2022’s Top 5 Ergonomic Risks and How to Fix Them
It’s undeniable that our work culture has changed radically over the last two years. Thanks to the pandemic, more of us are working from home more often than ever before. And now, as many workers and students return to shared spaces, the hybrid model of splitting time between home and the office is here to stay.
What does this mean for your health? There are many positives. Working from home affords the opportunity to take frequent breaks, vary tasks, manage personal responsibilities, and move easily from the standard desk setup to more comfy settings. On the flip side, now there are at least two workstations requiring ergonomic tweaks to make sure we’re not setting ourselves up for discomfort and injury down the road. The health and safety benefits of a great setup in the office can be undone by a day or two of working awkwardly elsewhere – and vice versa. Fortunately, even small modifications can make a difference. Here are the most common work environment risks and how to make them better.
1. Low or High Screens
The Problem: Neck and shoulder tension getting to you? You’re not alone. Looking down at laptop screens, cell phones, and tablets can be rough on the soft tissues throughout the upper body. A too high monitor can be even worse. Heads are heavy! And for every extra inch the head is positioned forward and away from a neutral balanced posture, they feel 10-12 pounds heavier as far as the muscles are concerned. That’s too much weight – up to 60 pounds - and can lead to serious strain.
The Solutions: Position all screens – and cameras - at eye level. Use adjustable risers under your monitor and/or laptop to ensure everything you need to see is comfortably right in front of you at about arm’s length away. Here’s a favorite of mine. I’ve purchased at least three of them already! Bonus? They come in a variety of colors to match your décor. Urmust Laptop Notebook Stand Holder as listed on Amazon here.
Also, raise your phone while messaging and make sure your vision is corrected properly. Pushing your head forward to squint at your screen is just asking for a headache.
2. High Desks
The Problem: Standard desks and tables are built for people between 6’1” and 6’4”. No really. Check out my favorite desk height calculator here (thank you Human Solution!) to see what measurements work best for your height. They’re only estimates as body proportions vary widely, but it’ll get you close. A desk that is too high can lead to compression of the wrists and forearms, shoulder shrugging, and forward leaning postures that put extra strain on the spine.
The Solutions: To fix this issue, you have a few options. An adjustable height desk is a great choice but can be expensive and the more affordable models often don’t go down low enough for many of us to use while seated. A keyboard tray can work to position a keyboard and mouse at the right height, if the desk will accommodate that kind of modification. Sometimes, it may be simpler and more cost-effective to raise the chair and use a footrest to align the forearms with the desk surface. I love an adjustable footrest! See a frequently recommended model from Mind Reader here. Of course, you’d have to have the right kind of chair, which leads us to…
3. Unsupportive Chairs
The Problem: When it comes to building a safe and healthy workspace, the chair is the foundation. A chair that doesn’t provide proper support can throw off the entire setup and induce serious back pain. Adding cushions or lumbar supports often make it worse.
The Solutions: Investing in a good chair – and learning how to adjust it properly to fit your needs – is a very important first step. Chairs don’t have to be expensive to work well, either! We’ve all seen those fancy $1,000 models that promise the best ergonomics but quite honestly, they often don’t. Adjustability is the most important feature. A good chair will be height adjustable, fit your back shape, support your lumbar spine, and provide a stable seat with just a little space between the front edge of the chair and the back of the knee. Height and width adjustable armrests can help support relaxed shoulder postures and take the weight off your spine, too. I could go on forever with chair recommendations (chairs are a passion), but when it comes to a budget option for everyday use, I love this one, the Clatina High Swivel Executive Chair, available on Amazon here. There’s even a model with a headrest that’s pretty great, too.
4. Keyboard and Mouse Fit
The Problem: One size does not fit all when it comes to keyboards and mice, though using almost any external keyboard is better than trying to use a laptop alone (see screen height issues above.) The wrong keyboard can induce forward shoulder posture, awkwardly bent wrists, or over-reaching for the mouse to the side. A mouse that doesn’t fit the hand can cause wrist injuries such as tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome.
The Solutions: Consider your body dimensions and your tasks when choosing a keyboard and mouse. A person with broad shoulders or a tendency towards wrist bending to the side will often need a split keyboard. Narrower shoulders? The mini keyboards, especially ones without the 10-key number pad, may be better. Any wrist rests should also provide support at the heel of the hand, not compress at the vulnerable carpal tunnel where the tendons and other soft tissues need the space to move. Recommendations for keyboards and mice can be very specific, but here are the models I recommend most often: the Microsoft Sculpt Keyboard (works fine with the MacBook) and the Microtouch Newtral 3 Mouse (choose your size, left or right, wired or wireless. Yes, it’s that good!)
5. Long Hours
The Problem: While working in multiple locations naturally lends itself to taking more breaks and varying tasks, it may be hard to stop. Sitting – or even standing – in static positions for long hours leads to fatigue which can then easily lead to injury.
The Solutions: Find a balance. Incorporating breaks and movement throughout the day is essential in maintaining good health. Take microbreaks of 30-60 seconds, 2-3 times per hour while working to pause and realign your posture or shake out your hands. Make sure to also take movement breaks 5-10 minutes per hour to include walking and/or stretching away from the desk, too. (While maybe not practical for everyone, the best ergonomic solution I’ve heard lately is to get a dog! Caring for them means caring for yourself, too.) Using a sit/stand workstation is a very popular solution as well. If you are lucky enough to have this option, alternate between sitting and standing frequently, standing up to 20 minutes out of every hour. It may help to set a timer while you develop new healthy habits.
Bottom Line
Taking care of yourself is more important now than ever before. Simple changes to your environment that support good posture and good habits can make for lasting benefits for years to come! And if you need help with any of this, the Ergo Lady is here to help.