“Sedentary lifestyle can explain, in part, how modernity is associated with obesity, more than 30 chronic diseases and conditions and high healthcare costs.” NCBI
Sitting and staring at a computer screen all day can
be detrimental to your health and well-being, but what if your job requires it?
Savvy office managers are beginning to implement ergonomic solutions
to help employees not only be healthier, but also more productive.
Read on to discover 4 ergonomic office items that will keep your body healthy
and your work day more productive.
1.
Ergonomic Office Chair
Long office hours hunched over the computer can lead
to bad posture, back pain, and neck stiffness. Invest in an ergonomic chair
specifically created with the human anatomy in mind.
Most ergo chairs come with a breathable mesh to allow
your body to cool and you can adjust the armrest, headrest, seat tilt, and
height.
2.
Adjustable Monitor Stand
The adjustable monitor stand is a smaller and cheaper
alternative to a standing desk. You don’t have to lift the entire desk –
instead, you adjust the height of the computer monitor and sit or stand
accordingly.
Monitor stands are great for laptops as well, because
it’s harder to adjust laptop screens to your eye level without props.
3. Ergonomic
Mouse and Mousepad
Your wrists are under a lot of pressure during
the day as you handle the mouse and keyboard. After a while, you may start
developing a carpal
tunnel syndrome that will make your desk work even more
painful.
An ergo mouse and a mousepad should be crucial parts
of your ergonomic office, especially if you spend more than four hours a day in
front of a screen. Consider a vertical
mouse or split
keyboard.
4.
Ergonomic Footrest
Spending hours at your desk with your legs hanging
down can lead to poor blood circulation, varicose veins, and weakened
leg muscles.
An ergonomic footrest is a simple, affordable solution
to this problem that will keep your legs elevated to prevent swelling and knee
pain. Plus, it will make your desk work more comfortable.
In
conclusion
Working at a desk for eight hours a day can take a
toll on your health, especially your back, neck, and knees. More companies have
been investing in their workers by replacing their outdated office furniture
with ergonomic office equipment and performing ergonomic assessments
as needed.
To keep up with the newest trends in the ergonomics
industry and discover new ergo office products, we recommend contacting SolutionsNW.com,
a leader in the ergonomics
field, for more information.
Subscribe to our blog
for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants
located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia,
Tacoma, and Portland.
Workplace injuries cost a lot of time and money, but did you know that 33% of those injuries are musculoskeletal disorders, like carpal tunnel and back strains? While you can’t prevent every injury, you can lower the prevalence in your company.
Creating an ergonomic workplace can reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders while leaving your workers happier and more productive.
What
is Ergonomics?
In short, ergonomics is the process of creating an environment that increases
productivity and reduces the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs
affect muscles, nerves, tendons, and joints. They occur or are worsened due to
repeated movements or stress on the body.
For example, employees who demonstrate bad posture all
day may end up with muscle strains resulting in back or neck pain. Not only may
they need to take time off work, but they may also be less productive at work
because they’re in pain.
However, by designing an ergonomic workplace, you
could help your employees reduce their risk for developing MSDs keeping them
happy, healthy, and productive.
Now that you know what ergonomics is, let’s talk about
how you can use it in your office.
Invest
in Quality Office Equipment
If you’ve ever sat in an uncomfortable chair, you’ll
know how it can quickly get uncomfortable and even painful. To avoid this in
your company, invest in quality chairs for your employees.
These should have adjustable armrests, height, and
lumbar support, so your employees can find the right setting for them. The
backs of the chairs should also keep that natural “S” shape to fully support
the spine, and the angle between the seat and backrest should allow you to
comfortably sit up straight without pushing your forward.
When you bring new employees on, consider showing them
how to adjust the different features of their chair and offer information on
the importance of good posture at work.
While investing in good chairs is a big step, it’s not
the only thing that has to be done to create an ergonomic work environment. You
can further prevent against back, neck, and wrist strains by offering
additional ergonomic solutions for those who need it.
For example, your employees’ feet should always touch
the ground when they sit. You can offer footrests to your shorter employees to
help them improve their posture and stay comfortable at work.
Keyboard wrist rests are also a great idea. They
take the weight off your wrists and offer support to prevent strains.
Invest
in an Ergonomics Assessment
Don’t let your employees suffer MSDs on your watch. Ergonomics
consultants have studied this topic robustly, it may be wise to invest in an ergonomics assessment for
your workplace to see a difference in the productivity and health of your
employees.
In the same way you must invest in proper equipment, you or your office manager
should invest in a proper ergonomics
assessment.
An ergonomics expert will see what you couldn’t see, as well as offer custom
plans for your workplace. In the long run, this investment will pay off as you
will see higher productivity and less injury in your workplace.
In
conclusion
If you don’t invest in the safety of your workers, you
will lose money in the long run. If you’re seeking out ergonomics solutions to
your office work place, you’ve already taken the first step.
For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.
Be sure to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.
“The average American worker spends 7 hours a day on the computer.” – American Eye-Q 2015
If you’re like most American office workers, you likely spend a lot of time on the computer. In fact, “the average American worker spends 7 hours a day on the computer” says a 2015 American Eye-Q study.
Working on the computer for extended periods of time can take a toll on your body, especially if you aren’t proactive about researching what tools work best for your workstation.
While it is always recommended to perform an ergonomics assessment of your workspace, this ergonomics blog will explore a few computer peripherals designed with computer ergonomics in mind.
Trackball Mouse
While no tools provide complete protection from carpal tunnel syndrome, the trackball requires much less movement and is considered by some to be a carpal tunnel relief gadget.
A trackball mouse, like a traditional mouse, is a pointing device. Unlike a traditional mouse, it remains stationary and has a ball on its top or side. In addition to the ball, a trackball commonly has one or more buttons that work like mouse buttons.
Operating the trackball with the three middle fingers reduces two ergonomics risk factors: static gripping and repetitive wrist movement.
Ergonomics experts recommend ambidextrous trackballs with a ball in the center rather than the side to minimize the risk of thumb tendonitis. Below are examples of a few ambidextrous trackballs:
There are many varieties of ergonomic keyboards such as split and contoured, but the split keyboard is a great way to reduce muscle strain and reduce the risk of carpal tunnel or other repetitive strain injuries. Split keyboards that split into independent pieces are sometimes referred to as adjustable split keyboards. This type of split keyboard will allow you to move the keyboard into a comfortable position, allowing one to easily relax the wrist or entire hand.
You may have never heard of computer glasses, but with digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome being so common in today’s work place, products like computer glasses have started to gain interest among office workers.
Computer glasses look just like regular glasses and are usually around the $50 to $100 price range. Unlike regular glasses, computer glasses are designed with an anti-reflective coating to reduce screen glare and harsh light. Most of these glasses will also filter the blue light that your computer screen emits.
Filtering blue light should reduce negative symptoms of staring at a screen and make it easier to perform your daily computer work. Feeling headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision, dry eyes, or even neck and shoulder pain can be reduced. In fact, your posture may improve as well because you won’t have to hunch closer to the screen as much.
For an in depth look at computer glasses, check out our blog article on the subject.
In conclusion
Remember to always consult with your doctor to rule out any possible underlying cause of pain. Whether you decide to try computer glasses, split keyboards, or a trackball mouse, be sure to communicate with your staff or co-workers to see if they’d like to try any of these products.
Additionally, be sure to perform an ergonomics assessment to ensure office safety. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit your ergonomics experts at SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.
Be sure to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.
