home office ergonomic

Published July 21, 2020

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Designing Your Home Office Space

Your guide to choosing the best ergonomic office products- We can all recognize the right and wrong ways to do the essentials of our job. But did you know there are incorrect and potentially hazardous methods of setting up your workstation? Your dining room kitchen may suffice for now, but the addition of a few adjustments might make all the difference for your health in the long run. We spend a lot of time sitting at our computers, so the way in which we sit at our desk can greatly affect our overall health. 

As a result of my research, this list of 11 ergonomic health products are aimed at alleviating the stress that sitting at a computer causes.  Beneficial workplace ergonomics does not have to be expensive nor difficult to achieve. It might be time to make a few changes now that you are confined to working from home. 

1. Office Chair

Having an adjustable chair that allows a slight tilt can make a huge difference in comfort.

Office Chair, Ergonomic Desk Chair Mesh Swivel Height Adjustable Task Chair with Lumbar Support/Armrest/Mid Back

SMUG’s adjustable home and office task chair is budget-friendly choice for office lumbar support. Its breathable mesh back promotes circulation. Made with water-resistant materials, this well-ventilated chair runs smoothly on hard floor, carpet, and more.

Pneumatic controls let you raise and lower your seat, and rock back and forth. This ergonomic chair packs a lot of bang for your buck.

2. Kneeling Chair

If you’re willing to splurge and looking for a more minimalist chair design, a kneeling chair may be right for you. Use of one tilts the pelvis forward, helping the spine adopt correct alignment and evenly distribute your weight.

DRAGONN (by VIVO) Ergonomic Kneeling Chair, Adjustable Stool for Home and Office

DRAGONN’s kneeling chair alleviates the hunch that we can all fall privy to during our seated work days. You can adjust this chair to the size that best suits you.

It comes with double cushions for added comfort. Its 90-degree angle also alleviates pressure on your knees, leading to less pain in the long run. 

3. Standing Desk

heightadjustable standing desk is a great way to add more movement to your day and shake up the monotony of sedentary positions.

Stand Steady Tranzendesk 55 Inch Standing Desk

Tranzendesk’s stand-up desk transitions from sitting to standing height using a crank, allowing for you to adjust to your ergonomic height. Its minimalist and sturdy frame supports up to 70 lbs, allowing for multiple monitors on its spacious surface area.

The leveling feet and sturdy base of this desk keep it from wobbling back and forth. With a minimal design, this desk is a perfect ergonomic addition to any home office. 

4 .Wireless Keyboard

A low-profile keyboard helps with posture alignment by allowing you to position yourself according to your body type.

Arteck 2.4G Wireless Keyboard Stainless Steel Ultra Slim Keyboard

Arteck’s wireless keyboard has a built-in rechargeable battery,and allows you to move it to the best suiting ergonomic position.

Its stainless steel material gives it a heavy duty feeling, while the low-profile keys offer quiet and comfortable typing. This keyboard works for both desktop computers and laptops, allowing you to customize your workspace with ease. 

5 .Foot Rest

It is important to make note of weight-bearing distribution when sitting for long periods of time and release pressure that can lead to leg and back pain. The simple addition of a footrest can reduce strain and improve posture.

Everlasting Comfort Office Foot Rest Under Desk

Everlasting’s footrest is pure memory foam made without additives, which responds to the heat of your body to mold perfectly to your shape. Its orthopedic teardrop design corrects posture and improves circulation. It is machine washable and comes with a lifetime warranty.

6. Anti-fatigue Mat

If you are opting for a standing desk, a fatigue mat is a nice alternative to a footrest. Use of one reduces stress on your joints and muscles while relieving foot, knee, and back pain. The support it provides allows blood to flow more evenly through your feet and legs.

Genius Mat by Sky Mats – Standing Desk Anti Fatigue Mat

Waterproof and stain resistant, the cushioned Genius Mat is supportive and firm. It is the only standing desk mat with an acupressure massaging roller ball.

It also comes equipped with massage points, so you can give yourself a different kind of afternoon pick-me-up. 

7. Balance Board

Unlike stationary mats, balance boards activate your core, lower back, and leg muscles. A balance board may also be effective for increasing energy expenditure without interfering with productivity, helping you burn more calories throughout the day.

Standing Desk Anti Fatigue Mat – FEZIBO Wooden Wobble Balance Board Stability Rocker

Fezibo’s mat can withstand 320lbs of weight. It is portable and made of non-toxic, natural rubber, so no need to worry about popping those shoes off and massaging your feet on its anti-fatigue massage points. It also comes with a two year warranty.

8. Posture Corrector

As you are reading this list of health products, there’s a good change your shoulders are hunched and your spine is curved. Wearing a posture corrector for a few hours out of your work day can help you train and strengthen the muscles that support your back.

Posture Corrector For Men And Women

Gearari posture corrector provides clavicle support to help improve your overall spine health and posture. This adjustable brace helps you develop a straight back and strengthen your shoulders, neck, and back to amend aches and pains.

Wearing it just two hours a day can lead to better posture habits. It is made with FDA-approved materials and comes with a lifetime guarantee.

9. Laptop Stand

Laptop stands help reduce screen glare, which can lead to eye strain and headaches.

Rain Design 10032 mStand Laptop Stand

Rain Design’s stand notebook screen is adjustable by 5.9 inches to the user’s height-to-eye level. Its aluminum design provides stability and cools the laptop during use.

While this product is extremely useful and compatible with most laptop types, it is also incredibly stylish and clears desk area with cable management tool to serve as both organization and function. 

10. Monitor Desk Mount

Monitor stands help you maintain correct posture and make using your device daily a more comfortable experience.

VIVO Dual LCD Monitor Desk Mount Stand Heavy Duty Fully Adjustable

VIVO’s dual monitor mount easily fits two screens between 13 and 17 inches in size, and 22 pounds in weight on each side. Its adjustable arm offers a wide range of tilt, swivel, and rotation capabilities with optional grommet mount.

This stand offers both horizontal and vertical positioning for each monitor. It comes with detachable cable clips and cable management tool, helping keep your workspace clean and organized. 

11. Stackable Monitor Stand

For a simpler design, a stackable monitor stand allows for the same benefits for back posture and eye strain.

2 Pack Premium Laptop PC Monitor Stand with Sturdy

Capable of housing your desktop monitor or laptop, Husky Mount’s minimal design allows you to organize as you reduce stationary pains, while cooling your laptop with its design holes.

This stable stand with anti-skid rubber legs lets you adjust to just the right height, from 4 inches to 5.5 inches. You can use these monitor stands as a flat screen riser, laptop desk printer stand, as shelving units, and much more. 

Ergonomics- I sit ergo I am productive

If you’ve been sitting at your desk for long periods of time, you are probably familiar with the strain in your neck, shoulders, and back. The current state of world affairs has us now working at home non-stop. What is that pinch behind your back as you lift your morning brew? What is that sharp pain in your calf that leaves a warm, tingling sensation after a few hours of typing away? That’s your body trying to communicate with you. There may be a more pestilent cause to the constant pains- your posture. 

Just as we practice yoga to achieve vitality and mind-body alignment, we should be actively engaged with our posture throughout the workday. Utilizing microbreaks as opportunities to grab a drink of water or whip up a quick snack helps break up the monotony of the day. Mini dance breaks are also highly encouraged (see also: disco playlists). 

One easy change to enact is purchasing ergonomic products to help make the work from home experience as comfortable and productive as possible. 

Ergonomics is an applied science concerned with the design of workplaces. It involves adapting the work environment to prevent injury, illness, and strain. Various investigations on the effects of office ergonomics on musculoskeletal health have demonstrated the hazards of improper positioning, leading to microtraumas throughout one’s working life.

Modifications on equipment arrangement and rest taking can decrease the frequency of pain or discomfort among those of us that sit at our computers to accomplish a large chunk of our work.

Most Important Ergonomic Office Products

While ergonomic office accouterments are many, proper positioning of your desk, chair, and monitors are the most important facets of designing your home workspace. 

Seating:

medical news today proper office posture seating california
Image credit: Medical News Today

According to Mayo Clinic, you should choose a chair that supports your spinal curves and is height adjustable so that your thighs are parallel to the floor and your arms are relaxed on the armrests.

Over time, a straight vertical posture puts unnecessary strain directly on your spine as you try to hold yourself up. 

Finding the right ergonomic office chair can be difficult, since every body is different. It is important to consider seat height, length, and width. An ergonomic chair should also have lumbar adjustment, providing lower back support.

Pay special attention to backrests and seat material, which should cushion and provide support over time. Look for fabrics that are breathable and suit your optimal comfort level. And finally, choose a chair that swivels and allows for extra mobility.

Your chair should be supportive and act as an extension of your body.

Desk: 

Using a desk with drawers limits mobility and disrupts proper body alignment, physically preventing you from setting up correctly. While sitting all day isn’t healthy, standing all day isn’t much better. The key is to change it up as frequently as possible. 

Under the desk, make sure there’s space for your knees, thighs, and feet. Your knees should be level with your hips. If you opt for a stationary desk, adjust chair height. Another solve if your chair is stationary is to place a footrest under your feet or blocks under your desk legs for optimal positioning. 

Monitor and Keyboard: 

ucsd san diego proper keyboard posture
Image credit: Will Styler, UCSD

According to Cornell University, the ideal typing posture is a negative slope, with the keyboard blow seated elbow height.

Neutral, straight wrists, as opposed to resting on the keyboard, relieves a lot of pressure where there are exposed veins and nerve.

Your arms should be perpendicular to the front of your keyboard and wrists should hover above keyboard in a straight line.

If you prefer to work on a laptop, or decide to switch between a monitor, an ergonomic laptop stand can help you position the angle of your laptop.

Laptop stands raise your screen to eye level and, according to Princeton University Health Services, your screen should be slightly below eye level and straight ahead. It should be about arm’s length away from your face so you can easily read the screen, not leaning your head forward, which puts strain on your neck.

Monitors should be placed at a height that does not require the user to strain their neck. Monitors should be arm’s length away and placed directly in front of you.

Your monitor should be directly behind your keyboard and your eyes should look slightly downward when viewing the middle of the screen. 

Making these simple adjustments will prolong your health and lead to a more comfortable workstation. Work may be a pain at times but sitting at your desk doesn’t have to be.

TL;DR

Many people don’t realize the hazards of a poorly designed workspace, and these bad habits can result in serious health problems and micotraumas over time. Common symptoms include discomfort in the back, neck, shoulders, hands, and wrists, as well as headaches and eye strain.

You don’t have to go out and buy a whole list of products, but simply adding a few ergonomic adjustments can result in increased comfort and reduce bodily stress.

The most important features of an ergonomic office setup are seating, type of desk, and monitor and keyboard placement. Proper workstation setup and practices will help you be more productive as we navigate the intricacies of remote work.

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