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written by ErgoRisk

Laptops and Ergonomics

If you look at anyone in your office at a laptop workstation, which of the following should you see?

• Hips positioned comfortably to the back of the chair
• Low, middle and upper back supported by the chair back
• When looking at their back, an imaginary line from their ear to their hips should show a slight recline
• Upper arms hanging vertically, with elbows relaxed comfortably at the side of the body
• Head positioned directly over the keyboard so that he/she can see the three point font spreadsheet on their 15” screen

While laptops are fantastic productivity enhancers, this benefit sometimes comes at the expense of worker comfort.

The good news is that some simple, inexpensive changes can enhance both comfort and productivity. The number one thing to do is to find a way to allow you to use a keyboard separate from your screen. Docking stations or external keyboard and mice will help you to minimize the impact of using a laptop in the office.

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written by ErgoRisk

Laptop Ideas

Isn’t technology awesome! With wireless networks, longer lasting laptop batteries, Google, 24/7 shopping, online chatting and role playing games, we can spend more and more time on our computers…Yahoo!!!!
Or maybe that should be Yeouch?

Do you ever get ‘in’ to something online at home and then all of a sudden you look up and it’s a couple of hours later?

Whether it’s melting into the couch, stretching out on the floor or using your laptop at the kitchen table, the equation is simple:

Lots of time + awkward postures = discomfort (or worse).

The most important things to remember when you are working at home are to try and keep your back supported in good posture and to avoid staying in one position for long periods of time.

Another easy fix is adding an external keyboard and mouse allows you to raise your laptop so the top of your screen is closer to eye level and to bring your input devices as close to elbow height as possible.

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written by ErgoRisk

Head Position Matters

How is your ‘paperless’ office working for you?

If you’re like most office dwellers, it may seem that the volume of paper has actually increased. If you frequently transcribe, edit or refer to documents while working on your computer, it’s important to be aware of your head and neck posture.

Did you know the human head weighs approximately 5 kg (11 lbs)?

It’s funny. We wouldn’t go to a gym and hold a 10 pound weight out in front of us for 4 hours a day so why do we do it at work and act surprised when our neck gets sore? Working with the neck twisted and the head leaning forward (such as when referencing documents lying flat on the desk) can result in soreness in the muscles that support the weight of the head. Ideal solutions put your documents inline with your monitor and tilted toward you. (i.e. book holder, inline document holder). Doing this helps us to sit in our chair without needing to lean forward or working with our neck bent.

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written by ErgoRisk

Use It Right - Office Equipment Can Only Do So Much

• Are you set-up for a let down?
• Do you own your workstation or does it own you?
• Take responsibility for your posture and your workstation set-up. Remember that even with the most ergonomically designed workstation – your actions will determine how you feel. Treat your body well, keeping the arms in close and reclining slightly in the chair.
• Take brief breaks whenever possible.
• Be careful which postures you invest in.
• What are you going to do to help yourself today?

This article was
written by ErgoRisk

Keyboard History

The first typewriter was mass produced in the 1870’s. The original QWERTY layout minimized frequently used pairs of keys from being positioned side-by-side. When adjacent keys were pressed in close succession, they tended to jam on each other. The QWERTY layout was, in fact, an attempt to increase typing speed.

Current keyboards don’t have the same mechanical obstacles of typewriters. However, the QWERTY layout has endured.

Interestingly, with the evolution from typewriters to computers, mice and numeric keypads have been integrated in a desire for increased speed. For some workers, their layout can contribute to fatigue and discomfort.

Our greatest challenge is that we spend too much time sitting, alternately keying and mousing. The type of key layout is much less important than using proper postures and taking frequent microbreaks to interrupt awkward, static postures day after day after day after day…

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written by ErgoRisk

And the Award for Best Posture Goes to…

All of the above... at least almost all of them.

There is not one perfect posture. Change your posture frequently. Look around your office. There are probably very few people sitting up perfectly straight.

There are a couple of simple things you can do to create different ergonomic sitting positions:

• Check your chair and see if the back rest or chair can go into a ‘floating mode’. Typically this is done by adjusting a tension adjustment knob located underneath the front of the chair or a “back lock” lever on the side (Ohhh!!! So that is what it’s for!)
• Even if you can’t do this, change your chair adjustments throughout the day, stand up when you can, or even occasionally sit forward on your chair.

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written by ErgoRisk

The Perfect Fit - Setting Your Chair

Chairs dictate what posture we are in for the majority of every day, week and year. Surprisingly though, few of us spend any time setting our chairs up to fit our body.

Take a few minutes to complete the following scavenger hunt:

• Find the instructions for your chair. The instructions are often attached underneath the seat pan.
• Figure out what type of chair you have and find the chair manual online.
• Print a copy of the following document PDF
• Take a few minutes and walk through the exercise to find that perfect fit.
• Sit back and relax, you are now on ‘comfort island’.

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written by ErgoRisk

Wrist Care

Our wrist and hand muscles work best when they are in ‘neutral’ position. Our office jobs have become so specialized and repetitious that even seemingly minor movement habits and awkward postures can add up over time and lead to discomfort or injury. Here are some of the most common issues that we see:

• Working with the wrists resting on the desk when using the keyboard or mouse.
• Resting on the wrists AND working with the wrists bent backward when typing or using the input device.
• Anchoring the wrist to the desk then using the wrist like a windshield wiper when using the mouse.
• Resting the wrist and base of the palm on the desk or desk edge when typing or using the mouse.
• This leads to pressure on the carpal tunnel and promotes poor wrist posture (see picture)
• Working with the wrists bent to the side when using a conventional keyboard or mouse for a high percentage of the day.

When the wrist is bent backward or the palm rests on a desk edge or hard surface, friction is created between the tendons, their protective sheath and the bones and ligaments of the wrist. Think of it as a string rubbing over the corner of a desk. Over time, the string can become hot and frayed. Similar reactions may occur when we work repetitiously with the wrist in awkward posture. This can lead to wrist and hand injuries over time.

Ergo Tip: To protect your wrists and hands, consider installing ‘microbreak’ software such as WorkSafe Sam or Workrave.

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written by ErgoRisk

Home Office - What to look for in a chair and desk

How is your $99/hand me down steno chair working out for you? And that office desk that was an ‘unbelievable deal’? Are the words ‘you get what you pay for’ still ringing in your ears? 

Your home office furniture doesn’t need to be expensive, it just needs to fit you and feel comfortable.

The two largest purchases you will make for your home office will be your desk and your chair.

As you are putting your wish list together, here are a few of the chair features to consider understand:

• Height adjustability
• A seat that lets you slide your hips to the back of the seat without the front of the seat touching the back of your knees
• Height adjustable backrest with a contour that supports your low back
• Easy adjustments for tilting the backrest and the seat
• Easy adjustments allowing you to change positions throughout the day (e.g. a rocking mode – not locked)

If you are purchasing a desk, consider the following questions:

• Do you need space for a computer and a place to read and write on your desk?
• When you sit in your chair, is your desk top significantly higher than the bottom of your elbow? If so, make sure that you have a way to put your keyboard and mouse at a lower height (height adjustable desk or a keyboard and mouse tray)
• Don’t forget the kids! If you’re not the only one using the home office, more adjustable furniture will allow everyone to be comfortable.

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written by ErgoRisk

Right Tools for the Job

Make sure that you have the right tools to do your job safely, and make sure your tools are adjusted correctly. Without the right tools (chair, desk, input devices), it can be very difficult to put yourself in a position to work without adding unnecessary stress to the body. Based on what you know, take a second and score yourself using the scale at the bottom of the page. Take a look around. What is stopping you from working in a ‘neutral’ or relaxed working posture?

• Is it your laptop pulling you in until your nose touches the 9 point font?
• Is it your monitor positioned too far away? Too high? Too low? To the side?
• Is it your mouse trying to escape across the desk because it doesn’t fit on your keyboard tray?
• Is it your chair? Or is it the fact that you haven’t changed a setting on the chair since you moved in?
• Is it your documents sitting on your desk pulling you so that you sit like a pretzel for part of your day?

Some solutions are simple (e.g. monitor height, position) and others are more difficult (e.g. desks, keyboard trays). 

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written by ErgoRisk

Organizing Your Desk for Ergonomics... and Efficiency

Your desk layout, work tasks and work flow impact the postures that you use during the day. Rather than adapting your body to a poorly set-up workstation, set up your work to fit your body and work habits.

Take a few moments to look at how your desk is organized:

Have your keyboard and mouse mysteriously taken a trip across your desk?
Is your phone in another area code?
Test your reach zones while sitting comfortably in your chair:

Zone 1

Keep your elbows at your side, and sweep your forearms and hands side to side. You should be able to touch anything that youOr

frequently

use (typically keyboard, mouse). If you can’t, bring them closer.

Zone 2

Straighten your elbows and reach forward with your arms. Without leaning forward with your body, sweep your arms side to side and in front of you. Anything that you use

occasionally

(i.e. calculator, phone) should be within reach. Remember to reposition your equipment if your tasks change significantly during your workday.

Zone 3

Get up and out of your chair to access anything outside Zone 2.

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written by ErgoRisk

Office Lighting

Being able to see your work without straining is a necessity. While this seems apparent, are you viewing this on your 12” laptop screen? Do you work in a dark corner of your house or in a well lit room with a vista?

As you may have noticed, as the years tick by, we need more light to see what we’re working on. Did you know that the visual performance of a 20 year old is 8 X that of an average 60 year old? Or that someone in their 60’s requires 3.5 X more contrast than someone in their 20’s?

Since our homes aren’t usually lit up like the typical fluorescent office tower, shedding a little light on the situation is a priority. Three essential tools in the fight against eye strain are:

• task lighting
• a document holder
• a monitor that allows you to work in a relaxed position (versus straining forward to see)

Task Lighting

Task lighting is quite simple and doesn’t have to be expensive. The key is that you have enough light on your documents (not on your monitor) to create contrast so that you can see them without squinting.

Document holders

Simple book holders (~$20 e.g. Fellowes Booklift copyholder) are available at any office supply store and can position your documents at an angle up off of the desk. This simple function allows you to sit back in your chair and be supported rather than forcing you to lean forward to read the document flat on your desk. If you have a bit more to spend, consider the Vision Vu document holder (www.vu-ryte.com).

Monitor

The last (but not least) essential tool to help reduce eye strain is a monitor that allows you to see the information on the screen easily without the need to scroll four pages over when you’re working in Excel. Did you know that a going from a 14” laptop screen to a 17” LCD increases your screen workspace (in2) by almost 50%? It’s a nice win-win. Increase your comfort and productivity at the same time.

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written by ErgoRisk

The Phone Doesn’t Have to be Your Enemy

Have you noticed that as the office evolves, our desks fill up with more and more tools aimed at helping us work faster and faster?

Too bad we only have two hands…Cradling the phone between your ear and shoulder while writing or keying is an quick way to cause strain on your neck.If you frequently use your phone this way, consider using your speaker phone, a headset or at minimum, push away from your computer and use one hand to write and one hand to hold the phone.Don’t get caught in the ‘phone trap’!

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written by ErgoRisk

Office Desk Set Up

Do your shoulders ache at the end of the day? Are headaches just a ‘part of the job’? Do you notice that symptoms miraculously disappear when you’re on vacation?
Sometimes your workstation set-up may be part of the problem. Take a closer look to see if your office tools are positioned for success or failure. Isn’t it time your symptoms went on vacation?

Think close. Think comfort.

A comfortable workstation is always within an easy reach.

Check to make sure all of your frequently used items and tools are within reach.

Crouching paper tiger, hidden dragon.
Watch out for the bite.

The position of paperwork and reference documents can affect your neck and back postures

Is your phone glued to your ear and shoulder?

Your phone handling habits say a lot about the stress on your neck and shoulder. If your neck or shoulder is ‘talking’ to you – listen and act.

Wanted: Single level dwelling for keyboard and mouse.

A common problem is having the mouse and keyboard at different heights and reaches. Keep them close and your body will thank you.

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written by ErgoRisk

Office Safari - Shoulder Care

Office Shoulderamus Reachalotus

Known Habits

This species is quite entertaining to watch. They spend much of their day seated, chasing a smooth, contoured device around their desk. Frequently, their shoulder reaches as far to the side and to the front as possible, requiring a lean to the opposite side to maintain balance.

Prey

When not hunting mice, these creatures are also seen preying on phones, adding machines, printers and staplers just beyond their reach.

Known weaknesses:

These creatures suffer from significant pain and discomfort in their upper back, specifically on the side of their body responsible for most of the hunting.

How to ease their pain:

Bring their elbows to their sides, then bring all their favorite prey within easy reach. This will allow them to ‘toy’ with their prey while reducing their pain.

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written by ErgoRisk

Injury Prevention for the Home Office

One of the difficulties when working from home can be the lack of interruptions. In the office, meetings, co-workers and coffee breaks can provide the stimulus to break up the workday. While most of us don’t complain and can get a lot more done at home, the lack of breaks can also add up to discomfort.

As you take a look at your physical workstation this season, consider giving your body a gift by making a commitment to some of the following work habits. These are some simple gifts that keep on giving:

• Break up your workday by standing or walking around when you’re on the phone
• Break up your workday by going for a short, brisk walk outside, even for 10 minutes.
• Never work for more than an hour without getting up from your chair. Rather, try to get in the habit of standing or taking a stretch break at least every 30 minutes and giving your muscles a break (even 30 seconds worth), every 10 minutes
• Load up some free microbreak software on your computer (e.g. http://www.workrave.org) to get you in the habit.
• Consider resolving that you will end the year in less discomfort than you start it with.

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written by ErgoRisk

Trapped by Your Mouse

When you look at the carefully molded collection of plastic to the right or left of your keyboard, it seems pretty harmless. Quiet, unassuming, a little slippery…

But BEWARE – despite their ever improving good looks, these little pests can pack quite the bite.
It’s amazing that just over twenty years ago, the mouse was born.

Since then, the 90’s brought the computer to everyone’s cubicle and in this century, it seems like we have been finding more and more ‘to-do’ items, gradually increasing our workday (50-60 hrs anyone?) and decreasing idle time.

What’s interesting is that since we started computing, the number of tasks that we do using only the mouse has continued to skyrocket (e.g. internet use, enterprise databases).

Many workers today spend over 75% of their day using their mouse, the numeric keypad and other keys with their right hand. Is it any wonder that many of us experience discomfort in the right arm?

The ergonomic risk factors at work here are the same suspects we deal with when setting up our workstation: (1) awkward and (2) static postures of the fingers, wrist, and shoulder (3) many, many repetitions, (4) contact stress on the wrist or (5) the force with which they grip their mouse.

The good news is that the solutions can be simple – keeping the mouse close, holding the mouse with a straight (neutral) wrist posture, making sure the mouse settings are optimized and considering alternatives when needed (left hand mouse use, alternative input devices).

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written by ErgoRisk

Make Your Laptop Computer Work for You

The golden rule of office ergonomics is straightforward: Put your body into ‘neutral posture’ and then find ways to make your computer fit you.

The early designers were right, separating the keyboard and screen is the most important step.

For the frugal, an external keyboard, mouse and a stack of paper to lift your laptop screen help you get 90% of the way there.

For the technologically inclined, newer tools like wireless keyboards and mice, USB hubs, laptop holders, larger LCD screens and docking stations will help make your laptop easily adapt and contort to you.

If you find yourself somewhere and you don’t have all of the tools, remember that you still control your work habits. Taking frequent short breaks, changing working positions, using keyboard shortcuts, and managing your day will help you keep discomfort away.

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written by ErgoRisk

What Will Hurt You - Evaluation You Desk Posture

Have you ever held a mirror up to yourself while you are deep in thought at your computer?

• Do you look like a vulture hunched over your equipment?
• Are you …
• Bent?
• Contorted?
• Holding the phone between your ear and your shoulder?
• Reaching way forward to your mouse?
• Is your mouse winning the race as you chase it across your desk?

Be Aware of Awkward Postures.

• Avoid slouching: move close and recline your chair’s backrest 10-15 degrees;
• Zoom your screen content to 125-150% to help keep your head back over your shoulders;
• Get reference paper on a document holder under your screen.
• Use a head set or speaker phone to multitask with the phone.

Static Muscle Use:

• Avoid reaching:
• Move closer to your workstation and keep your elbows close to your trunk;
• Keep your forearm resting on an arm rest or desk surface when using the mouse to reduce stress on your neck and upper back.

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written by ErgoRisk

Setting your monitor position - right now!

Q: What exactly is the ideal monitor height?

A: Monitors should be set so that the top of the screen is roughly at eye level when you are sitting up straight.

Why? – Relaxed posture for the human eye is 15˚ below the horizon and we all slouch now and then, so before you know it your relaxed eye is focused in the middle to upper 1/3 of the screen….and that’s where most of our work is.

How? – Raid your photocopy room and prop your monitor up on packages of paper if it’s too low, or pull out those phone books from underneath if it’s too high.

Q: How far away should your monitor be positioned from your eyes?

A: It depends on your vision, if you catch yourself leaning forward or squinting to view the screen it’s too far away and you need to pull it closer!

Why? – Your head weighs as much as a bowling ball! When you lean it forward to squint at a monitor your upper back and shoulder muscles pay the price!

How? – Pull your monitor closer! … with the advent of flat screens everyone seems to push their monitor farther away to regain desk space, but that has spawned a generation of ‘leaners’ with sore necks and upper backs! If you can’t part with the debris on the front of your desk to bring your monitor closer to you, then try keeping your chair tucked in close to the front of the desk so you bring yourself closer to the monitor.

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written by ErgoRisk

Setting up your Office Workstation

Goals:

• Feet must be supported.
• Low back support encourages good upper back, shoulder and neck posture.
• Sit in close to avoid reaching or slouching.

• Position all material (i.e. keyboard, mouse, phone, documents, adding machine) to encourage relaxed, upright sitting with arms at your sides.
• Sit against the backrest, with slight recline, and let gravity hold you into the chair.

Steps to Reach the Goal:

1. Feet on the Floor, Chair Backrest Upright
• Sit in your chair and adjust the seat height so that your feet are firmly on the ground without undue pressure for your thighs against the chair seat pan.

2. Seat Pan Depth
• If possible, slide the seat pan in or out to match the length of your thighs.
• Ensure a gap of 2 to 4 fingers from the edge of the seat to the back of your calf.

3. Backrest Position
• Adjust the backrest height so the low back (lumbar) support helps you sit tall.
• Adjust the backrest tilt to support you in an upright and slightly reclined (50) position – shoulders just behind hips.

4. Sit in Close
• Move your hips and back against the backrest.
• Slide you chair in as close as you can to your workstation.
• Bring your keyboard and mouse close.

5. Keyboard and Mouse
• With a keyboard tray or adjustable height desk, position your keyboard and mouse at your elbow height to keep good wrist and arm position.
• With keyboard and mouse up on the desktop, you may need to raise your chair and place a footrest under your feet to maintain a proper base of support.

6. Arms at Your Sides
• If desired, adjust your armrest to support your arms in a relaxed position.
• Ensure armrests don’t restrict reach to the keyboard or mouse.

7. Monitor(s)
• Adjust your monitor(s) so that the top of the screen is at (or slightly below) eye level.
• Position the monitors so you do not have to twist to view them.
• Recommended monitor distance is 16” to 29” (your arm’s length). Move your monitor(s) closer if you ever find yourself leaning in to view your work.

8. Documents in Line
• Position frequently referenced documents on an angled document holder between your monitor and keyboard.