I used An Edge Desk System to help relieve “tech neck” and back discomfort after working from home for months without a desk during the COVID-19 epidemic, and it was a success.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic in the United States, I’ve been logging into work every day through a laptop computer, as have many other individuals who spend their days staring at a computer screen for a livelihood. My days as an editor used to be spent in an office, drinking my morning coffee and working away at a desk and chair, until our country’s “new normal” of masks and social distance started in March 2020. I used to travel to work and spend most of my time in an office.
Months of working from the couch, kitchen table, and even bed added up. As a result, I have neck pain and bad posture.
Technology-induced neck and shoulder muscle strain, stiffness, pain, and soreness are described as “tech neck” by New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
A month or two of seemingly constant headaches, neck pain, and upper back pain preceded my decision to seek a neurologist’s help for my pain.
It turns out that my daily headaches and back pain were caused by eye strain and tight muscles in my neck and upper back from working from home. Along with new blue-light-filtering glasses and frequent neck stretches throughout the day, I decided it was time to buy a desk and chair for my home office.
In March 2021, my headaches had mostly gone, and I’d finally bought a desk and chair to help my back. However, I found myself subconsciously slouching in my chair, which would essentially re-twitch the sensitive muscles in my upper body if I slouched long enough.
So when I heard about the Edge Desk System, I decided to give it a go-to see if this kneeling desk could help my neck and back pain while working from home. (Edge Desk provided me with a trial desk for a month to write this article.)
What Is An Edge Desk?
The Edge Desk System ($399.99) is an ergonomic desk that uses your knees and shins. This position allows you to see your work at eye level (rather than tipping your neck and tilting your head down to look at it) and helps improve your posture by distributing weight evenly across your back and knees.
The Edge Desk comes in one piece and can be expanded or collapsed as needed. The desk system is available in two colors — black or white — and can be purchased with wheels ($29.99) to move it around the house.
The desk has an easel, a cushioned seat, and knee and shin cushions. The desk, easel, and chair are all adjustable. The easel supports up to 15 lb and the seat up to 250 lb. The easel can hold a computer, a book, or be used for sketching, painting, or other activities.
A clip-on water bottle ($24.99) and a phone ($24.99) holder are also available. You can also buy the accessories as a set for $64.99.
How It Worked When I Tried It
The Edge Desk System is easy to set up. Unlike my previous desk, which took an hour or two to assemble, the Edge Desk came almost fully assembled in the box, ready to use in 10 to 15 minutes after unpacking.
On the first day, working in a kneeling position was uncomfortable, but it quickly became more comfortable. My laptop easily fit on the easel, and the phone and water bottle holders were handy (the latter was the right size for a water bottle or a tumbler of iced coffee). By lunchtime, my knees and shins were definitely tired of sitting.
By day seven, I was using the Edge Desk for my morning work and my traditional desk for my afternoon work. Because I wasn’t in the same position all day, I found that alternating between the two helped relieve my neck, back, knee, and shin pain.
3 Pros of the Edge Desk System
I’d recommend the desk to friends for three reasons:
- Overall, the desk is quite comfy. The seat, knee, and shin padding are of good quality and supported my body well.
- With the Edge Desk, I can’t slouch as much. My work was at eye level, so I didn’t have to sag my shoulders or bend my neck to look at my laptop.
- The Edge Desk is compact. It collapses and stores easily, which is great if you live in an apartment or small space like I do. Plus, the wheels allow me to move it around my house easily.
3 Issues with the Edge Desk System
My main issues with the desk are:
- Edge Desk System too small for a laptop and monitor setup. The desk was too small at times due to its portability. My laptop connects to a monitor, so I can use two screens at once, but the Edge Desk only fits my laptop. It also lacks drawers or other storage for pens, notebooks, etc.
- Working on my knees and shins while kneeling was painful. So I liked to switch back to the traditional desk after lunchtime when my feet would fall asleep and my shins and tailbone would be sore.
- The Edge Desk is not the cheapest desk available. The Edge Desk is $399.99 without the accessories. Although buying the Edge Desk as a set saves money, it is still an expensive purchase. The Edge Desk is more expensive than my traditional desk and chair, and I can’t store as much office equipment in or on it.
The Verdict
Because I have neck and upper back pain, I found the Edge Desk System to be very helpful in relieving my symptoms and improving my posture while working. In fact, I found it most helpful to switch between the Edge Desk and my traditional desk and chair to avoid pressure on my tailbone, knees, and shins.