Office Chairs, Ergonomics and Reducing the Potential for Repetitive Motion Injuries

The importance of ergonomics and sittingplacing your eyes at the right position in the
correctly in your office chair is becoming morecenter of your monitor, it alleviates the worry
and more important as the world is workingthat too much strain will be put upon your neck
longer hours sitting in front of the computer. Withand shoulders from having to constantly turn to
more and more repetitive motion injuries beingsee and keeps your head centered over your
reported every month, it is no wonder. Yourspinal column, a great office chair position.
office chair and how you use your workstation isKeep your Arms and Wrists Relaxed and Your
critical to long-term health with good ergonomicsKeyboard Positioned Right:
helping you on the road to staying healthy andThe arms on your chair are there for a reason,
productive at your job.make sure they are set at the proper height and
Sit Back in Your Chair, No Slouching:that your wrists and arms are kept at a straight
Good Ergonomic Chairs are designed for sittingangle when typing. Most of the time this requires
for long periods of time, not to be sat upon like asome adjustment of your chair or desk. When
stool. If you are able to sit you're your spinetyping, your wrist should be relaxed and straight,
straight and remember to slightly reclinemake sure your keyboard is at the right height to
throughout the day, you will greatly reduce yourmake this possible. Usually adjusting your office
risk of long-term injury. The slightly reclinedchair height will do the trick. Using a keyboard tray
position is now considered the desired ergonomicplatform with differing heights or even an
position to hold in your task office chair and theadjustable workstation can really help.
best position for overall body health. Make sureKeep your Accessories Within Reach of Your
your office chair has a tilt mechanism, preferablyChair:
with tension adjustment.When sitting in your office chair, it can take some
Take frequent breaks and rest periods frompeople a lot of effort and stretching just to get
Sitting in Your Office Chair:themselves that pen they need for notes. Make
Take frequent breaks and make sure to stretchsure that your office chair does not have to
and change positions throughout the workday.move every time you need to reach a pen or
Change up the tasks you are performingstapler. Keeping things within reach still requires
throughout the day and break up the differentmovement, but also allows the person to keep
duties. For example, spend 30 minutes doing datagood ergonomic position instead of constantly
entry at the computer and then spend 20 doingtrying to adjust themselves back into the right
filing or reading and then go back and finish yourreclining position.
data entry if necessary. The point of this exampleGet Educated About Office Chair Ergonomics:
is to show that when tasks are broken up intoKnowing the symptoms of repetitive stress
manageable sections, one task is not performedinjuries caused from overuse and misuse of
for long periods of time, requiring your body tokeyboards and the mouse can bring them to your
keep the same position for a long time.attention when they first start to appear.
Movement is critical to good ergonomics and bodyRepetitive stress injuries like carpal tunnel are best
health. Making sure to change positions and tasksif caught soon, before they have had a chance to
throughout the day can really help to keep yourreally set in. Like most illnesses, when caught
body moving.early, treatment is much easier and hardly ever
Keep Your Computer Monitor at the Right Heightrequires surgery. In fact, most of these types of
for your Chair:injuries can be treated and repaired easily just by
Your monitor should be positioned with your eyesusing how to properly use your workspace and
centered on the monitor itself and at the correctpracticing good ergonomics every day in your
distance away from your eyes per youroffice chair.
operating manual for your type of monitor. When