The human body is designed to move, to be up and about, not chained to a desk, staring at a computer screen all day long. But, the fact is, for most people, sitting at a desk is what they do all day. Spending eight to 10 hours sitting in an uncomfortable chair can be sheer torture and can set your body up for a work-related injury, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Ergonomic office furniture is not only more comfortable, it can help to prevent injuries and make work life more pleasant.
What Is Ergonomics?
The American Heritage Dictionary says that ergonomics consists of the designing furniture that reduces fatigue, the chance of injury and pain. It is a way of arranging the office furniture that makes it easy for us to do our jobs.
The Office Chair
You will spend a good portion of your day sitting in your office chair. It is vital to select a chair that is ergonomic. The seat should fit you and not be too long. It must be comfortable to sit in, not too hard, not too soft. The chair should have a way to adjust the height of the seat and the back rest must be supportive and have a comfortable lumbar support. For safety, if your chair must have wheels, purchase one with a five-pedestal base. If the chair has arm rests, make sure they are comfortable, padded and adjustable.
The Desk Arrangement
The desk should have two different heights: the main desk and a sliding shelf that is used for holding the keyboard and typing. Your computer monitor should be placed on the desk directly in front of you at eye level. This will reduce eye strain. A U-shaped desk set up keeps everything you use on a regular basis right at your fingertips, without overreaching and straining your neck and back.
Avoid overreaching by keeping the mouse within reach. Use the mouse on the side that you are most comfortable with. Make sure your hand is level and relaxed when operating the mouse.
The keyboard itself should be tilted with the top higher than the bottom. Use the legs on the back of the keyboard to raise the top. Once again, your keyboard should be at the level of your hands when they are parallel to the floor when your arm is bent at the elbow in a right angle. Be sure that you do not have to stretch out your arms to type. Also avoid typing with your hands raised too high. Do not use a wrist rest because it puts your hands in an unnatural position, stretching the nerves in your wrists.
Stop And Stretch
In addition to having an ergonomic office space, it is very important to take periodic breaks to give your body a chance to get up and move around. Stretch your arms and legs, exercise your hands by squeezing a ball, move your eyes up, down, and side to side. All of these exercises should be done every 30-60 minutes.
Prevent Injury
To prevent injuries and boost worker productivity, it is very important to provide yourself and anyone who works for you with the proper ergonomic office furniture. Spending money now will save you money later when you inevitably develop an injury.
When you are furnishing your office, a desk is an important piece of furniture. Take advantage of the many styles and designs to make your job of hunting for a desk Brisbane area simple.
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