Sitting “Just Right” at your Desk
So many people come to us because they hurt by the end of their work day – the pain is in the neck, back, shoulders, wrists. We want to share some tips with you so you’ll be comfortable at your desk and avoid injuries.
Click to enlarge.
Check out your:
- Monitor
- Keyboard and Mouse
- Chair
- Phone
Monitor – Place your screen 28” in front of you. You need to see the screen but you want to keep your head and shoulders relaxed and your chin slightly tucked. The worst is when your chin juts out in the front. This is called “forward head posture” and it causes neck pain and tension headaches. Consider getting “computer glasses” if you feel eye strain. Buy an adjustable stand to get the monitor at the right height.
Keyboard and Mouse – Your arms weigh about 12 pounds each. You want them to be relaxed when you type. Your arms are at your side and your elbows are bent 90 degrees – so you don’t have to reach in front of you to strike the keyboard. Keep the keyboard close to you with the mouse directly beside the keyboard. Use a keyboard tray if necessary, and avoid carpal tunnel. Treat yourself to a wrist rest – they are cheap and wonderful!
Chair – It doesn’t necessarily matter how much your chair costs – if you don’t rest your spine against the back of the chair you’re going to hurt by the end of the day. Your knees should be a bit lower than your hips and your feet should be flat on the floor. For you shorter folks, use a foot rest so you don’t have to “prop up” on your toes.
Phone – If you’re a talker, keep your phone close to you so you don’t have to reach across the desk every time it rings. Definitely don’t hold the phone on your shoulder while you type!! Better yet – treat yourself to a wired or wireless headset, the sound quality is good now. Check with your phone tech first.
For more detail on this subject, check out this OSHA Link.
Diagram property of: Cornell University Ergonomics Web
The product links listed in this blog are suggestions and Bradley & Monson does not specifically endorse any listed retailers, brands or products.