OFFICE ERGONOMICS INITIATIVE ERGONOMICS SOLUTIONS FOR THE DESK WORKER By Health-Fit ® Corporate Wellness

WHAT IS ERGONOMICS? The word ‘ergonomics’ comes from the Greek words ‘ergon’ which means work, and ‘nomos’ which means natural laws. More specifically, ergonomics is the scientific study of designing the job and workplace to fit the worker, keeping in mind their capabilities and limitations. The goal is to apply this knowledge to improve the system, human performance, and productivity, while also focusing on the health, safety, and well-being of the individuals involved.

THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) statistics, on average, 95% of an office worker’s day is spent sitting in front of the computer. On average, we spend about 9.3 hours a day sitting, while only 7.7 hours sleeping. When your muscles are immobile and not contracting, especially certain leg muscles, circulation slows down and the neuroelectrical activity in the muscles ceases, causing enzyme activity to drop by 90%. Conventional wisdom has always been that if you watch your diet and exercise a few times a week, you would offset all of the time you spend sitting or being sedentary. Unfortunately, an increasing body of research on inactivity is showing that exercise alone will not undo the harmful effects associated with sitting.

THE CUMULATIVE INJURY CYCLE

HOW INJURY OCCURS I = Insult to the part of the body Example: Typing N = Number of repetitions ( Key Strokes/Per Minute is high) F = Force ( Force of activity is low with typing) A = Amplitude (Distance of movement of body part is low) R = Relaxation (Key stroke have low rest time) This is why typing can be very injurious

THE CHAIR Adjust the backrest of your chair for better lumbar support. If your chairs lumbar support is not adjustable, you can use a rolled-up towel or a back support cushion. The back of your chair should be adjusted slightly backward to 135 degrees in order to reduce strain on your spine and ligaments. Adjust your armrest so they are out of the way while at your computer allowing for a neutral arm position. Adjust your chair height so that your feet will rest flat on the floor. If you are unable to move your monitor or keyboard low enough, purchase an elevated footrest to reduce strain on your neck and back muscles when you are seated higher.

THE MONITOR Make sure that you adjust your monitor and keyboard accordingly so you can sit down at this level. Position your monitor so that the top inch of the visible monitor screen is level with your eyes. If you lean back while working, adjust the monitor lower to accommodate your more typical seated position. Position the monitor so that the screen is 90 degrees to your line of vision. If you find yourself squinting your eyes or leaning forward in your chair to see the screen, move the monitor closer to you. Proper monitor positioning is essential to avoid eye strain. When seated comfortably, the distance to the monitor should be such that you can see the screen clearly without needing to squint or lean forward.

THE MONITOR…CONTINUED If you lean forward in your seat, you may experience back or neck pain from this posture. Center your monitor at arm’s length and then move the monitor as often as necessary to maintain a comfortable viewing distance. Keep your monitor and keyboard centered in front of you, not off to an angle. Your nose and belly button should be in a straight line to the center of the space bar and your screen.

THE KEYBOARD AND MOUSE There should be no twisting in your shoulders or neck. Reposition your mouse as needed once the keyboard is in the correct position. Your wrists should be flat and straight in relation to your forearms when using your keyboard and mouse. If your wrist is deviating left or right and your middle finger is not in line with the bones of your forearm as you type, you may need a different keyboard. If you rest your palms on the desk while typing, your wrist will be bent back to reach the keyboard, you should have a soft palm-rest to level out the angle. There should be no twisting in your shoulders or neck. Reposition your mouse as needed once the keyboard is in the correct position.

THE KEYBOARD AND MOUSE…CONTINUED Your wrists should be flat and straight in relation to your forearms when using your keyboard and mouse. If your wrist is deviating left or right and your middle finger is not in line with the bones of your forearm as you type, you may need a different keyboard. If you rest your palms on the desk while typing, your wrist will be bent back to reach the keyboard, you should have a soft palm-rest to level out the angle. Your arms and elbows should hang relaxed and close to your body. Your elbows should be bent at about a 90-degree angle. Your mouse should be kept close to your keyboard. If it is on the right side, you might have an excessive external rotation at the elbow and/or shoulder.

THE KEYBOARD AND MOUSE…CONTINUED To reduce this stress on the elbow and shoulder, consider moving your mouse to the left side of the keyboard and using your left hand or find a way to move the mouse closer to the space bar on the right. A keyboard with a built-in mouse or without a number pad can alleviate this problem. Use a negative (downward) tilt keyboard tray and an adjustable mouse platform to reduce wrist angles and stresses. Lower the feet at the back of your keyboard to remove upward tilting. Use a stable work surface and a stable keyboard tray that does not bounce. Organize your desk to keep frequently used items within close proximity to avoid having to reach and strain.

THE MOUSE TRAP Ever wonder why you have neck pain only on the right side of your neck? We call this the “Mouse Trap” because we are seeing many desk workers develop significant trigger point in their Upper Trapezius muscle on the right side of their neck from the constant use of the computer mouse. Every time you use the mouse, you are subtly shrugging your shoulder. These muscles on this side are constantly activated and firing over and over again. This non-stop use of these muscles causes over-use strain, trigger points and even inflammation in the area. The main muscle groups, especially the Upper Trapezius are affected most. The Upper Trapezius originates from the base of the skull and inserts into the shoulder area.

LAPTOP CONSIDERATIONS Laptop users should use a height adjustable laptop stand. If your laptop is your main computer at work, try to use a keyboard that you link to your laptop, instead of the laptop’s keyboard. Place a stand underneath the laptop so that the screen/monitor is at the optimal height that aligns with your eyes. If the laptop is your secondary computer at work, use a stand for the laptop so that you don’t have to look downward to see the screen. Then when you need to type on it briefly, move the laptop to an optimal place in front of you to type.

WORKSTATION SELF-ASSESSMENT Y/N Does your feet rest flat on the floor or a footrest? Y/N Are your knees bent at approximately a 90-degree angle? Y/N Does your chair support your lower back? Y/N Is there about 2-3 inches between the front of the seat pan and the back of your knees? Y/N Can you easily reach your work without interference from the arms of your chair? Y/N Are your arms and shoulders relaxed without interference from the arms of your chair? Y/N Are your shoulders relaxed and not elevated when you work on your keyboard? Y/N Are your arms resting at your sides rather than stretched out in front of you?

WORKSTATION SELF-ASSESSMENT….CONTINUED Y/N Can you reach your mouse without rotating your arm outward or reaching to the side? Y/N Is your keyboard at approximately elbow level, with your forearms level and flat? Y/N When typing, are your wrists in line with your forearms and not bent upward or to the sides? Y/N Is the top of your computer screen at or just below eye level? Y/N Can you see detail comfortably on the screen without leaning forward? Y/N Are you able to read the entire screen comfortably without tilting your head up or down? Y/N Do you have an adjustable document holder for reference materials if you type from paper to the screen? Y/N If you spend more than an hour a day in combined computer and phone work, do you have a headset?

WORKSTATION SELF-ASSESSMENT…CONTINUED Y/N Are all your input devices (mouse, tablet, etc.) at the same level as your keyboard? Y/N If you use an adding machine, is it close and easy to reach? Y/N Are your keyboard and monitor located on a centered line in front of you? Y/N Do you take short and frequent breaks throughout the day to reduce fatigue? Y/N Are you comfortable and free of pain while working.

EASY TO IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS Take active micro-breaks. (Much more on this later) Cut back on phone calls and s to coworkers. When you need to speak to a coworker, walk to his/her workspace. Besides getting you out of your chair, this face-to-face communication style has been shown to improve relationships Stand while talking on the phone or during a conference call Schedule walking meetings when possible Take the stairs instead of the elevator

EASY TO IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS Walk or ride your bike to work. If you do drive, park your car farther away (half a mile for example) from your office Consider getting a standing desk and change your working position throughout the day At home, stand up and walk around every time a commercial comes on the TV Catch up with your spouse or other family members or friends by talking with them while you stroll around the neighborhood together

THE MICRO-BREAK Micro-breaks are short breaks that are taken frequently throughout the workday. Properly used, they can reduce the strain on anatomical structures. Take frequent micro-breaks (i.e. 20 seconds to 2 minutes) and stretch. It is better to take regular short breaks than a few longer ones. Stretch at least once an hour. To prevent eye fatigue and premature nearsightedness, look away from your screen every 20 minutes and focus on something at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. They also have been shown to positively affect productivity.

THE ERGONOMICS E-LEARNING CENTER

THE DESK JOCKEY’S MANIFESTO World Fuel Services has provided a free copy of this 85 page e-book to you Contents include What is Ergonomics and why is it important? BACKground Anatomy Health Effects of Sitting Proper Workstation Ergonomic Set-Up Avoiding/Preventing Injury with Exercise Self-Assessments Self-Ergonomics Assessment Self-Functional Assessment Food for Thought: How Our Diet Affects Inflammation

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