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Office Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the science of fitting the job and workplace to workers' needs. Sitting improperly for long periods at a desk can put strain on the body and cause issues over time such as back pain. The document provides tips on properly adjusting a office workstation including chair height, back support, monitor distance and position, lighting, and avoiding slouching or awkward postures that could put pressure on joints. A chiropractor can help identify and address ergonomic issues through spinal adjustments, nutritional advice, and recommendations for posture, exercises and relaxation.

Health & Medicine◦
OFFICE ERGONOMICS By Dr. Michael Vanella
What is ergonomics?
What is Ergonomics? Ergonomics is… the science and the art of fitting the job and the workplace to workers’ needs.
Why do want to use ergonomics? If you work a 40 hour week you spend 25% of your whole (7 days) week at your desk. Or a quarter of your life.
Why Ergonomics? So it would make sense that you wouldn’t want your workplace to hurt you or make you sick.
What’s Correct?
Correct Chair Height Most people have their chair too high. Adjust your chair height so that when you put your fingers on the middle row of the keyboard forearms and hands are horizontal elbows vertically under your shoulders no angle at the wrist.
Do You Need a Footrest? If the undersides of your thighs are now compressed, you need either a footrest or a lower desk. Most desks are a standard height of 28.5” or so, standardized before computers A large proportion of people will benefit from a footrest Footrests can be bought, or made from a box, board, cushion or a piece of stiff foam.
What Can Happen? Pressure points can build up under the thighs and behind the knees if your chair is not adjusted properly. Nerves and blood vessels are pinched and this can result in pins and needles in the lower legs or swelling in the feet and ankles.
Incorrect Foot, Ankle, and Knee Positions:
Correct Foot, Knee, and Ankle Positions:
Back Support Adjust the angle of the backrest Adjust the backrest height so that it supports the lower back Many people set the back support too low. If you can't sit fully back and upright without your knees hitting the front of the seat, you need a different chair with a shorter bottom-cushion.
What Can Happen: The muscles in your upper back stay tense if you sit in a rigid upright posture. When you sit down the inward curve in your lower back flattens, or even curves the other way. This places pressure on the discs in your spine. At first, it may feel comfortable to slump, but in the long term it is bad for your back. Sadly most people only realize this when it is too late.
Actions To Take: Arrange your work so that you are looking straight ahead most of the time. Make sure your keyboard is parallel to the front of your desk when you are using it. Sit back in your chair and rest your upper body against the backrest. Change your sitting position at regular intervals by leaning slightly forward and then slightly backward. Pause from your work to stretch and move away from your desk. Take a break!
Incorrect Low Back Position:
Correct Low Back Position:
Arm Rest Fixed-height armrests are generally too low, encouraging you to slump down to them. Adjustable-height armrests are usually shorter and will let you get close enough to your desk Short but fixed armrests can be raised by wrapping foam round them, or adding a layer of foam and wrapping fabric round. Don't be surprised if you need to add up to three inches of height in order to have elbow support when sitting upright.
What can happen: What can happen If you hold your elbows away from your body, the muscles in your neck, shoulder and upper arms are under a constant static load. If your arms tend to be raised to the sides, you may be too close to your keyboard or your mouse is too far away from you. If your arms tend to be held out in front, you could be too far from your keyboard. Actions to Take Use a chair with arm rests at the correct height
Incorrect Elbow Positions:
Correct Elbow Positions:
Monitor Distance Check the distance of the monitor . The screen should be about 22-26" away, so that your eye focus muscles do not have to work too hard. If you are sitting much closer than this, there might be a problem with your eyesight, the screen quality or settings, or the desk depth. Remember you can pull the desk away from the wall and allowing the monitor to overhang at the back.
Monitor Position A common problem is having reference material in front of your keyboard, forcing you to stretch out whilst typing. Many people position the monitor in the corner of the desk, at an angle. This can cause you to angle your arms and wrist in order to type.
Positioning the monitor to one side means sitting with the neck twisted. This puts uneven pressure on the neck muscles causing discomfort and possibly injury.
What Can Happen: Your head weighs about 8 to 12 pounds. If your head tilts forward, the neck muscles have to work continuously to balance the weight of your head, and this muscle contraction tends to compress the discs in your neck. The neck muscles will also become uncomfortable if you tip your head back. Tension in the neck muscles can lead to headaches. Often twisting the neck to look down at reference documents compounds the problems. If you keep your head in a neutral position the muscles do not have to work so hard.
Actions to Take If you use your computer for more than 1 hour (continuous use) a day it is recommended that you reorganize your equipment so that the monitor and keyboard are both directly in front of you.
Incorrect Head And Neck Positions:
Correct Head And Neck Positions:
Keyboard Sit close to the desk and don't put anything between you and the keyboard except a gel wrist rest Don't automatically deploy the keyboard's rear feet - you only need them if your elbows are below desk height. If you rest your wrists on the table when you type you should use a wrist rest .
Mouse Position Position and use the mouse as close to you as you can. Aim to have your elbow vertically under your shoulder, and right by your side on the armrest. If you develop any sensation in your mouse-side shoulder, use a narrow (84-key) keyboard so that you can have your mouse closer. Place your mouse in front of you for sessions of intensive mouse use.
Document Placement If you often refer to documents whilst typing use a document holder . Position it at the same height and distance as your monitor. If you look at the documents more than the screen put the document holder directly in front of you and the monitor to the side.
Glare Eliminate any glare or reflections on your monitor. Close blinds and change the position of the workstation so that the monitor is at right-angles to the window. You can reduce reflections from overhead lights by raising your monitor then tilting it down to make the screen vertical.
Desktop Accessories Position any additional equipment e.g. phones, paper trays, reference material in accessible places. Avoid reaching and twisting. Investigate storage facilities and desktop accessories to help you organize your workstation better.
Incorrect Wrist and Hand Positions:
Correct Hand and Wrist Positions:
What Can Happen? The tendons and nerves that control the fingers run through the wrists. If the wrists are not in a flat, neutral position the tendons can rub as they go to the wrist. Damage can occur with a combination of poor wrist posture and one or more of: excess force repetition of similar movements lack of recovery breaks stress
Actions to Take Check your seat height - your elbows should be no higher than keyboard height. Don't deploy rear keyboard feet unless your elbows are below desk height. Thoroughly revise your whole working posture, making sure that your hands are in line with your forearms. At regular intervals shake your hands and rotate them clockwise a few times and then anti-clockwise (this relieves tension in the fingers, hands, wrists and forearms). Use a light keying action. Most people hit the keys 3 or 4 times harder that they need to. Have a space in front of your keyboard to rest your hands when you are not keying. If you are a touch typist who is more comfortable with the keyboard next to the desk edges keep this position but rest your hands in your lap when not typing.
Office Of Horror:
Ideal Office:
What Can A Doctor of Chiropractic Do?
Perform chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system. Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of vitamins. Offer advice on: Posture ergonomics (work postures) Exercises relaxation techniques.
Thank you for your time!