| If you spend much time in front of your | | | | Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition where the |
| computer on a regular basis, an important thing to | | | | nerves in your wrists are damaged, leading to loss |
| consider is creating an ergonomic workstation. | | | | of feeling and strength in the hands. Incorrect |
| While sitting at a computer may seem like a fairly | | | | keyboard and mouse height can also cause |
| safe activity, in many cases it can be harmful and | | | | damage in your elbows and shoulders as well. |
| dangerous to your health. To reduce the chances | | | | If your computer workstation has an adjustable |
| of injuring or straining your body while sitting at | | | | keyboard and mouse tray, you can use this to |
| your computer, take into account the following | | | | set your keyboard and mouse to the correct |
| three areas when designing your ergonomic | | | | height and angle. Another option is to purchase an |
| workstation: | | | | ergonomic computer keyboard and mouse tray, |
| - Seating position | | | | which can raise the keyboard off the desk to a |
| - Keyboard / mouse position | | | | more comfortable position if it sits too low. |
| - Display (monitor) position | | | | Remember that you should be completely relaxed |
| The first step in creating an ergonomic | | | | at your computer, and if you have to bend or |
| workstation is to make sure you are using a chair | | | | reach in an unnatural way to use your keyboard |
| that is comfortable and promotes good posture, | | | | and mouse you are at risk to permanent and |
| allows for good blood circulation, and lets your | | | | painful damage to your body that can stay with |
| arms comfortably remain in the proper typing | | | | you for the rest of your life. |
| position. Because you are spending a lot of time | | | | The third step in creating an ergonomic |
| at your workstation, you should always be | | | | workstation is setting up your display device(s) |
| comfortable. When you are comfortable, you will | | | | correctly. This is often times an overlooked |
| get more work done and will feel better | | | | aspect of an ergonomic workstation, but is |
| throughout the day, even after you have left | | | | extremely important to pay attention to and take |
| your computer. Comfort isn't as obvious as you | | | | seriously. For maximum comfort and safety, it is |
| might think however. An ergonomic workstation | | | | important that your monitor be at least two feet |
| will promote good posture, so choose an | | | | away from you, more if possible, and directly in |
| adjustable office chair with good lumbar support. | | | | front of you. Having your monitor too close will |
| Lumbar support, or lower back support, helps to | | | | make it more difficult for your eyes to clearly |
| maintain the natural "S" curve of your spine. While | | | | see what is on the screen and can damage your |
| it may take some time to get used to if you | | | | vision over time. You do want to be careful |
| have bad posture now, you will be more | | | | however, not to have your monitor at a distance |
| comfortable in the long run with proper seating | | | | that causes you to have to lean towards or |
| posture than if you remain slouched over or | | | | away from it to see comfortably. Leaning to or |
| leaning to one side or the other. | | | | away from the monitor causes improper neck |
| A good computer chair should have the ability to | | | | posture and puts stress on your spine as well as |
| adjust the height of the seat so that you can | | | | your shoulder and neck muscles. The top of the |
| raise or lower it to allow your feet to remain flat | | | | monitor should be positioned slightly below your |
| on the floor. If the seat is too high or too low, | | | | eye level. Your eyes will be able to see better |
| your legs hanging off the edge or bent upward | | | | and you will put less stress on your neck muscles |
| will put strain on your lower back muscles. The | | | | if you are looking slightly downward at your |
| tops of your legs should be parallel or go slightly | | | | monitor. Angling the top of the monitor slightly |
| upward if you are in the proper seating position. | | | | back (further away from you) will also help to |
| The edge of the seat should be rounded, and the | | | | make the screen easier to see and read. |
| backs of your legs should be a few inches from | | | | You also want to pay attention to the lighting at |
| the edge of the seat in order to promote healthy | | | | your ergonomic workstation as well. For |
| blood circulation to your legs and feet from the | | | | maximum comfort and visibility, you want to |
| upper half of your body. The armrests should be | | | | have a low level of indirect light at your |
| adjustable as well, and positioned so that you are | | | | workstation. Too little light can cause strain on |
| not leaning forward to rest your elbows and so | | | | your eyes when looking at your computer |
| that you do not have to raise your shoulders to | | | | monitor, and too much light can cause glare on |
| fit your arms. Either one of these scenarios put | | | | your monitor which also is bad for your vision. For |
| you out of proper posture and put additional | | | | this reason it is wise to use a flat screen monitor, |
| stress on your muscles and nerves. | | | | which tends not to produce as much glare as |
| A popular option instead of a more expensive | | | | older CRT monitors. Pay attention to where your |
| adjustable office chair is to use an ergonomic | | | | ergonomic workstation is set up in relation to |
| kneeling chair at your workstation. An ergonomic | | | | windows and outside light as well as interior lighting |
| kneeling chair will promote proper spinal alignment | | | | fixtures to reduce the risk of damaging your |
| and will reduce the amount of pressure on your | | | | vision while working at your computer. Keeping |
| back by distributing some of your weight to your | | | | your monitor screen free of dust and smudges is |
| shins. An ergonomic kneeling chair also will increase | | | | also very important. A dirty display will make it |
| the blood circulation throughout your body and will | | | | difficult for your eyes to see and read what is on |
| allow for your arms to stay in the proper position. | | | | the screen. |
| While an ergonomic kneeling chair may take some | | | | With an ergonomic workstation properly set up, |
| time to get used to, they are a healthy and less | | | | you will find that you are more efficient and able |
| expensive option to an adjustable office chair and | | | | to get more productive work done throughout |
| make a great addition to an ergonomic | | | | the day and that you will feel better as well. They |
| workstation. | | | | say that you should buy the best bed and the |
| No matter what type of computer work you do, | | | | best shoes that you can, because if your not in |
| it is also very important to make sure that your | | | | one, your in the other. I agree with this |
| keyboard and mouse are in a comfortable position | | | | statement completely, but I also believe that for |
| for you to use. While there are many ergonomic | | | | those of us who spend a significant part of the |
| keyboards and computer mice on the market | | | | day at our computers it is just as important to |
| that should help to reduce the amount of strain | | | | have the best and most ergonomic workstation |
| on your fingers and wrists, perhaps it is more | | | | possible because a good percentage of our lives |
| important to make sure that the keyboard that | | | | are spent there. Having an ergonomic workstation |
| you currently are using is set up properly. The | | | | will not only pay off now by helping you to be |
| first step to setting up your keyboard and mouse | | | | more comfortable and get more productive work |
| when creating an ergonomic workstation is to | | | | done, but later on in life you will regret spending |
| make sure that it is at the correct height. The | | | | so much time in uncomfortable and improper |
| goal is to have your elbows resting at your sides, | | | | positions if you wind up with back problems, wrist |
| with your forearms parallel to the floor when | | | | problems, or vision problems because your |
| using your keyboard and mouse. If your | | | | workstation was not set up with ergonomics as |
| keyboard and mouse are at the incorrect height | | | | the most important factor. |
| or angle, your wrists will have to bend in an | | | | Practice proper computer ergonomics, take |
| uncomfortable and unhealthy direction when you | | | | frequent brakes to stretch and look away from |
| are typing or using your mouse. Over long periods | | | | your display, get lots of work done, and stay |
| of time in this improper position, your wrists and | | | | healthy! |
| hands are at risk to carpal tunnel syndrome. | | | | |