Ergonomics At Home
With everything that is going on, many of us are working from home. With this transition more and more people are suffering from ailments cause by the improper ergonomic environment from their “home office”! Here are a few tips and tricks on how to improve the quality of your work at home!
Monitor Height
To be set up so that the top of the screen is at eye level. This can be done by adding a stack of books under your computer monitor (if using a laptop, you will need to have an external keyboard to meet ergonomic criteria). you can also purchase an adjustable height desk or desk toper.
Monitor Distance
The monitor should be between 18-36 inches from your eyes. A single monitor place closer to the 18-inch mark. A dual monitor system being place closer to the 36-inch mark. Blue light blocking glasses can be beneficial to reduce eye strain.
Keyboard & Mouse
The keyboard and mouse to be placed beside one another, same height and close to the front edge of the work station. The desk or keyboard holder needs to be adjustable to be able to compensate for the wrist angle.
Desktop Arrangement
The frequently used items are placed within arms reach (pens, pencils, paper, etc.)
Shoulders
Shoulders are to be rolled back and down, as if in a neutral seated position. No reaching forward and armrests are adjustable to elbow height (bent at 90 degrees). If this feels unnatural or like a lot of work, normally this is due to the laxity in the upper back muscles (they are too weak to keep shoulders back). Focus on targeted upper back exercises such as face pulls and rows.
Back Rest
The back rest is adjusted to support the lumbar spine in the lower back. Back rest angle is adjusted to be between 90-110 degrees. For extra lumbar support try rolling a small towel in a cylinder and place this in the lower back or you can buy a lumbar support system to add to the chair.
Knees
Knees must be bent at 90-120 degrees, with a space of 2-3 inches between the back of the knee and the chair. This may mean you have to sit further up on your chair. Do not forget about the required lumbar support. Roll more towels if needed or buy an adjustable lumbar support system.
Feet
Feet need to be fully supported either on the floor or a foot rest. You can get this online or simply prop your feet up on a box or make a footrest out of wood.
Break
Taking micro breaks is very important so that you muscle to not loose with flexibility causing you daily pain. This could mean getting up and walking around for 10 minutes at the end of every hour so keep the blood flowing and the hamstrings loose. Tight hamstrings and lower back can cause low back pain – very common with desk jobs.
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