Ergonomics

During continuous-or prolonged-computer work organizing one’s workstation so that the alignments illustrated in Efficient Computer Work Alignments- which promote comfort and productivity- are recruited. 

When seated for long periods, maintain complete foot floor contact with back to backrest support. If the chair provides lumbar adjustment, beltline position this support. A chair's armrests should be easy to raise, lower, and pivot toward and away from our sides. They should also be comfortably padded and rounded at outer margins. For maximum comfort, adjust armrests so that forearm support is secured and so that the neutral upper extremity alignments depicted in this page's Efficient Computer Work Alignments are recruited. Take time to understand your chair and become familiar with the adjustments provided. Most reputable chair manufacturers have websites that link to how to adjust videos.

The height of a workstation’s keyboard and mouse are as important an office ergonomics work variable as exists. In general, the level of input devices should dictate lowered shoulder recruitments in which arms are in contact with the body and forearms intersect upper arms at 90°. Hand & wrist alignments at the keyboard should be straight/neutral, the mouse needs situated at the same height/level as the KB and with any reach to the pointing device abbreviated.

The computer screen(s) should be centered so that during viewing seated twists and turns of the trunk and head are not required. Screen distance - whether seated or standing - should be arms - length away and so that the display’s top aligns in the range between the eyebrows, to tip of nose. The human head is a heavy structure accounting for about 12 pounds of total body weight . Keeping this in mind know that a screen viewing that results in a slight forward tilt of the head is preferable. A too high screen can lead to undesirable chin up viewing recruitments . Avoid left and right of center display positioning.

While the height of the keyboard, pointing device and screens rise during standing office work, the neutral upper extremity alignments recruited described above and during seated work should not. That said, many find a slightly lower standing KB height and one that dictates the so-called “negative tilt” of the hands and wrists preferable. Experiment with different standing levels to find the best feel. Standing office work is not for everyone and while in recent times, a rush to deploy the standing workstation has been a common office work environment trend, evidence that standing in one place and performing office work is better or healthier for us has detractors and has yet to be empirically supported. During the workday, change positions as often as is feasible.