It’s Time to Reevaluate Your Workplace Ergonomics 

Now each day more and more people are heading back into working in their offices, which means it is time to reevaluate your workplace ergonomics. How you sit at your desk and work on your computer matters each day. If you are sitting in such a way that results in poor posture and muscle aches and cramps, it’s time to reevaluate just how your workspace is set up. 

What is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics, fitting a job to a person, is a way that you can lessen muscle fatigue, increase productivity, and reduce the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Workplace musculoskeletal disorders affect the muscles, nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, and tendons. Workers in industries across the board can be exposed to environments that put them at risk for developing musculoskeletal disorders. Risk factors at the workplace that put you at an increased risk for developing health issues include:

• Having to lift heavy items
• Bending
• Reaching overhead
• Pushing and pulling heavy loads
• Working in awkward body postures 
• Performing the same or similar tasks repetitively 

Protect Your Employees 

Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace for their team. With that being said, work-related MSDs are among the most frequently reported causes of lost or restricted work time. Further, MSD cases accounted for 33% of all worker injury and illnesses.

How to Practice Workplace Ergonomics 

If you sit behind a desk, Mayo Clinic offers a guide on how to create a comfortable workspace that will help you feel your best. To practice good workplace ergonomics, follow these tips: 

Chair: 

Choose a chair that supports your spinal curves. Adjust the height of your chair so that your feet rest flat on the floor or on a footrest and your thighs are parallel to the floor. Adjust armrests to your arms, gently rest on them with your shoulders relaxed. 

Key Objects:

Keep key objects, like your telephone, stapler, or other materials, close to your body to minimize reaching. Stand up to reach anything that can’t be comfortably reached while sitting. 

Keyboard and Mouse: 

Place your mouse within easy reach and on the same surface as your keyboard. While typing or using your mouse, keep your wrists straight, your upper arms close to your body, and/or hands at or slightly below the level of your elbows. Use keyboard shortcuts to reduce the amount of time you need to use your mouse. If you’re able, adjust the sensitivity of your mouse so you can use a light touch to operate it. Alternate the hand you use to operate the mouse by moving the mouse to the other side of your keyboard. 

Telephone:

If you have a job that requires you to talk frequently on the phone, type, and write at the same time, place your phone on speaker or use a headset rather than cradling the phone between your ear and neck. 

Footrest: 

If your chair is too high for you to rest your feet flat on the floor, use a footrest. If you don’t have a footrest available, try using a small stool or stack of sturdy books instead. 

Desk:

Under your desk, make sure there’s enough clearance for your knees, thighs, and feet. If the desk is too low and can’t move, place sturdy boards or blocks under the desk legs. If the desk is too high and can’t be readjusted, raise your chair. Use a footrest to support your feet as needed. If your desk has a hard edge, pad the edge or use a wrist rest. Don’t store items under your desk.

Monitor:

Place the monitor directly in front of you, about an arm’s length away. The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level. The monitor should be directly behind your keyboard. If you wear bifocals, lower the monitor an additional 1 to 2 inches for more comfortable viewing. Place your monitor so that the brightest light source is to the side. 

Protect Your Health with Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center

If you are sitting at a desk for 40+ hours a week and are experiencing neck or back pain, make an appointment to come see Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center today. With treatments like electrical stimulation, spinal alignment therapy, steroid shots, and more, we can help relieve your pain. Further, we will provide you with health tips on how to protect your back at work and home to prevent the pain from recurring. Call us today to make an appointment at our convenient Austin, Texas office: (512)-806-0015.