| Like so many Americans, you probably work in an | | | | sculpting and molding chairs that support the |
| office, spending up to 80 hours a week, cranking | | | | proper S-curve of the spine, as well as proper |
| out the numbers, diligently working and, contrary | | | | blood flow to the low back and buttocks. |
| to what your boss thinks, not merely downloading | | | | However, it is well documented that something as |
| Youtube videos. Well, okay, there was that one | | | | simple as proper ergonomic design reduces |
| isolated incident, but come on, everybody had to | | | | fatigue and minimizes the stress on the body. |
| see that beatbox flute guy clip, right? And like so | | | | Workers with better posture, with chairs that |
| many Americans, you probably spend these full | | | | support such posture will be able to do more, to |
| time hours seated, oblivious to the fact that this | | | | be more productive, or to fly through in search of |
| seemingly benign activity, according to | | | | "Star Trek: the next generation" DVDs with extra |
| ergonomics-informationsite "exerts great stress | | | | verve. |
| on the back because it transfers the full weight of | | | | What it boils down to is the concept of shaping |
| the upper body onto the buttocks and thighs." Of | | | | the work environment, in this case the chair, to |
| course, you probably realize that something is up | | | | the needs of the worker and not the other way |
| when your mid-back aches or feels numb, when | | | | around. A brief perusal of ergonomic chairs may |
| your knees throb, when that midmorning | | | | be a strange experience. They often look like |
| headache has some extra bite. Typical chair | | | | lofty and uncomfortable apparatuses. For instance, |
| design, most chairs in most work places, provide | | | | the Australian Kneelsit ergonomic chair looks like a |
| inadequate support for the seated body, which | | | | piece of exercise equipment: not only is its seat |
| can lead to back pain, fatigue, and as a result, can | | | | angled forward and down, but it features an |
| decrease work performance. | | | | additional pad to support the knees. But they |
| But there is a science to the rescue: ergonomics. | | | | seem to work well, according to their kneelsit |
| Not merely the concept of bending at your knees | | | | website, their funky looking chairs were shortlisted |
| versus your back when lifting heavy objects, | | | | for the 1997 Australian Industrial Design Award. |
| ergonomics is the science of "equipment design... | | | | More to the point, the chair, and others like it, |
| intended to maximize productivity by reducing | | | | coerces the body into an open posture that |
| operator fatigue and discomfort" (the American | | | | supports the lumbar vertebrae. You can say |
| Heritage Dictionary, Fourth Edition). I guess it is | | | | goodbye to those aches and pains, and look |
| comforting to know that somewhere in Sweden, | | | | forward to comfortable work days and a |
| there is a team of scientists thinking about | | | | retirement without the need for a cane. |