Practicing good ergonomics for your office at home and work

Eye fatigue, carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain, and leg pain are all the result of improper office ergonomics. If you are like most people, you went to the store and you found the chair that was the cheapest or the one that was comfortable. Proper office ergonomics is important to your physical health and it helps to improve your work performance as well. This article will provide you with a guide on how to practice proper ergonomics at work and at home.

First, always take time to stretch your body. It is important to warm up the muscles you will be using. The wrists, arms, neck, back, shoulders, and legs are all key muscle groups that will need some good stretching. Many injuries can be avoided if you will just spend 5-10 minutes stretching out your muscles.

Second, take regular breaks from your job to work on your muscles. They need to be moved often or else blood clots can occur. Try to move your weight around in your chair so different muscles will be used. This is a great way to strengthen the back as well as your core abdominal muscles. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily to keep your muscles healthy and strong.

Third, convert your office to an ergonomic office. Go out and buy an ergonomic chair. Since many of them are quite expensive, you may need to save up for a bit. In the meantime, purchase a lumbar support that helps you maintain the proper posture. A good ergonomic chair should be comfortable to sit it, it should support your back, and it should have arm rests. The arm rests will allow you to place your elbows on them to remove tension from the wrists. Be careful not to lean on the arm rests too much because this often causes neck and shoulder pain.

Fourth, get an ergonomic keyboard and mouse. Since you will be sitting at this desk for a long time, it helps to get furniture items that are designed specifically for this. An ergonomic keyboard will limit the movement on the wrists, reducing your risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. An ergonomic mouse should fit comfortably in your hand it should be easy to move. Always purchase a gel wrist pad to go next to the keyboard. This will help to reduce the pressure on the wrists.

Fifth, arrange your desk to fir ergonomic specifications. This means you should be able to reach everything on your desk without stretching to do so. The phone, mouse, and keyboard should all be within an arms length. This allows you to perform your job faster because you can quickly reach everything you need. It also reduces the strain on the muscles. Always make sure there is enough room for your legs and feet under the desk. Your chair should be right up to the desk without about only an inch of clearance from your leg to the desk. You need to sit with your elbows bent at a 90 degree angle and you should not strain or pull to reach the keyboard.

Sixth, use a headset to talk to your customers on the phone. Holding the phone up to your ear with your shoulder or hand will cause pain and it will be hard to perform your job. A hands free headset allows you to properly perform your job duties without worrying about holding the phone and straining the neck muscles. Plantronics makes some of the best hands free headsets on the market. Depending upon the amount you want to spend, you can purchase one for about $79 and up.