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Best ergonomic advice for your back and neck
Sitting behind a desk all day with rare opportunities to stretch out in intervals can lead you to a world of neck and back pain, not to mention sore wrists and fingers that will not only affect performance but also cause many sleepless nights. However, all these drastic outcomes can be avoided by applying few appropriate office ergonomics. Following are a few changes that you can make in your office to make sure that your experience goes from worse to at least comforting.
The height of the chair
Adjusting the height of chair such that your feet rest complacently on the floor and your knees are level with your hips will save you a world of pain. You can adjust a cushion between your lower back curve and the chair’s back to make up for lack of lumbar support of your chair.
Positioning crucial objects
Objects that are in use often such as phone, notes, or stapler should be placed in close proximity so as to avoid excessive stretching, which will just serve to add to the list of problems. Make sure to put in the effort to stand up and reach for something that has unfortunately been placed far away.
The position of a mouse
The mouse should be placed within easy reach, preferably on the side of the keyboard. Make sure your wrist is in a natural and relaxed position when the mouse is being used.
Wrist rest
Even the most efficient person needs to take a break now and then. And it is even more importantly relevant to the wrist. Make sure to lessen the stress placed on your wrist and try to avoid awkward positions. Hands and wrists should be placed above the wrist rest during typing. In addition, during typing breaks, make sure to rest the heels or palms of your hands and not the wrists on the wrist rest for best results.
The position of Wrist
You need to avoid bending the wrist up, down or to either of the sides while carrying out your typing task so as to keep it in its natural position and avoid unnecessary pressure.
Headset
Sometimes, you are required to type or write and talk on the phone at the same time a few times too many. In that case, cradling the phone between your head and neck is a bad idea. A better alternative is using a headset. Make sure to find the one that works best for you by experimenting with several styles.
Footres
Sometimes, the chair is too high for you to rest your feet in the desired position, that is, flat on the floor. In that case, a good option can be using a footrest. Not only are a number of different footrests available, you can get innovative and create your own such as with a small stool or a pillar of robust books.
Posture
The way you position yourself in front of the screen is also important. Make sure to adopt a centralized position in front of the monitor and keyboard. In addition, position the thighs horizontally with your knees and leveled with your hips. Moreover, your forearms should be tilted up just slightly at most.
Desk dimensions.
When it comes to the size of your desk, it is important to consider all the features to make sure it is just right for you. Generally, it should have a depth of at least 19 inches (48 centimeters), a width of 30 inches (76 centimeters) and relevant to your own height, it can be as high as 34 inches (86 centimeters). Make sure that there is enough space for your legs, knees and thighs underneath the desk and you haven’t cramped it with other things.
Thus, by making sure that these small considerations are taken into account at your work environment, you can avoid a lifelong experience of neck and back pain, which is the ultimate outcome otherwise.