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written by ErgoRisk

Monitor Positioning and Your Eyes

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.

Q: Won’t a close monitor bother my eyes or project ‘radiation’?

A: Those worries about monitor radiation from CRTs were resolved years ago, and flat screen technology is totally different and much easier on the eyes. If you find the monitor is too bright or it bothers your eyes to have it close try adjusting the brightness and contrast. (But don’t get too close – minimum recommended distance is 16”).

How? – Those little buttons on the bottom front of your monitor case adjust the screen brightness and contrast. It might take a bit of trial and error, but once your monitor is set for your vision your eyes will thank you!

Q: What if I wear bifocals or progressive lenses?

A: Bifocal wearers typically look out of the bottom of the lens to view the monitor so to avoid tipping your head up to view the screen, set the top of the monitor 3” -4” below eye level.

How? – Lower your monitor as much as possible. If you’re still too high try the following tips: Sneak your chair up a bit to get your eye level above the top of the monitor OR position the work on your screen a few inches lower. You’ll lose a bit of screen area but your neck and shoulders will thank you!

TIPS:

Your monitor should be lined up directly in front of you so that you don’t have to twist your neck to view it.
You should take regular 20-20-20 vision breaks to rest your eyes if you spend long hours in front of the computer – every 20 minutes take a 20 second break and refocus your eyes on something at least 20 ft away. (It works just as well to close your eyes for 20 seconds, but then folks might think you’re sleeping on the job!)

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written by ErgoRisk

Monitor Do's and Don'ts

As you go out on your next ergo reconnaissance mission, be on the look-out for monitors that are trying to escape or evade being seen.

Some monitors tend to migrate and make a run for the edge of the desk, while others climb on top of piles of paper, books, or monitor risers until they touch overhead storage areas.

The golden rules for monitor position are:

Monitors shouldn’t be positioned so that you have to move or rotate your neck in order to see the content on the screen.
This means your monitor should be inline with your keyboard and;
The top of the screen should be the same height as your eyes (exception: multi-focal lens wearers should position the monitor low enough so that they satisfy the first rule).
As you wander your office, be on the lookout for these mischievous monitors. If you see a monitor that has fallen out of line with the keyboard, consider encouraging the owner to rein it back in.

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written by ErgoRisk

Phone Use and Taking Care of Your Neck

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 handset between the ear and shoulder while writing or typing on your computer is a quick way to cause strain on your neck.

If you frequently use or someone in your office frequently uses the phone this way, consider alternatives. Using a speaker phone, a hands free headset or your hand all reduce the stress on your neck and upper back. At a minimum, push away from your computer and use one hand to hold the handset and one hand to write on paper.!

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written by ErgoRisk

Building Blocks of Your Back

Our backs are quite simply amazing!! Consider the feats of physical excellence that humans can achieve, most of which are impossible without a healthy back.

Since close to 80% of us will suffer back pain in our lives, learning how to work safely and prevent back injury is essential to our health, wellness and livelihoods.

Our spines are made up of a few important building blocks.

Our spine is created out of bones called vertebrae which help support our body weight and are designed specifically to protect our nerves and spinal cord. Since the bones at the bottom support more weight, they are bigger.

Discs are positioned in between each vertebrae and act as flexible shock absorbers and spacers which allow room between the bones for the nerves to exit the spinal cord.

Ligaments hold the bones together and protect us when we try to move too far.

A complicated network of muscles both stabilizes the back as well as allowing us to move into a myriad of different positions.

Back injury and pain commonly occur when one of these 4 systems is continually overstressed. Whether it’s a disc, a ligament or a muscle, the problem can usually be tracked back to the way we use or misuse our body on a daily basis.

On a scale of 1-10, is your spine built on a rock solid foundation or is it soon to be a leaning tower?

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written by ErgoRisk

Set Your Chair, Support Your Spine

In the office, our aim should be the same as if we were pounding down a mogul run. That is, our spine should be neutral, balanced and stable.

In the office, our chairs and how we use them have a major impact on whether we are able to achieve this.
For instance, did you know that sitting bolt upright is NOT the best position for your back? Ideally you should have your chair back slightly reclined (we’re not talking La-Z-Boy). If you sit slightly back from vertical then gravity will keep you pressed back into firm contact with your chair backrest. If you sit bolt upright, the minute you shift your weight slightly forward to reach for your keyboard or mouse, gravity tries to push you over into a hunched posture…..and usually gravity comes out the winner!

Use the following tips to make sure your chair is a good fit:

• Are your hips shifted to the back of the seat?
• Are your feet comfortably flat on the floor?
• Is there 2”-4” of space between the back of your knees and the back of your leg?
• Do you have good contact between your back and the chair backrest?
• Is the inward curve in your low back supported by your chair?
• As the pictures show on the right, you can support your back safely in many seated positions. The key is to set up your work area and chair so that you can reach everything while sitting in a well supported posture. It doesn’t matter how well your chair fits, if you lean forward out of it to squint at your monitor that is too far away, then all bets are off!

Try to eliminate the factors that pull you into a slouched posture, and then stand and stretch regularly – your back will thank you!

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written by ErgoRisk

Mouse Use - What to avoid

It’s quite interesting, when you watch someone play a sport, everyone uses a different technique. The same goes for using the mouse.

Do you perform the “Vulcan death grip” on your mouse? Or do you find yourself chasing your runaway mouse to the back of the desk?

Many of us have little idiosyncrasies that we have picked up over our years of chasing the mouse around the desk.

In the end – there isn’t one way that everyone should hold the mouse but there are some habits that you should try to avoid.

1. Avoid using the mouse with the wrist bent to the side. Ideally, you should be able to draw a straight line through the forearm and through your index/middle finger.
2. Similarly, your wrist should be in a straight line if you look at it from the side. Avoid using the mouse with your wrist bent upward.
3. Avoid resting the underneath of your wrist on the desk (or the wrist rest) and pivoting your wrist like a windshield wiper. This puts pressure on the Carpal Tunnel and can lead to discomfort in your wrist or hand.
4. Avoid over gripping your mouse. Some people squeeze their mouse like they are doing hand exercises.
5. Watch your mouse hand when you are working in a mouse intensive program – do you ‘relax’ your hand when you aren’t using the mouse or are you hovering (continuing to hold the mouse with your hand muscles still tense)

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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

Office Safari (Part 3)

Offico Spinus Reclinusmaximus

Distinct behaviours:

This squiggly species is singled out for their ability to significantly change shapes throughout the work day. These creatures are known to appear erect in the early morning, only to slowly contort into slinky, slouchy postures by the middle of the afternoon.

Habitat

Many of these creatures spend their full workdays in their personalized ‘cubicle’ habitat. Some also exhibit ‘nesting’ behaviour, staying seated for long periods after the majority of others have left the great indoors.
Also known to like focusing closely on their keyboard when hunting and pecking for keys.

Known weaknesses:

Known to experience significant pain in the low back and other points along their spine. Secondary pain found in the shoulders from over-reaching to the mouse and keyboard
Also known to suffer from headaches and occasional symptoms in the arms.

How to ease their pain:

Gently push their chairs in close to their workstation to help hold them upright. Use any means possible to coax these creatures out into the open every few hours (more often is better).

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written by ErgoRisk

Office Safari (Part 2 – watch out for these guys!)

Offico Craniamus Vulturiens

Distinct behaviours:

• These unique creatures are best known for their ability to touch their nose to their monitor while sitting in their chair.

Prey:

• Eight point font (or less) and documents sitting on their desk.
• Also known to like focusing closely on their keyboard when hunting and pecking for keys.

Known weaknesses:

• Commonly known to suffer from significant discomfort in the neck and upper back.
• Also known to suffer from headaches and occasional symptoms in the arms.

How to ease their pain:

• Simple solutions such as adjusting the screen higher, making sure that the font is big enough and bringing documents inline with the monitor (tilted toward these creatures is best) are some simple solutions to ease their suffering.

This article was
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?

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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

Right Wrists!

Wrist Revelations

If you have a keyboard tray and you know how to type without looking at the keyboard, see if your keyboard tray can tilt forward. Tilting your tray forward 5-10 degrees will help to put your wrist in ‘neutral’ (from a side profile).

If you ‘anchor’ your wrist to your desk while typing, flatten the legs on the back of your keyboard to improve your wrist posture. This helps you to avoid typing with the wrists bent backward.

Make sure that you have the right equipment and accessories. If you can’t stop yourself from resting your wrists on your desk, use a wrist rest.

REMEMBER: Wrist rests are to be used when RESTING, not all of the time!

LOOK for wrist rests that are comfortable (e.g. gel) and not too high. Consider ‘ergonomic input devices’ (keyboard, mice) that promote a neutral/straight wrist angle. Ergonomic keyboards help by eliminating bending the wrist to the side while typing. Vertical mice help put your wrist in neutral (handshake) posture and eliminate anchoring. Doublecheck that your elbow height and keyboard height are approximately equal – helping to minimize awkward wrist postures. Adjust your mouse settings so that you can cover the majority of your screen without re-positioning your mouse.

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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

Keyboard and workspace set up tips

The golden rule for any workstation is to ‘Fit your workstation to you’. First get yourself comfortable in your chair, (hips and back supported, elbows at 90 degrees at your side), and then bring the work to you.

• your computer, documents and other office tools should slide forward and be positioned to fit you so that you can work in this comfortable position
• bring your keyboard toward you to touch your fingertips
• bring your monitor close enough and high enough that you don’t need to move your head or neck to view your work

Laptops

If you are working off of a laptop at home, the number one item on your wish list should be an external keyboard and mouse. If you don’t have these, your body is in a catch-22. Either your head must look down at the screen or your shoulders hunch up to reach the keyboard.

An external keyboard and mouse will allow you to raise your monitor and keep your input devices close.

• For shorter individuals, keyboard trays are an essential piece to the puzzle. Simple, sliding keyboard trays can position your keyboard and mouse 3” lower, allowing a significantly more relaxed posture than working with the keyboard on the desk.
• For taller people, finding ways to lift/raise your desk or monitor can be the simple fix to help you find a perfect fit.

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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

Good Posture - Rate Youself

Good posture is a good habit that contributes to the well-being of the individual… Conversely, bad posture is a bad habit. The ideal alignment of the body may not be attainable in every respect, but it is the standard toward which efforts to attain it are directed. – Kendall, McCreary and Provance, 1993.

 The greatest thing about posture is that we control our posture and postural habits.

• Do you know what good posture is?
• Do you use good or bad posture?
• Do you squeeze the phone between your ear and shoulder or hold it to your ear with your hand?
• Do you slouch in your chair or do you slide your hips to the back of the seat every time you sit down?
• Do you lean on your elbow rather than sitting back in your chair?
• When you look back on the last year, how do you rate yourself? What can you do to improve this year?

This article was
written by ErgoRisk

Hand and Wrist Health - Keyboards and Mouse

Human hands are unique and one of our greatest assets. Can you imagine not being able to work with your hands? Unchecked, signs and symptoms of wrist discomfort can progress to severe pain that impacts every part of your life.

Common signs and symptoms in the hand include discomfort, stiffness, numbness, tingling, redness, and weakness.

Some of the most common reasons that we develop problems with our wrists and hands are:

• Wrists bent upwards or to the side when typing
• Using repetitive sideways wrist movements with the wrist bent backward when using the mouse (awkward postures)
• Using our wrist as an anchor point, resting it down on a hard surface when using the mouse or keyboard (contact stress)
• Overloading of one hand (and arm). For example, accountants, graphics designers and CAD technicians do over 80% of their work with their right hand (extremely high number pad and mouse use).
• Using the keyboard or mouse with awkward postures of the fingers (e.g. see the picture on the bottom right).
• Working with the thumbs bent backward and with the pinkie fingers raised are more common than you may think
• Not giving our wrists and hands time to rest throughout the day
• It can be difficult to modify the work that we do in our job. However, we can control when we take breaks, when we alternate between desk work and other work and our posture throughout the day.

Take a look at our ‘Microbreak’ guide to get a few suggestions on how to give your hands a break

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written by ErgoRisk

Office Posture Do's and Don'ts

Awkward posture slowly creeps up on us.

If you go on a mission searching for awkward postures like leaning on your elbows, you are probably going to be disappointed if you go first thing in the morning.

BUT, if you take a look around your workgroup around the mid-afternoon ‘crash’, you will probably find your co-workers melting into their desk.

Our bodies aren’t meant to stay in one position all day. So, once our stabilizing muscles get fatigued, we start to ‘melt’.

Call it what you want, but melting, slouching, head forward posture and leaning our elbow on the desk are all related to the fact that we are spending too much time in one place (our desks!).

Encourage your co-workers to take microbreaks and stretch breaks. Or at least, get away from the computer at lunch. (And if you don’t take lunch, you may want reconsider after you check your posture by mid-afternoon!)

Be on the look-out for these simple to solve habits and risk factors.

And remember the definition of insanity, “… doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” Ben Franklin’

When are you going to change your habits?

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written by ErgoRisk

Strong Foundation

Of course, one of the biggest factors that can lead to back pain is simply the amount of time that we spend sitting EVERY day.

We sit for in our car during our commute, sit at work, sit on the couch and at our home workstation. Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit. Obviously our body wasn’t designed to sit for days, months and years on end.

So, what can you do? The key to protecting the back is understanding that we need to find a better balance for our back and the stresses that we put on it.

Exercises are a great way to build back strength, flexibility and endurance. For example, yoga and Pilates promote strengthening muscles that support spine in a neutral posture.

Core stability exercises (e.g. theraballs, Bosu ball, floor exercises) are also great ways to strengthen the muscles that support our spine.

Hip mobility exercises (e.g. floor exercises, Yoga, Pilates) – specific stretches and exercises for hips and thigh muscles which can cause muscle imbalances and impact the function and posture of the low back
Microbreaks and stretch breaks – If you spend 8 hours on the computer, shouldn’t you at least give your back a break for a few seconds? Try to get up from your workstation as frequently as possible. Doing a back bend is a great way to “rebalance” your back if you have been working for a long time. Installing microbreak software like WorkRave is a great way to develop good habits.

Stand rather than sit – Try to incorporate brief standing task and breaks into your work day. Walk to the photocopier, stand to answer the phone, or just stretch back in your chair periodically for a change of position.

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written by ErgoRisk

Office Ergonomic Stretching

As we all know, awkward and static postures, long work days (repetition) and the fact that our muscles are working at low but constant levels can lead to discomfort.

If you’re like most people working at the computer, you will probably have felt the burn in the shoulders or the ache in the forearm or wrist at some point in your working career.

Generally, all of the physical (and other) stress in our life can add up to a point where pain and discomfort creep in.

When we look at the build up of stress on the body from using input devices, it’s little wonder that discomfort or injury could be the result. There are a few simple stretches that can go a long way to giving your tired muscles time to recover and to help release the tension.

As always, stretching and exercises should NOT be painful. The pictures on the right are simple stretches meant to encourage bloodflow, tissue flexibility, decrease tension, and primarily – just to get you to stop chasing the mouse around for a few seconds!!!

Finally, remembering that we need to find a sustainable work/rest balance for our muscles is very important.

This article was
written by ErgoRisk

Mouse Types and Purposes

While standard mice fit most people’s hands and meet the demands of day to day computing, there are some circumstances where alternative input devices can be beneficial.

One of the most important things to realize is that newer input devices are designed to address specific user needs.

A few of the common types of alternative input devices and their purpose follow:

• Vertical mice – position the wrist into a neutral (handshake) position, decreasing stress on the wrist and forearm.
• Contoured mice – position the wrist closer to a neutral position (somewhere between hand flat on the desk and the handshake position)
• Trackball – designed to allow the user to move the ball rather than the whole device (typically reduces reaching, repetitive wrist motion, good for limited mouse space)
• Left/Bilateral mice – designed for left hand use or to allow the user to switch between right and left handed mouse use.
• Central – some newer devices are designed to be positioned near the centre of the bottom of the keyboard. Generally, the aim is to reduce reaching and wrist motion.
• Graphics tablets – highly specialized devices, typically used for users working in graphics applications.

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written by ErgoRisk

2 Levels = Big No-No!

The keyboard and mouse belong together on the same level. Some furniture designers make this difficult to accomplish. 

The picture on the right is a classic example of a relatively modern computer workstation with the mouse on the desk and the keyboard at a lower level.

If you put your hand on this person’s right shoulder, you would feel their muscles working overtime. As well, the weight of their arm is supported by their wrist on the desktop. Over time, this can contribute to discomfort.

Take a moment and check your workstation – are you on the level?

Sometimes the answer is changing a keyboard tray; sometimes it’s putting the keyboard and mouse at the desk level. 

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written by ErgoRisk

Working breaks to keep the blood pumping

Don’t Take it Sitting Down

The bulk of our work tasks require us to sit. Static positions are not particularly healthy for our backs since sitting puts increased pressure on the tissues in our spine.

Take every opportunity to get up and move around as part of your work tasks.

Try these:

Stand up while you are talking on the phone.
File papers far enough away that you must get out of your chair.
Don’t call or email people in your office, go and visit them.
Locate your printer outside your office or work space.
Drink lots of water…
Occasionally get out of your chair when in long meetings.
Stand up while reading or reviewing printed documents

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written by ErgoRisk

Monitor Setting Tips for Glare and Positioning

Q: Won’t a close monitor bother my eyes or project ‘radiation’?

A: Those worries about monitor radiation from CRTs were resolved years ago, and flat screen technology is totally different and much easier on the eyes. If you find the monitor is too bright or it bothers your eyes to have it close try adjusting the brightness and contrast. (But don’t get too close – minimum recommended distance is 16”).

How? – The buttons on the bottom front of your monitor case adjust the screen brightness and contrast. It might take a bit of trial and error, but once your monitor is set for your vision your eyes will thank you!

Q: What if I wear bifocals or progressive lenses?

A: Bifocal wearers typically look out of the bottom of the lens to view the monitor so to avoid tipping your head up to view the screen, set the top of the monitor 3” -4” below eye level.

How? – Lower your monitor as much as possible. If you’re still too high try the following tips: Sneak your chair up a bit to get your eye level above the top of the monitor OR position the work on your screen a few inches lower. You’ll lose a bit of screen area but your neck and shoulders will thank you!

TIPS:

• Your monitor should be lined up directly in front of you so that you don’t have to twist your neck to view it.
• You should take regular 20-20-20 vision breaks to rest your eyes if you spend long hours in front of the computer – every 20 minutes take a 20 second break and refocus your eyes on something at least 20 ft away. (It works just as well to close your eyes for 20 seconds, but then folks might think you’re sleeping on the job!)

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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). 

This article was
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.

This article was
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.

This article was
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’!

This article was
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.

This article was
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.

This article was
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).

This article was
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.

This article was
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.

This article was
written by ErgoRisk

If it’s Broken, Fix it!

Is your chair broken? Twisted? Does the cylinder keep giving you that sinking feeling when you sit on it? Is your seat foam in a constant state of depression?

How do you think your back feels? If your car isn’t running well, you take it to a mechanic. Most of us use our office chairs for more than 4 hours per day, (some of us, many, many more). Putting your body into a seated position for so long can easily lead to neck, back or shoulder pain.

The solution is simple – tell your supervisor and get it fixed.

Sometimes, chairs actually come with lifetime warranties so the fixes are free! Take 2 minutes and do a quick check to make sure everything is in working order. Who knows, you may even find some adjustments on your chair you never knew you had!

This article was
written by ErgoRisk

Office Safari (Part 1)

Shhhh! Quiet. If you slowly look around the office, you will see many different species of office dwellers.

We will go on the hunt for some of the most common, but nastiest of office dwellers. While their poses and postures may seem alluring, their painful bite has been well documented.
Come with us as we explore on our office safari!

Stay low…avoid provoking the office animals

On our safari, we will observe (no poking or touching), and explain some of the daily habits of these strange inhabitants of officeland.

Offico Craniaumus Vulturiens

While this species appears quiet and sedate, it has a fierce bite. This species loves to feed on small fonts, huge spreadsheets and office workers that slouch when on the computer. BEWARE!

Offico Spinus Reclinusmaximus

This species is well known to sit upright early in the day. But as the day progresses, you will notice them slowly slinking down onto their perch.
If disturbed, they will commonly wail something like ‘budeyamcomfy’.

Offico Shoulderamus Reachalotus

These creatures are fascinating.

Their most distinguishing characteristics are their long, lean tentacles that spend the majority of the day chasing ‘mice’ or other objects within their ‘territory’.

This article was
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.

This article was
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.