Are you experiencing discomfort at your desk?

Neck pain? Back aches? Wrist discomfort?

Unfortunately, feeling aches and pains while at our desks is relatively common. Research shows that over 50% of computer users experience discomfort which leads to lost productivity. In fact, risk of an injury is greater for those who spend more than 4 hours a day on the computer.

So, how do we address this discomfort given the demands of our jobs and our work environments? The answer lies in ergonomics and its association with the way we work each day.

Ergonomics is the science of "fitting the task to the body" to maximize health, comfort and productivity. The good news is that an ergonomic workstation is designed to reduce discomfort and prevent injury. You should be seated in a comfortable posture, back supported, without having to lean or reach forward while completing computer tasks. Seems simple, but let’s go through a few things to really understand how ergonomics can help you reduce discomfort and become more productive during your day. The reality is that most of us conform our bodies to our desks.

Reaching, twisting, and leaning forward over the course of the day creates those aches, pains, and discomfort that you feel. It’s no wonder we are uncomfortable! And no wonder we need ergonomic solutions to address these issues. Specifically, an employee reaches for his keyboard and mouse, and leans in to view his monitor. The position of the keyboard, mouse and monitor are critical to his comfort. Think about it. Wherever your hands go, your body follows. Therefore, it is critical for your keyboard, mouse and monitor to be positioned properly.

As a first step to a healthy workstation, it is important that you are seated comfortably. Sit back in your chair, with your back supported by the backrest. Movement throughout the day is important for circulation and health. Make sure you can lean back and recline in your chair. This may be an automatic feature or you may need to unlock and adjust the tension so when you move — the chair moves.

Ergonomic work tools

When you are seated comfortably, we can use well designed, easy-to-use ergonomic work tools to adjust your keyboard, mouse and monitor to you! A typical desk setup often has the keyboard and mouse on the desk surface, causing us to lean and reach forward in an awkward position. Did you know that most desks are at a height meant for someone at least 6’4"? This explains why many people feel uncomfortable shrugging our shoulders and reaching upwards for the keyboard and mouse at a fixed position.

Reduce upper body discomfort: Keyboard tray

To solve the problem of the static keyboard position and achieve comfort, a keyboard tray is a recommended ergonomic work tool to help you sit and work in a supported, relaxed posture. With an easy-to-use keyboard tray, not a bulky or old design, you can sit back into your chair, lower your arms, relax your shoulders and keep a straight wrist. This is a comfortable, neutral, ergonomic posture. Specifically, adjust the keyboard tray to about 1" above your lap. Tilt the platform away from your body so your wrist is straight as you type. Position the mouse on the platform to reduce reaching. Research has shown that using a keyboard tray reduces discomfort in the upper body, back and promotes a straight, healthy wrist posture – all resulting in reduced risk of injury, and in improved comfort and productivity. Remember, ergonomics is about adjusting the work to you. What could be more important than bringing the keyboard and mouse, two tools we use constantly, closer?

Stop leaning & prevent eyestrain: Monitor arm

Now that you are seated comfortably in your chair, working in an ergonomic posture with a keyboard tray, what about your monitor? Since what we look at plays a large role in how we sit, it is important that we have control over the position of our screen. Instead of leaning forward to view the monitor, or sacrificing critical work surface area for the monitor stand, a flat panel monitor arm is an essential ergonomic recommendation to better fit the task to your body. To sit in an ergonomic posture, the monitor should be centered with your body, about an arm’s reach away so you can view it clearly.

To reduce awkward neck postures, the screen should be positioned so that the top line of text is equal to your seated eye height. By bringing the monitor toward you, you can lean back effortlessly, have use of your keyboard tray, and your eyes can easily see the screen. Comfort equals productivity, and being more productive means an opportunity to earn more. In fact, the ergonomic benefits of a flat panel monitor arm extend beyond just your posture:

• Improved privacy
• Enhanced ability to collaborate with coworkers
• Greater use of available desk space

Now, remember, ergonomics is the science of "fitting the task to your body." Use ergonomics to regain your comfort and productivity, and to prevent future injuries. A critical component of an ergonomic workstation is to have control over the positioning of your keyboard, mouse and monitor. Easy-to-use ergonomic products are designed to allow you to adjust your workstation to yourself.