If you sit behind a desk for hours at a time then you are doomed to a career of neck and back pain or sore wrists and fingers. Proper office ergonomics — including correct chair height, adequate equipment spacing and good desk posture — can help you and your joints stay comfortable at work.
Physioworld offers office ergonomic assessment, training and supply of ergonomic furniture and accessories service. We assess your office to see if you’d need new furniture or just accessories. We also train staff on work related disorders and how they can minimise or avoid them.
Impacts of Bad Office Ergonomics
- Back and neck pain
Below is a description of how an ergonomic compliant office should be.
Choose a chair that supports your spinal curves. Adjust the height of your chair so that your feet rest flat on the floor or on a footrest and your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Keep key objects such as your telephone, stapler or printed materials — close to your body to minimize reaching. Stand up to reach anything that can’t be comfortably reached while sitting.
Place your mouse within easy reach and on the same surface as your keyboard. Use keyboard shortcuts to reduce extended mouse use. Alternate the hand you use to operate the mouse by moving the mouse to the other side of your keyboard.
If you frequently talk on the phone and type or write at the same time, place your phone on speaker or use a headset rather than cradling the phone between your head and neck.
If your chair is too high for you to rest your feet flat on the floor or the height of your desk requires you to raise the height of your chair — use a footrest.
Under the desk, make sure there’s clearance for your knees, thighs and feet.
Place the monitor directly in front of you, about an arm’s length away. The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level. The monitor should be directly behind your keyboard.
Office Ergonomic Assesment Form
Download the office ergonomic assessment form
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