Foundational Correction by Gonstead Chiropractic: The Daily Tools That Shape Your Posture

If you use the same chair, keyboard, and mouse every day, they are training your posture for hours at a time. Your workstation either supports your foundation or slowly pulls it into a pattern of compensation.

At Cornerstone Community Chiropractic in Ewa Beach, Kapolei, Kaka'ako, and Kailua, we view ergonomics as structural influence. Small daily inputs add up.

The Chair: The Base of Your Alignment

A chair should support the pelvis and low back first. If it does not, everything above it will compensate.

Key features that matter:

• Adjustable seat height so feet can rest flat
• Support that maintains the natural curve of the low back
• Seat depth that allows a little space behind the knees
• Armrests that let shoulders relax rather than lift

Common chair issues we see:

• Sitting too low, forcing the pelvis to roll back
• Sitting too high, creating pressure behind the thighs
• No lumbar support, leading to slumping and disc stress
• Armrests too high, creating neck and shoulder tension

A chair does not need to be expensive, but it does need to fit your body.

The Mouse and Keyboard: Small Devices, Big Compensation

Most people do not notice how far they reach for the mouse until the shoulder starts to ache.

Daily mechanics that typically cause problems:

• Mouse placed too far to the side, forcing shoulder abduction
• Keyboard positioned too high, elevating the shoulders
• Wrist bent upward or outward, stressing the forearm and hand
• Using a laptop trackpad for long hours, increasing repetitive strain

A simple rule that reduces strain fast:

• Keep the mouse close enough that your elbow stays near your side
• Keep the keyboard close so you are not reaching forward
• Keep wrists neutral, not bent up or down

The Monitor: Your Head Follows Your Eyes

Where the screen goes, your head goes. If the monitor sits too low, the head will drift forward and down.

Better alignment basics:

• Top of the screen at or near eye level
• Screen about an arm’s length away
• Centered in front of you, not angled off to one side

Laptop users should consider raising the laptop and using an external keyboard and mouse. This removes the constant downward pull on the neck.

The Workstation Setup That Protects Your Foundation

A practical daily setup that supports the spine:

• Feet flat, hips slightly higher than knees
• Low back supported, sitting back into the chair
• Keyboard and mouse close, elbows near your sides
• Shoulders relaxed, chin gently back
• Monitor centered, eye level

These are small adjustments, but they reduce the amount of compensation your body has to produce all day.

The Gonstead Difference: Structure First, Then Ergonomics

Ergonomics can reduce stress, but it cannot always reverse a pattern that has become structural. If the pelvis is imbalanced or a spinal segment is restricted, the body will continue to compensate even in a better chair.

The Gonstead Method emphasizes:

• Precision analysis
• Specific correction
• Structural balance that improves the way you sit and move

Build a Workday That Your Body Can Sustain

Your chair, mouse, keyboard, and screen shape your posture every day. When those tools fit your body and your foundation is functioning well, you can work with less tension and more resilience.

At Cornerstone Community Chiropractic, we help you correct the root cause and reduce the daily stressors so your body can hold up for the long term.