or you develop that mysterious lower back ache on just one side.

3. Reduced Movement Between Tasks

In warmer months, we tend to go out for lunch, have a walk or pop out for a coffee. Winter keeps us in our heated indoor space. Those micro-movements throughout the day, while small, are essential for spinal health. Your intervertebral discs rely on movement to stay hydrated and nourished. Without it, they become stiff and compressed.

4. Laptop Work from the Sofa

Winter evenings invite us to work from "more comfortable" spots. The sofa with a blanket, the bed propped up with pillows, the armchair by the fire. These positions might feel cozy, but are you sitting correctly and taking movement breaks? Your spine has natural curves that need support. Slumping on soft furniture collapses these curves, particularly in your lower back and neck.

What Your Spine Actually Needs This Winter

Get Your Setup Right

Screen position: Your screen should be an arm's length away, with the top of the screen at or just below eye level. If you're wearing bulkier clothing, you may need to raise your screen or adjust your chair height.

Chair support: Use a small cushion or rolled towel in the small of your back to maintain your lumbar curve. Your feet should be flat on the floor or on a footrest. If your chair has arms, they should allow your shoulders to relax down, not hunch up.

Keyboard and mouse: Keep them close enough that your elbows stay by your sides at roughly 90 degrees. Consider a vertical mouse or regular mouse mat with wrist support.

Lighting: Position your desk to avoid glare on your screen, which causes you to crane your neck or squint. In winter's dim light, you need good task lighting to avoid straining forward.

Movement Matters More Than Posture

There is no perfect posture you can maintain all day. Your spine needs variety and movement. Set a timer for every 30-45 minutes to:

• Stand up and reach your arms overhead

• Roll your shoulders backward ten times

• Do 10 gentle neck rolls in each direction

• Walk to get water

• Do a standing forward fold to release your lower back

The Two-Minute Spine Savers

Try these quick exercises at your desk:

Seated cat-cow: Place your hands on your knees. Arch your back and look up (cow), then round your spine and drop your chin to your chest (cat). Repeat 5-10 times.

Shoulder blade squeezes: Sit up tall and squeeze your shoulder blades together as if holding a pencil between them. Hold for 5 seconds, release. Repeat 10 times.

Seated twist: Sit sideways in your chair with your feet flat. Hold the back of the chair with both hands and gently twist your spine, looking over your shoulder. Hold for 30 seconds each side.

Neck stretches: Drop your right ear toward your right shoulder (don't lift your shoulder to meet it). Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the left.

Winter Lunch Breaks Are Non-Negotiable

I know it's dark and cold, but a 10-minute walk at lunchtime might be the most important thing you do for your spine all day. The movement lubricates your joints, the daylight helps regulate your circadian rhythm (better sleep means better recovery), and the break from sitting reduces compression on your discs.

If you really can't face going outside, spend 10 minutes doing gentle stretches or yoga poses indoors. Anything that counteracts the sitting position.

When to Seek Help

Some warning signs that your desk setup has already caused problems:

• Headaches that start in the afternoon and are worse by evening

• Clicking or grinding sensations when you move your neck

• Numbness or tingling in your fingers or hands

• Pain between your shoulder blades that doesn't ease with stretching

• One shoulder noticeably higher than the other

• Lower back pain that's worse after sitting

The Bottom Line

Your desk setup isn't static. What worked in summer doesn't necessarily work in winter. The combination of bulkier clothing, reduced natural movement, cold temperatures, and darker days creates the perfect storm for spinal problems.

The good news? Small adjustments now can prevent big problems later. Take ten minutes this week to reassess your workspace through a winter lens. Your spine will thank you come spring.