Ergonomic Tips While Working at Your Desk (courtesy of Biotix Health):
- Adjust the height of your chair so that your feet are on the floor or footrest.
- Adjust your chair so that your hips and knees are aligned and your thighs and parallel with the floor.
- Adjust the back of your chair so that the lumbar support is positioned slightly below the belt line.
- There should be 1 – 3 inches (about 3 fingers width) between the edge of your seat and the back of your knees.
- Adjust the desk/keyboard tray height so that your keyboard and mouse are level or slightly lower than elbow height.
- Keep your shoulders relaxed and your wrists straight while operating the keyboard and mouse.
- With your arms at your side and your elbows at 90 degrees your fingers reach keyboard home row.
- Have your monitor adjusted in such a way that it is directly in front of you at an arm’s distance and the topmost line is at or slightly below eye level.
- Make sure your keyboard and monitor line up.
- Ideally, document holders should be placed directly in front of the monitor.
- Eyes need to focus at different distances from time to time. It’s a good idea to follow the “20/20/20 rule” — every twenty minutes, shut your eyes for a few seconds then look twenty feet away for twenty seconds.
- To reduce eye fatigue, focus the task lights over the paper work area only (minimize direct light over the monitors).
- Modifying the height of their work surface throughout the day (sit to stand positions) may reduce discomfort and improve work performance.
- Be sure and incorporate stretching exercises into your work routine.