Do you find yourself squirming in your chair at work? Stopping
to rub your neck or shoulders? Feeling an aching back, headache, or
tired, dry eyes? If so, you could be suffering because of poor
ergonomics.
Do you find yourself squirming in your chair at work? Stopping to rub your neck or shoulders? Feeling an aching back, headache, or tired, dry eyes? If so, you could be suffering because of poor ergonomics.
What are ergonomics? They are much more than just a trendy word you’ve heard describing everything from dog dishes to soda bottles to expensive chairs. Ergonomics is the rapidly expanding science that explores the interaction between workers and their work environments. Ergonomics analyzes and improves the fit between people and their furniture, equipment, tools and work situations.
What does this mean for you? Ergonomic improvements mean decreased pain, increased efficiency and productivity and more energy to do the things you want to do.
You can start to feel better now. Don’t wait, because waiting is likely to make your symptoms become worse. Cumulative trauma and repetitive motion injuries typically start with a deceptively small symptom, yet they can escalate to become disabling and nearly impossible to cure.
Start your ergonomics process by looking at your work setup. If you’re working on a computer, you should ideally be able to use the keyboard and mouse with your shoulders relaxed, elbows resting at your sides, wrists straight, and head facing directly forward. Your back should be supported by your chair, and your feet supported by the floor or a sturdy footrest.
If these concepts are foreign to you, it might take some time to get everything arranged comfortably. But don’t give up. The simple changes described here can get you started and make an immediate difference.
If you’re hunching your shoulders up or leaning and reaching forward to the keyboard or desk, try raising your chair or putting a cushion on it, so that when you sit, your elbows are at about the same level as your keyboard. Scoot close to the keyboard. Get that mouse close to you, too. If you can now work comfortably with your back against your chair’s backrest, congratulate yourself!
If you’re under 5’4”, a standard chair seat might be too deep for you. When you’re seated all the way back in the chair, you should have 2 to 3 inches of clearance between the front of the chair and the back of your calves. If the chair is touching your calves, you’re going to find yourself sitting forward on the edge of the chair and not using the backrest. Some chairs can adjust to a smaller seat depth. If yours doesn’t, consider adding a back cushion or pillow to fill in the gap between the backrest and your back.
If, when you sit all the way back in your chair, your feet don’t reach the floor, get something under them for support. A footrest is great, but you could also inexpensively duct tape one or two old phone books together to serve you well. Your body and equipment need to be stable for you to work comfortably.
Neck hurting? If you find yourself leaning forward to see the monitor, it may be that the monitor is too far away. If you’ve already made sure the monitor isn’t just plain dirty and your glasses are right for you, try this: Get close enough to see the screen clearly without straining, and note the distance from your nose to the monitor. This is your comfortable viewing distance. Then, while sitting back in your chair in working position, place the monitor at that comfortable viewing distance. Avoid a monitor that is positioned too high or too low or is not centered directly in front of you.
Eyestrain and headaches? These can be caused by a monitor that is positioned too close, or is compromised by dirt, smudges or glare. Check your comfortable viewing distance as described above. If your monitor is too close, move it back, with help. If there isn’t enough room to move it back, consider a change in furniture, a flat panel monitor or a platform or other means of moving your keyboard and mouse away from
Lastly, don’t hesitate to ask for help. A worker in pain is the last thing an employer wants or needs. If you’re striving to help yourself, your employer will appreciate your attitude and efforts and will hopefully be glad to team up with you to get you feeling better, staying healthy, and remaining on the job.
Nancy M. Lowe is a Certified Ergonomist, Registered Physical Therapist and Certified Hand Therapist, with more than 20 years’ experience treating and preventing injuries. Look for her workshop, “Work Safe and Smart!” Sept. 30 at Morgan Hill Community Adult School. Contact her at nm****@**************go.com/
