Ergonomics Made Easy Blog
Resources and solutions for people in pain that could use help with ergonomic products.
Ping blog
Thursday November 10, 2011
One of the most exciting, and admittedly most challenging and even stressful, parts of a new job is getting a new work space. Granted most of us aren't given the luxury of a corner office, or even an office with a door. But regardless of what space we have to work with, it's important to set it up as ergonomically as possible so we can decrease possible strain and injuries, while increasing productivity. There are some basic work station set-up principles that are always true. That said, here is a list you can check out as you set up your space or as you re-work the space you already have. Next time, we'll look at an example of a small office and what this worker has done well and what he could improve!
Ergonomic Work Station Set-Up Principles
Raise your monitor. This is an oft-overlooked tip. Regardless of what kind of computer you're using, be sure the screen is at eye level and roughly 20 inches from your body. To achieve this, try a monitor lift as a very cheap and easy fix. Your neck and eyes will thank you as experience less neck pain and strain.- Try an adjustable, ergonomic chair. While it may be quite pricey to buy one, many offices have them if you just ask. Plus, it may be that your current chair is adjustable. Be sure to adjust the height, back support, and arm rests. Your feet should rest flat on the floor, your back should be well-supported {you can even try portable lumbar support}, and your arms should be able to slope slightly downward to reach your keyboard without cocking your wrists.
- Ask for a wrist rest. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common office injury and be easily avoided by practicing good wrist positioning. However, a wrist rest is poorly named- it's really meant to rest the palms of your hands in between periods of typing.
- Try an ergonomic keyboard. There are more options out there than you can imagine, so finding a good fit is just a matter of preference and trying out a couple. Ergonomic keyboards can be especially helpful as an add-on to your docked lap top. They are much more comfortable for long periods of typing and can be moved closer to the body while your screen is elevated.
- Request a document holder. It's such an easy fix, but elevating notes or documents that you frequently reference truly keeps you from straining your eyes and your neck. Who likes to go home with a crick in their neck?
- Lastly, try a sound machine, or even this free online generator, for fewer distractions.
When you spend a lot of time in an office, it's crucial that you find the right ergonomic fit- that's why we have a great return policy- you can order any number of products, try them out, then return what you don't like as much. Thus, whether you're a 9-5 cubicle worker, a teacher/professor/lecturer, or a grad student,
making ergonomic adjustments can only help you keep your focus and stay productive.
Posted in
adjustability
, back support
, carpal tunnel syndrome
, document holder
, ergonomic chair
, eyestrain
, productivity
, Small Spaces
, sound machines
, Uncategorized
, wrist rest
|
Thursday October 27, 2011
The Importance of Staying Neutral
Staying neutral has never been more important. Rather than avoiding conflicts or keeping good public relations, staying neutral ergonomically means keeping your body as natural as possible. Unfortunately, bending and cocking joints is all too common, especially for computer workers confined to a desk 9 hours a day. The usual areas for concern are your neck, shoulders, back, wrists, and hands. These areas take most of the brunt of awkward positioning, whether you're typing at a bad angle or hanging your head to see your screen. Add up all those hours of strain and you could be well on your way to a repetitive stress injury (RSI), like
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
To achieve neutral posture, check out the following tips and tools.
Ergonomic Products for Achieving & Maintaining Neutral Posture
Before looking at specific products, check your actual posture. If any part of you causes you pain, be sure to deal with it, even if it goes away after work. Furthermore, think about how you actually sit and work throughout the day. Are you bending your wrist up or down as you type and/or mouse? Are your feet angled awkwardly to reach the floor? Do you over-extend your reach to grab things off your desk or from the printer? Do you hang your head as you type? If you answered yes, be intentional about correcting your posture so that you don't bend or cock any part of your body more than it has to be.- Raise your monitor to eye level. Usually, monitors are way too low, especially laptops, thus making you drop your head and strain your eyes to see it.
- Keep your keyboard and mouse centered in front of you and side-by-side on the same surface. You should never have to over-extend your reach, especially when mousing since it's not a rare action. Minimizing movements is always a good thing, so keeping your keyboard and mouse close neighbors is important.
- Use a keyboard tray. Keyboard trays attach to your desk, but right below the surface. The advantage is that they keep the keyboard and mouse right next to each other, on a separate surface than the computer, and most importantly, at an angle that allows your arms to slope slightly downward when typing. This will keep you from cocking your wrists as you type. An added bonus is that using a keyboard tray frees up valuable desk space, too.
- Try a wrist rest. Poorly named, a wrist rest is actually more for the palms of your hands than your wrists and is intended for rests in between periods of typing. However, when used properly, a wrist rest is a great tool for keeping your hands and wrists in line.
- Sit in an ergonomic chair. There's nothing quite like having adjustable support for your back, bottom, and arms. Being properly supported is key in achieving and maintaining neutral posture the entire work day.
Achieving and maintaining neutral posture can be challenging, but is essential for avoiding work-related injuries. Simple steps like raising your monitor or using a keyboard tray will help you avoid straining your neck or wrists.
Posted in
carpal tunnel syndrome
, eyestrain
, keyboard tray
, repetitive strain injury (RSI)
, shoulder pain
, Uncategorized
, wrist pain
, wrist rest
|
Monday October 10, 2011
I can
always tell if I have spent too much time at my computer by the headaches I
experience at the end of the day. Computer headaches can often be traced to muscle
tension in the neck and shoulders. Although headaches are triggered for many
reasons, there are a few typical office “fixes” that can help with work-induced
headaches. Here are some of the tips that have helped me.
Tips to reduce neck and shoulder
tension and to prevent work-induced headaches:
- Move Your
Computer Screen: This is all about
neck position and eye strain. If you hold your neck awkwardly while looking at
your computer, you will quickly strain your neck and your eyes, or both, normally
resulting in a headache. For better
placement, follow these easy rules: 1) Make sure your monitor is directly
in front of you, centered on your body. 2)
When sitting back in your chair, your screen should be about an arms-length away;
find a good distance that allows your eyes to read easily. 3) Lastly, your monitor should sit up at eye level; a monitor
or desk riser can add the necessary height. You should never have to look
up or down at your screen.
- Use a
document holder: Looking back and forth from your notepad or
book up to your computer screen can strain the muscles in your neck and
shoulders. And constanly refocusing your eyes from your document to your monitor
will overwork your eyes. A document
holder moves
your notes to a better location. Place your document holder as close to your monitor as possible, at about the same distance away from your eyes.
- Correct your posture: Good, ergonomic posture is all about minimizing the
work your muscles are doing while sitting at your computer; basically, your
muslces are in their most relaxed position possible. Here are a few quick rules
to think about: 1) Make sure your
chair is properly adjusted and that you have enough lumbar support for your lower back. 2) Move your
keyboard is in the proper place about two inches from your lap, slightly sloped
away from your body. Try an adjustable keyboard tray to adjust your keyboard quickly
and easily. 3) If you find you are
tensing your shoulders, move your armrests out of the way while typing.
- Take
frequent breaks: Stop and stretch your muscles; move around to get your blood
flowing again. Even if you don’t have time for a break, try standing up while
you return phone calls or thinking through a problem. Even just a minute or two
can help prevent muscle strain.
Headaches
can be frustrating and even debilitating, with a significant impact on productivity
and concentration.Try adding helpful tools, such as an adjustable keyboard tray
or a document
holder to help reduce the strain of the muscles in your neck and
shoulders. These changes
may seem small, but a few improvements to your posture and habits can make a
big impact on your life.
Posted in
back support
, document holder
, eyestrain
, headache
, keyboard tray
, productivity
, shoulder pain
|
Thursday September 8, 2011
Preparing for a New School Year
It's September, and you can practically smell the sharpened pencils and new uniforms. Students are buying their supplies and trying to get into school mode again...it's not much different for teachers. They're trying to get the right equipment and mind set to have a successful school year. In addition to lesson plans and power point presentations, teachers should think about the actual set-up of the room and their own work stations as they plan seating charts and assign books. After all, what use is a great lesson plan or presentation without the right equipment to present it so all can see? Plus, there are several pieces of ergonomic equipment that actually help teachers better track classroom management. Better, more comfortable equipment with more focused attention from students- win-win!
Check out the following ergonomic wish list and see what you might need.
Top Ergonomic Products for Teachers
Mobile stands are incredibly useful for any teacher who presents lessons {which should be all teachers!}. Since most desks are located fairly committed to one spot, it's super-helpful to have a desk that moves with you. - Presentation keyboards provide the same advantage of mobility so you can present lessons from any point in the classroom. This can be particularly advantageous if you need to position yourself next to the chatters.
- A keyboard tray is ideal for freeing up desk space and also maintaining a good neutral posture. An ergonomic keyboard and/or mouse also make for more efficient and more comfortable typing which is essential for extended periods of lesson planning and document writing.
- A document holder keeps notes and texts at eye level, thus reducing eye strain while typing. They can be used while recording grades and taking student-specific notes.
- An ergonomic chair is a great investment for all those hours you spend lesson planning and grading. All that adjustability is so great for bad backs and general comfort.
- An ergonomic desk is ideal for all those hours spent planning and looking over student work, as well as typing and printing worksheets, quizzes, and tests.
- A little thought of resource for educators is a sound machine, whether for individual reading time or even test days. As distracted as students are these days, there's no reason they should have to be diverted by their classmates' every movement or eraser mark. In fact, many students find themselves stressed and unfocused because of awareness of their peers.
With the right equipment, you can teach more effectively and your students' attention can be kept more closely with items like mobile stands and presentation keyboards.
Posted in
adjustability
, back support
, children
, comfort
, ergonomic chair
, Ergonomic Desks
, ergonomic mouse
, ergonomics for educators
, eyestrain
, keyboard tray
, Uncategorized
|
Thursday August 11, 2011
Problem Areas with Laptops
If you work from a laptop, or just spend quite a bit of time on it at home, you know how great and simultaneously uncomfortable they can be. Thus, try some {or all} of these tips to improve your laptop's ergonomics.
The most common laptop problems are 1) sore neck, shoulders and back, 2) headaches and eye strain, and 3) wrist pain.
Tips for Laptops
Poor posture is quite the culprit in many of these complaints. Most laptop users drop their heads to see the screen and then compensate with more bad posture to type on the laptop keyboard. All of this leads to cramped, achey muscles, eye strain, and possible Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fix #1: Your keyboard should sit just below the height of your elbows and your monitor should at eye-level directly in front of you. This is tricky with a laptop. The best solution is to use a mini keyboard, which is still small and portable, but allows for the best hand position while not compromising your monitor height {see the next fix for monitor height}.
Fix #2: Because you drop your head to see the screen, you might experience head and neck aches, as well as eye strain since your line of sight is also lowered. The ideal placement for any monitor, laptop or otherwise, is at eye-level and a full arm’s length away from your body. This usually means docking your laptop on a raised surface with the aid of a monitor lift. Furthermore, develop a habit of looking away and refocusing your eyes. About every ten minutes or so, stop your work and look at something in the distance, about 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds. This will allow your eyes the chance to refocus. Also, every hour or so just close your eyes and relax.
Fix #3: Typing at a weird angle and/or cocking your wrists is a path straight to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Correcting your posture, as mentioned above, is the first solution in reversing and preventing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Next to body posture, you need to maintain correct hand position. Your hands should lightly hover over the keys while you are typing. Between keystrokes, you can rest on the ball of your hand, but never put weight on your wrists. And always keep your hands and fingers curved. Try using a curved, ergonomic keyboard that better supports good hand posture.
Laptops have great benefits, especially for people who often work from a variety of locations, but they also can lead to pain and discomfort, such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, with long-term use. Try these quick, easy solutions to treat and prevent some of the most common laptop issues.
Posted in
carpal tunnel syndrome
, comfort
, eyestrain
, headache
, laptop
, mini keyboard
, neck pain
, repetitive strain injury (RSI)
, shoulder pain
, Uncategorized
, wrist pain
|
