If you work at a desk for a long time, you won’t always have pain in your neck, back, wrists, or fingers. Good office ergonomics, such as the right chair height, enough space between equipment, and the right way to stand at your workstation, can make your joints feel better at work.
Make sure you have enough room for your knees, thighs, and feet under the desk. If the desk is too low and can’t be lifted, put boards or blocks under the legs to make them stronger. If you can’t change the height of the desk, raise your chair. When you need to, use a footrest to give your feet a place to rest. If your desk has a sharp edge, use a wrist rest or pad it. Nothing should be kept under your desk.
You might spend years working and playing video games at a desk, so you should do things to lower your risk of getting hurt. A recent study from Stanford found that people who work from home tend to sit more and get less exercise. Our workstations have also been given to us to design. Do you have questions about how high your chair should be, where your monitor should go, or how often you should take a break? There is professional advice here.
After years of slouching at a desk, I’m starting to feel the aches that come with a lousy workstation layout. The keyboard on my laptop is too small, the desk is too high for me, and the chair is too hard (and shoulders, and back, and elsewhere). Ergonomics experts have taught me that if you have a workstation that supports your body in a neutral position, these stressors are less likely to hurt you or make you feel bad. This means that your wrists and hands aren’t bent up or sideways, your neck isn’t twisted or bent backwards or down, and your arms aren’t lifted or stretched out to the sides of your body. If you have an ergonomic workstation, you can use a computer for long periods of time without being uncomfortable. (But remember to get up and move around about every hour.)
Here’s how to set up a workstation that fits and helps you best, based on what ergonomics experts say and what we’ve learned from testing home office furniture and equipment over the years.
Puleio says that a number of health problems can be traced back to bad ergonomics. “Long periods of sitting and standing still have been linked to problems with the heart and blood flow, weight gain, and low back pain. When you use a keyboard and mouse, you have to sit in awkward positions and move your hands over and over again. This can cause musculoskeletal problems that affect the nerves and tendons, like carpal tunnel syndrome and epicondylitis. How you hold your monitor can give you shoulder and neck pain. No matter what the cause is, discomfort and pain at work make people less productive and less happy with their jobs.”
How should someone sit at a desk?
Change the height of your chair so that your thighs are parallel to the floor and your feet are flat on the floor or on a footrest. Adjust the armrests so that your shoulders can relax and your arms can rest comfortably on them.
Do your elbows rest on the desk?
When standing at a desk, your elbows should be bent 90 degrees, and the desk should be set up to the height of your forearms. Since your forearms are on the desk, you can rest your shoulders.
Why do I slump when I’m at work?
We also lean forward at our desks because our monitors are too low or not set up right. Start by putting your screen at least as far away from you as your arm can reach. Puleio says, “The majority of users place their monitors too high compared to how they normally look down, which is about 15 degrees.”
What are the different layouts of workplaces?
Office layout refers to things like how an office is designed and decorated. It looks at every piece of furniture, piece of equipment, accessory, and arrangement that a workplace needs to work well.
What kinds of things make a workplace productive?
A worker will do their best work and be most productive in a place where they feel safe and at ease. A beautiful workspace can make you feel creative and at ease, which will lead to success, just like getting lost in a good book or getting dressed up for a night out.
Should I move my keyboard up or down?
a keyboard tray and computer keyboard that make typing or keying easier When you type, keep your elbows close to your sides and at a comfortable height. Keyboards and keyboard trays often have wrist supports that can help you keep your wrists in a neutral, almost straight position.
Where on your desk should you put your mouse?
Put the mouse and keyboard in the middle of the desk. Set up the keyboard and mouse so that you don’t have to stretch to use them. The mouse should be about parallel to the keyboard, and the keyboard should be about 5 cm from the front edge of the desk. You’ll need space for the wrist supports.
Where should my arms be on the desk?
Sit-stand desk ergonomics: Keep your arms relaxed and at your sides. Your upper arms, elbow, and wrist should all be in the same plane as the rest of your body. Often, this means lifting the table higher than you might think.
Should the armrests be at the height of a desk?
The best height range for an armrest is one that is high enough to be level with your desk but low enough that you can slide under it if you need to.
Why shouldn’t you rest your arms on the armrests while you type?
If you use an armrest while you type, your forearm muscles, which lose strength faster than your shoulder muscles, are isolated. You should move the armrests away from your body, to the left or right, so that your arms can hang freely while you type.
Should your feet be flat on the floor when you sit?
Put your feet flat on the floor, or if they are too high, use a stool. Your knees should be 90° apart and directly over your ankles. Your lumbar support should fit your back and hips so that you can sit comfortably.