Computer Workstation Ergonomics

I haven’t read all of the comments, so I don’t know wether anyone has brought this up yet. But those pictures look disproportionate.

The fore arms on this bloke are at least a good hand-span too long, when you take into consideration the various angles that should be involved, and the points of view. So the positions they are showing are simply not possible - that’s assuming, of course, that your not closer to the ape end of evolution tree…

What are the ergonomics for using laptops?

If you’re working on a laptop full time, consider getting a generic laptop “dock” station, such as the Logitech Alto. It raises the laptop screen and gives you a real full size keyboard.

I always tell people to get the Knoll Chadwick chair - especially if they think that they like the Aeron… It’s designed by the same guy as the Aeron, but it’s updated with the latest technology. Fewer adjustments and more sensitive to your individual movements. VERY comfortable, and built to be ergonomically correct. Check it out at www.theknollstore.com

-ellis

For the past two years, I’ve stood up at my desk. In my last job I actually was given an architect’s table that I could slide up to belly-button level. I put my monitor on a milk crate, and my laptop in front of that so I could use the montor screen as a second monitor, the two monitors stacked vertically.

At first I found that my lower back did not like it much, but it has gotten a lot stronger. I also find that I don’t go into my post-lunch food coma as easily.

I think I just got tired of the idea that the doc asks what you do, you say “computer programmer”, and he says, “okay” and automatically checks “sedentary”.

Hi

I’m just replying to Jason questions about where to get a good chair, I thought it might be worth while giving a few tips on what to look out for in a good chair.

  1. Get a chair that can have a forward tip in the seat, helps to keep the pelvis aligned,and then this keeps the natural curve in the lower spine.

  2. Get a chair that has a backrest that you can independent adjust so that you can get a good angle on it

  3. Make sure if you are tall that the chair can go high enough for you (feet firmly on the floor, chair as high as it will go, then arms at a comfortable right angle to your desk).

  4. The bit you actually sit on should be about hands width away from your knees, too close and it will encourage you to adopt a slouch position or sit to far forward so that you get no support from the back.

In terms of what’s the best chair for your budget, really depends on what your budget is:

The rolls royce of ergonomic chairs is the RH range, but it’s in the same price league as the Aeron chair (but much better ergonomics wise)

http://www.posturepeople.co.uk/Results1.asp?Category=10

A really good chair if you are a sloucher is the Axia Pro, perfect if you work long hours in front of a PC - and the way it’s built makes if very hard for you to adopt a slouching position

http://www.posturepeople.co.uk/Details.asp?Category=55ProductID=101

A good budget option is the Nomique range, has a lot of adjusts and you can buy small, medium or large sizes to suit your frame, also has injection moulded foam - which means the foam gives more support and is more comfortable than cheaper chairs on the market.

http://www.posturepeople.co.uk/Results1.asp?Category=56

The best thing to go to a showroom where you can try several chairs out to see what it really the best for you.

Hope this helps
Jo

Whats the verdict on arm rests? My chais (Stealcase Leap) has them, but I have the set low so I don’t use them when typing - come to think of it, I never use them.

The increasing popularity of laptops is bad news regarding ergonomics (suboptimal viewing angle - neck strain, small screen size, highly reflective screens* - eye strain, wrist positioning - RSI problems).

If you’re using a laptop I strongly recommend to invest in an external monitor/keyboard/mouse combination if you spend a significant amount of time at your desk.

Raymond

* whoever thought this up should be forced to work in one of our offices for a year. Fortunately, the business lines from the major manufacturers are still available with anti-glare coatings - we won’t buy anything else.

I developed RSI in both wrists (tendonitis) more than a decade ago, and I immediately contacted an ergonomic specialist working for our city government (a large U.S. city). (His job was to approve all types of equipment purchased for employee use that could potentially cause RSI. The Microsoft natural keyboard described above, which was initially on the City’s approved list, was later removed, because they began hearing complaints of elbow pain from those who used it on a regular basis.) He recommended that I purchase the Kinesis contour keyboard and articulating arm supports (such as ErgoRest Arm supports). Together, they made it possible for me to get back to work. I’ve used both ever since, for several hours nearly every day. Whenever I attempt to use a regular computer keyboard for 15 minutes or more, wrist pain begins to develop. I head back to my Kinesis and the ErgoRests, and the pain is gone.

I get much better results with

  1. my chair seat angled down a little, to open up my abdomen

  2. my monitor(s) higher than recommended - centre of the monitor level with my eye: forces my head up to align my spine

I have also (to great hilarity among my co-workers) taken all the numberpad keys off my keyboard, aand blu-tacked my trackball onto the now-vacant space so I don’t have to reach off to the side for it.

I highly recomend RSIGuard, this is software that forces you to take breaks, it blanks out the screen, great stuff!

There are other software out there, but this one I liked.

I’m interested to hear people’s opinion about the position of the screen. I don’t like looking down, I like to have the middle of the screen at eye level, but I’m told this is wrong. But if I constantly look down, I feel neck ache… any ideas?

Everything taken into consideration do not stay in a static position for more than around 45 mins depending on level of normal activity ( more active the longer you can be static). Basically get everything in the right position monitor etc but more importantly is do not sit more than necessary, take micro breaks. Do your work and then walk around a little. We are not meant to sit around so get up an do something other than siiting and staring at a screen. Ergonomics 101

Does anyone know if working 10-12 hour days in front of the computer and not sitting ergonomically correct can cause a torn rotator cuff?

I never relized how everything is so uneven…No wonder I have consistant pain.

Kinesis used to make an Evolution split keyboard that could actually mount to your computer chair arms and was split and fully movable. However the total price of $1200 kept my employers from justifying that purchase for me 8^D

I’ve been trying to save my pennies, but sadly it appears they discontinued the line. Man I drooled over that thing.

In college as an Industrial Engineer, I took two courses in Ergonomics. I would disagree slightly with Jeff’s statement that ergonomics is holistic. It is a very young scientific field that is also subject to a lot of variability. Every person is built differently and it is hard to develop universal axioms.

However, a lot of your tips are solidly echoed in the research and literature of ergonomics. One unfortunate thing is that many companies are out there trying to sell products that may not help, and may hurt you.

Use your judgement when thinking about ergonomics. Your greatest risk is from poor posture. This goes beyond your seating position. If your desk is too high and you have to bend your wrists to reach the keyboard, that’s bad posture! Try to keep things at a natural angle.

If you work at a big or even a good medium-sized company, chances are they have at least one ergonomist that can help make sure your workstation is set up well to fit you. Take advantage of it, because they are probably getting paid whether they help you or not!

Jason

Ergonomics are important but so is exercise. An $800 dollar top of the line chair only helps so much if you never get your phat arse off it it.

I think “eye level” means at a point so that your neck isn’t pointing up or down which would cause undo strain and thus pain.

Didn’t see any comments on my problem - but in talking with my doctor and my company’s facilities people it is a rapidly increasing problem at my company and others.

I have graduated bifocal glasses. After having problems seeing the screen properly I went to a new eye doctor who told me about a special shape for the lower reading area - wider at the top rather than more rounded or oval shape. The concept is that the wider top area places more of the computer screen in the proper reading area of the lense. But am still having problems and end up tilting my head way back because I cannot get the screen low enough. I basically have to break all the ergonomic rules on relationship of the screen to the eyes.

The result is a pinched nerve in my neck that causes numbness around my left ear and down the left jaw. It is sporadic in nature, but worst after long periods at the computer. I am going back to the eye doctor to get a pair of glasses to use whenever I am at the computer and save the bifocals for other times.

I think this design of computer workstation is of the best comfortable for us to use,and it really looks cool.

You mentioned pain in the hand / wrist after binge sessions. Posture will help for sure, but I think your equipment is a big part of it.

I developed medial epicondilitis (golfer’s elbow) slowly after 20 years at the keyboard. Turns out, after changing my keyboard an mouse, my condition disappeared over the course of about 6 weeks. So life changing that I wrote about it here Elbow Pain Caused by Improper Keyboard and Mouse Position

Not the best picture in the world, but here’s a snapshot of me using a tented keyboard and vertical mouse.

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Seems like that’s what I had years ago. Each time I picked up anything with the slightest amount of weight made it feel like my elbow was coming apart. Taking it easy seemed to be the right solution for me also.
I checked out your blog btw. Nice. But there were 2 images that didn’t load up near the beginning under “Solutions”. Just the perpetual whirlpools. Checked again after finishing the blog post and they’re still making themselves dizzy. :slightly_smiling_face:

Edit: I forgot… the image below the vertical mouse image is also stuck in perpetual loading.