Computer Workstation Ergonomics

Here are a few random things I’ve learned to do:

  1. Why does everyone recommend my eye level be the top of the screen? Most of the time I’m looking at the bottom third of the screen, and would end up bending my neck down, or subconsciounly slouching. I keep my monitor on top of a stack of old books.

  2. It can be really cold in an office with air conditioning, and laminate desk tops can feel much colder than real wood. I keep a thin sweater (it’s a cardigan, not too dissimilar to Mr. Roger’s famous cardigan actually) with long sleeves. My hands can get really cold at the office. At home I prefer a nice wood desk (and no AC, just fresh air).

  3. You don’t need an expensive chair, just one that promotes proper posture. After spending hours sitting in every chair in the store, I settled on the cheapest one. One of the first things my new boss did when I started at my current job was tell me to go get whatever chair I wanted, paid for by the company of course. He knows what’s important!

  4. Shift position frequently, but use good positions. Sometimes I even stand up for a while, especially if I don’t have to do a lot of typing and am just watching test results, for example.

  5. Don’t keep your keyboard centered, shift it over to the right a bit so the keypad is out of the way. You may actually do this subconciously.

  6. Go for a walk outside at least once a day. It will also wake you up and energize you for doing more work instead of feeling tired and full of slack.

Teresa: There are several free and open source solutions for rest reminder programs. The ones I use are:

  • Workrave (Linux and Windows)
  • AntiRSI (MacOSX)

After around 7 years of 8 hour/day, 7 day/week computer usage, I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Right now, the best advice I can give is download WorkRave, follow it (but change the defaults - breaks every 3 minutes are ridiculous, I have it set to 9 for micro breaks and 45 for rest breaks.), and don’t waste too much time browsing the web - take the time you would spend not being productive anyway and go for a walk.

So what you’re saying is using an old 1950’s writing desk and a 1960’s office chair with a broken back is bad?

That would explain the burning in the wrists…

I’ve had good results with the Feldenkrais Method. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feldenkrais_Method

I can’t make this work. With my desk surface at belly-button level, my arms have to angle upwards to reach the keyboard. Apparently, according to proper ergonomics, I have hideously deformed elongated upper arms.

I have to look it up, but I do remember that a recent study showed that sitting layed back in an office chair, having your spine bend is better for the back.

As a computer programmer who spends 12-14 hours a day (every day) behind dual screens and a keyboard, I should have experienced pain and all, but no, nothing. Yes, once, when I started using the ergonomic position as illustrated in the graphic. As soon as I did that, I couldn’t sit for over an hour, I had to rest for a longer period to get rid of the pains.

I never used ergonomic equipment. I like the el-cheapo wired keyboards and have used them for years (or the IBM model 30 keyboards!). I programmed a lot of an amiga 500 for years, never had a problem, and that keyboard isn’t what you’d call ergonomic. One thing I always did though: place the keyboard at least 20-30 centimeters away from the edge of the desk. This way, my arms are always at rest on the desk. No pains.

Switch positions in your chair during the hour, try to sit relaxed and comfortable. If the chair you’re having doesn’t make you say “Oh yeah, this is comfortable” get rid of it and buy one which does.

And tilt your hands a little so the pinkies are lower than the thumbs, like you’re holding a steering wheel at 10-to-2 position but then without having your fingers bend of course.

Oh and get rid of the laptop. Laptops suck when you have to work on them for more than an hour. If you need to type a lot on a laptop, get a real keyboard.

I try to make my workstation as comfortable and as ergonomic as possible.

I use an Aeron chair at work. I use the latest ergonomic mice from Logitech. I am waiting for the MX Air to hit the local stores to check them out.

I use a Keyboarder from mousemitt.com every second of my computer work at home and at work. http://mousemitt.com/web-content/kb.html. They relieve pressure from my wrist by cushioning and guarding it and, knock on wood, I had no arm/wrist problems all these years.

I paid for all these items from my own pocket. When I work 8 hours a day at a desk, I don’t compromise. It amazes me people spend tons of money for home accessories while spending $0 at work to make their work area more comfortable. They spend a lot more time at work than home AND sitting at the same position hours every day, yet they take their work area lightly.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is very frequently misdiagnosed.

What most heavy typists have is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. I have it, but I’m getting help from a good LMT. (Unfortunately, not all LMTs know what this condition is, much less MDs.)

Read the book “It’s Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!” for more info.

Here’s what has helped me the most:

  1. Using a Swopper - an excellent active sitting chair. The bonus of this chair is it keeps you more awake.

  2. Using a Goldtouch split keyboard with no numeric pad.

  3. Using a Contour Designs Perfit Mouse.

I’m still looking for a really good ergonomic mouse; the Perfit is pretty good ergonomically but has terrible tracking on most surfaces.

It seems to me that the rigid sitting position suggested in the ergonomics guidelines is just as damaging as any other position. Doesn’t it seem counter-intuitive that if ergonomics is supposed to be adjusting to how the body works then why suggest a single position model that applies to every body? Or for that matter, if injuries are caused by repeated motion, why keep the body in a single position that encourages repeated motion?

Each body is different due to is physical dimensions, history, and physiology. It makes sense to me to suggest more than one position throughout the day to change the range of motion and adjust the weight on different stress points.

The ergonomic consultants don’t make things any better. It was typical that after a ergo-consultant made their “visit” to a call-center, nearly 20% of the work force took ridiculous amounts of FMLA but never commit to getting surgery to correct their new-found CTS. I’ll concede that there are valid repeated work related injuries, but it is very dubious how FMLA-related paid-time off seems to spike only after a consultant appears. And it was very dubious how we bring in an ergo-consultant to correct the problem but only seemed to compound it.

iThe first massage gave some immediate
relief, and the tingling/numbness in my hands was gone within a few
days./i

I’ve found massage is extremely helpful for RSI too, though ironically, it is hard on your hands to do it yourself. After trying a lot of different massage tools, I found the Armaid (www.armaid.com) which finally got rid of my wrist pain. It costs $100, which seemed expensive at first glance, but on further thought, I realized that $100 is the cost of two hours from a massage therapist for a tool that I can use for an unlimited amount of time. After using it, I knew that it was cheap at the price.

Zac’s dead-on. Laptops are a nightmare from both an ergonomic and developer productivity perspectives. A single screen, too low to be at eye level, a cumbersome pointing device that costs serious times to use, and a keyboard that’s too small. A nightmare.

When I see “happy” developers using a laptop, I suspect they’re probably not any good, simply because if they don’t feel their productivity is limited by their hardware, their baseline level of productivity is probably not all that impressive.

For everyone who thinks sitting at a 90 degree angle is best. Check this out. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6187080.stm

I’m not so sure about the top-of-the-monitor-at-eye-level part. Being a developer for over fifteen years, I’ve always had my monitor set where my eyes hit the monitor at about 1/4 of the way down - that is, if you divide the monitor into 4 horizontal strips, my eyes are at the border between the first and second strip (from the top). I’ve never had any sort of pain/strain/etc. related to the fact that I work 40-60 hour weeks in front of a monitor.

Aside from the fact that on occasion I randomly fall asleep - be it standing, sittiijjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj

I would agree that the increasing prevalence of laptops is worrying from an ergonomics standpoint. I’ve just given up the chance of a second monitor so my girlfriend can plug her laptop into it when doing long essays etc.

Somebody mentioned WorkRave, I use it too. It’s a nice little program. I have it set for 45 minutes, then I leave my desk and talk to some coworkers (good for your working relations as well).

I don’t think resting your elbows and your armrests and typing like that is very comfortable (like the picture shows).

If you’re experiencing numbness, tingling, or weakness in your wrists (as I did for years). Try 100-300 mg of vitamin B6.

It cleared up my incipient carpal tunnel in about 3 days. Cost about 4 dollars for 50 100mg tablets at my local natural food store.

I sleep better to. Your mileage may vary, of course.

Mouse at the right side means ergonomics for right-handers only?

Who found out, how you have to arrange the dual screen setup? If you use two monitors, should one be in front of you, and the other more right, or should they be splitted up in the middle (centered)?

I’ve long credited my lack of (computer related) RSI problems to two things:

  1. Proper touch typing technique. I say a silent thanks to my 7th grade typing teacher often.

  2. Preferring the keyboard over the mouse whenever possible. On those rare occasions when I start feeling twinges, I usually find it’s due to excessive mousing rather than excessive typing.