Office Ergonomics: What You Need to Know

Working remotely became more prevalent after the pandemic. The impact of our workspace on our health and output is profound. Persistent discomfort, nagging aches, and creeping fatigue aren't just minor annoyances – they're hidden productivity drains and significant threats to long-term well-being. Therefore, home office ergonomics is also becoming increasingly important.

What Will Happen While Keeping Bad Posture for A Long Time

What will happen when you maintain bad posture for too long? Here's a clear, impactful explanation of the consequences of prolonged bad posture. The adverse effects start subtly but can potentially become severe and chronic:

1. Pain and Discomfort

Pain includes neck, shoulder, back, and waist pain due to bad posture, which strains the spine, muscles, and ligaments. In addition, it will be exacerbated if you sit for a prolonged period or slouch.

2. Headaches - The Unwanted Bonus

Tension headaches triggered by sustained muscle strain in the neck and shoulders become frequent and debilitating.

3. Muscle Imbalances

Poor posture can create imbalances between muscle groups, putting more stress on specific areas.

4. Digestive Issues

Slouching compresses the abdominal cavity, slowing digestion and leading to constipation. It also causes poor circulation, acid reflux, and foot pain.

5. Numbness, tingling, weakness in the hand

6. Legs or feet have "pins and needles," numbness, and swelling.

Here are some of the top posture mistakes that are made:

• Not moving enough
• Hunching your shoulders
• Gazing downward for too long
• Using your couch for work if you’re working from home
• Having your computer screen(s) too low
• Using your laptop on your lap
• Having your chair too low to the ground
• Not stretching enough throughout the day

Whether you work from home or in an office, we make our workspaces as productive and comfortable as possible since we spend a lot of time in them. Even though we may believe that our spaces are perfect for us, we may unknowingly incorporate poor habits throughout the workday.

What Is Office Ergonomics

Will you perform your best if you are routinely uncomfortable at work? Office Ergonomics is the study of designing the office environment, equipment, and work tasks to fit the physical needs of the people using them. Think of it as creating a workspace that adapts to you, rather than forcing your body and mind to adapt to a poorly designed space.

The average worker typically spends around 40 hours a week in the workplace. Ergonomics' core goal is to minimize physical strain, discomfort, and injury risk while maximizing comfort, efficiency, and productivity for people performing desk-based or computer-based work.

Key Aspects of Office Ergonomics

To create an ergonomic workspace, maintaining neutral posture is the key. The correct sitting posture is spine alignment, relaxed shoulders, elbows at 90-110°, wrists straight, hips/knees at ~90°, feet flat.

Here’s a breakdown of the essential pillars of office ergonomics:

1. Spine maintains natural S-curves (supported lumbar lordosis, mild thoracic kyphosis, cervical lordosis).
2. The head and neck are balanced directly over the shoulders.
3. Relax your shoulders, and keep them down and back, not hunched or elevated.
4. Elbows close to the body, bent between 90° and 110°.
5. Wrists and hands straight and in-line with forearms.
6. The hips are slightly higher than the knees or level.
7. The knees are bent at ~90°, and the thighs are parallel to the floor.
8. Feet flat on the floor or a stable footrest, not dangling.

Using Ergonomic Office Furniture to Enhance Office Efficiency

Besides adjusting the posture, you can also use ergonomic office furniture to enhance efficiency at work. Standard furniture includes chairs, desks, modular monitor arms, keyboards and mice, adjustable lighting, footrests, etc.

Key features of ergonomic office furniture:

1. Relieve pain and discomfort.
2. Comfort allows energy to be directed towards tasks.
3. Better posture and movement prevent fatigue buildup, increasing energy levels.
4. Enhance employee morale and retention.
5. Reduction in workers' compensation claims related to MSDs.

Of course, integrating healthy work practices is essential. Long sitting and standing are both bad for your body. Below are three tips for stretching during work time.

• Micro-Breaks (Every 20-30 Minutes): Stand up, move around, stretch, look away into the distance for 20-30 seconds.
• Alternating Postures: Switching between sitting and standing. It suggests 15-30 minutes standing per hour.
• Conscious Stretching: Throughout the day, incorporate gentle stretches for the neck, shoulders, back, wrists, and legs.