If you’re on the shorter side, you know full well how hard it can be to find the right office equipment. Chairs are too tall, not allowing you to place your feet on the floor, while desks are too high, forcing your wrists to type at an awkward angle. However, it’s not impossible. Here, we provide our top three ergonomic tips so that you can work in comfort.
Get an office chair of low to medium height
The biggest complaint that people have about their office chairs is that they’re too tall. For short people, this is especially true. Your office chair should allow your feet to touch the ground. You can accomplish this with a chair that is of medium height or less. Additionally, getting an office chair that has an adjustable height will allow you to lower it to the right level for you.
Get a keyboard tray or desk converter
Even if your office chair is the right height, your desk may not be. Many people find that with their shorter chair, their feet may touch the ground, but they’re too low to make typing comfortable. This is where a keyboard tray comes in. You can place your keyboard and mouse on top of it so that it is at a comfortable height. A desk converter can also accomplish this by lowering your keyboard below your desktop.
Adjust your screen monitors
If you’re straining your neck upwards to look at your computer screen, you will soon wind up with neck problems. Instead, adjust your screen monitors so that it is 15 degrees below the horizontal line (or, where your eyes are positioned). This way you are not craning your neck up too high or too low.
Many of us have been working from home for over two years now. However, that is starting to change. More and more companies are bringing their employees back into the office. After over two years working from home, though, this can be a rough transition. Thankfully, there are ways to help your employees return to the office and make the transition as seamless as possible.
Ask your employees for feedback
Your employees will likely experience varying levels of anxiety when returning to the office. Some may be perfectly fine, but others may be nervous about changing their routines and being around other people again. As you’re crafting your policy, get employee feedback and be open to accommodating different employee needs.
Offer flexibility
As we know, many workers are leaving their current employers for other opportunities, often for more flexible workplaces. Even if you want your employees to work in an office, you should consider offering flexible options. For instance, you can allow them to work from home a certain number of days per week. Many workplaces are creating nomadic workplaces where employees can come and go as they please.
Create a safe and comfortable environment
When your employees are in the office, you want to ensure they feel safe and comfortable. While COVID-19 numbers are down, it is still present in our society. Make sure that desks are spaced out and that you have means to check for early signs of COVID-19. Additionally, workspaces should be flexible for those who may be both working in the office and at home.
Workspaces should also have ergonomic equipment to promote comfort and productivity. Thankfully, Accredited Rehabilitation Consultants can help. We offer ergonomic evaluations to help you build a safe and comfortable environment. Contact us today to learn more.
Good ergonomics can improve your health and productivity. After all, you can’t do your best if you’re uncomfortable. Unfortunately, many computer workstations are not ergonomically friendly, putting the health of many workers at risk.
Below are some of our tips to creating an ergonomic computer workstation:
The Monitor
You’ll be staring at a monitor for several hours, so you might as well be comfortable while doing so. To properly position your computer monitor, place the screen at a 15-degree down angle from your eyes. Then, push it back as far as you can without harming your ability to read what’s on the screen. Finally, be sure to position your monitor at a right angle to any light sources to minimize glare.
The Keyboard
In addition to the monitor there is the keyboard. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a major concern for many desk workers, but by properly positioning your keyboard, you can minimize your risk. Place your keyboard slightly below your elbows. As you type, your wrists should remain straight as you sit in a (slightly) reclined position.
The Mouse
Finally, there’s the mouse. While we don’t often think of our mouses, they can cause fatigue and strain to our wrists, hands, and arms. The mouse should be positioned at the same level as your keyboard. Keep it nearby the keyboard so that you don’t have to reach too far to use it. Additionally, you should not be using a wrist rest while you’re using your mouse or, for that matter, your keyboard. Wrist rests are meant to rest your wrists during a break—they are not meant as supports.
Most electric staplers are able to fasten more pages together compared to manual ones. There are products that can even staple upwards of 70 sheets instantly, making them great for use with thick documents.
Eliminates Pain
Manual staplers can be painful to use, especially when large documents or many different documents have to be stapled together. Not only do they cause sore hands, but they also contribute to repetitive motion conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome. An electric stapler saves staples documents automatically, helping you to avoid excess pain and preventing work-related injuries.
Saves Time
Electric ergonomic staplers generally save more time compared to manual staplers. Manual staplers are rough on the hand and can take a long time when working with large stacks of papers. An electric stapler can fasten pages together in a split second. This ensures you get more time for more productive activities, rather than spending a large chunk of the day or week stapling papers together.
Improves Accuracy
After you have managed to get your papers together by hand, chances are you will not be accurate with your stapling. For example, staples may be placed too close or too far to the paper edges, or even mangled if your stapler isn’t able to handle the amount of paper being processed. This can be solved with an electric stapler because it is able to staple accurately every time.
There’s a Device for All Kinds of Offices
There are many different types of electric staplers on the market. One of the best names in the market is Swingline, a company that has become popular for their range of high-quality electric stapler products. Swingline has been in the business for years and produce many great products for the office like Optima 70 and 45 (the numbers refer to the sampling capacity of each product) and the Speed Grip, a portable stapling device that runs either that runs on outlet power or on battery. If you want to make your own booklets, you will find some electric stapling machines that are capable of performing center-stitch stapling.
For recommendations for a suitable electric stapler and to achieve an optimal ergonomic workstation, it is important to hire a Specialist to examine your current workplace. At Accredited Rehabilitation Consultants, we can evaluate your current workspace, find ways to make it more ergonomic, and then provide and install the necessary equipment to do so. To learn more, contact us today!
For several years, the significance of ergonomics and good posture has been understated. However, with more and more research and data released, it is apparent that the sitting conditions we practiced in our younger years have notable effects on our health as we get older.
Your upper body weight pushes down on the base of your spine as well as the surrounding ligaments and muscles, causing pain after several years. Normally when you experience back pain, you respond naturally by hunching forward. This stretches the ligaments that hold your disc in place. Over time, your discs begin to push out to the nerves of your spinal column because the stretched ligaments are incapable of keeping the base of your spine any longer. The pressure causes a lot of pain, which may result in needing physical therapy or surgery.
Benefits of an Ergonomic Chair at Home
An ergonomic chair is important for use at home because of the number of hours most people spend in front of their computers. Ergonomic seating at the home has become just as important as in the office. Here are some benefits ergonomic chairs have to offer:
It promotes a neutral seated posture: Many people have developed incorrect posture as a result of the way they sit on traditional chairs. With ergonomic chairs, these problems are well taken care of. It comes with the features essential to sufficiently support your posture while sitting. Moreover, the chair’s height can be adjusted so that your feet sit flat on the floor.
Comfortability: Unlike normal chairs, you can sit in ergonomic chairs and feel comfortable throughout. If the features don’t make you comfortable, you can adjust them individually till they fit your needs.
It reduces the risk of back pain: Since ergonomic chairs come with a backrest that supports the spine’s natural curve, they help to keep the back relaxed and free of pain. They are higher than traditional chairs and support the entire back. They also come with a reclining function that make it easy to rest at an angle beyond 90 degrees.
Reduces pressure on the hips: The hard surface of normal chairs makes sitting uncomfortable and cause unnecessary contact pressure on your hips. An ergonomic chair has a good seat depth that helps to support the hips and buttocks.
An ergonomic chair is worth the investment to prevent future issues concerning posture and overall physical health.
The use of computers every day is now part of our lives at work, home, school, or business. An office employee spends, on average, 95% of the day working on a computer, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Neck, shoulder and back pain, along with eyestrain and injuries to the hands and wrists can be as a result of working at a computer. They are altogether known as RSIs, repetitive strain injuries. These injuries can cause prolonged and severe pain, resulting in movement impairment and muscle weakness. Typing ergonomics have become more important than ever because of the high risk of severe RSIs among computer users.
What Does Ergonomics Mean?
The word ergonomics takes on a more precise definition in regards to typing. It refers to taking on the right position while typing to avoid RSIs and body stress to achieve optimal comfort.
People who haven’t used typing software or have no formal typing training are commonly at a higher risk of developing typing related injuries. Ergonomics will help you prevent painful RSIs following the “three P’s” of typing.
Also, place the backs of your hands parallel to the keyboard to avoid wrist strain. While you type, let your forearms be at the same level as your keyboard and your elbows supported and resting comfortably by your side.
Posture
Avoid slouching while using a computer, to prevent pain and injuries. Try to keep your spine neutral, with the three natural curves of the spine present and not overly arched. Plant your feet on the floor, if necessary, adjust your chair height with a footstool. Let your head be positioned directly above your pelvis while you keep your shoulders relaxed.
Place
An ergonomic workstation set up should be functional and comfortable. Place your monitor slightly lower than your eye level or just at your eye level. You will be forced to strain your neck if positioned at a level higher than the eye.
Typing daily shouldn’t result in physical stress or prolonged pain. Abiding by these simple ergonomic principles will create and maintain a comfortable and safe work environment.
To achieve an optimal ergonomic workstation, it is important to hire a Specialist to examine your current workplace. At Accredited Rehabilitation Consultants, we can evaluate your current workspace, find ways to make it more ergonomic, and then provide and install the necessary equipment to do so. To learn more, contact us today!
A great way to support employees at their desk is with an ergonomic footrest. This kind of footrest is essential to any style of desk and can significantly improve the comfort and overall well-being of workers.
The Benefits Associated with Ergonomic Footrests
A footrest at first glance might not make sense in terms of the day-to-day business operation, but it can be an addition that makes the difference in terms of the impact it on your overall seated posture.
Use of an ergonomic footrest can provide the following benefits:
1. Boosts circulation
Sitting for many hours has been found to impede the circulation of blood around the body. With an ergonomic footrest, the chances of developing circulatory problems diminishes. Poor circulation can lead to health complications, so it is important to notice if you feel increased fatigue.
2. Promotes a neutral seated posture
Considering how much time (30min to 1 hr) the average American spends slouching, this can negatively impact posture, resulting in back pain and limiting productivity. Back pain brought on by poor posture is said to cost American employers more than $7 billion per year. It is also responsible for major disabilities among employees under 45 years of age. Ergonomic footrests help to maintain a good sitting posture and improve the health of your spine.
A good ergonomic footrest should elevate your feet at a height perfect for your body. There are different types for movements, such as tilting, swinging, swaying, or rocking. The most basic products can give you a comfortable place to set your feet and stretch it out.
Even with those the use of a standing desk, a footrest can provide much-needed relief. Ergonomic footrests can improve standing time on a standing desk by up to 30 percent.
To achieve an optimal ergonomic workstation, it is important to hire a Specialist to examine your current workplace. At Accredited Rehabilitation Consultants, we can evaluate your current workspace, find ways to make it more ergonomic, and then provide and install the necessary equipment to do so. To learn more, contact us today!
