Ergonomics
Pati Santos
Apr 27, 2020
Image: Ray Eames via Vitra Design Museum
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Working from home can cause you musculoskeletal disorders as you might be spending more time on the same position on a chair and a table that are not specifically designed for that.
We recommend a routine of 40 minutes sitting and 15 minutes standing followed by 5 minutes break where you walk for 2 minutes, stretch for 1 minute and drink a glass of water.
This is all about finding your balance, so be gentle with yourself.
Adjustable height desks
There are not many companies out there producing nice ergonomic pieces. Our preferred one is Actiu, a Spanish company who makes office furniture designed for your well-being.
You can ask a skilled joiner to make an adjustable height desk for you. Investing in your health is highly worth it. We would be more than happy to help you with this. However, it might not be the right moment to spend money, so for now, try placing a cardboard box on your table or desk so you can place the laptop on top of it up to the right height so you can work standing.
Remember the desk height sitting or standing should be at elbow height and the top of the screen should be at eye level.
Ergonomic seats
It might be easier to find nicer ergonomic seats than desks but you can also try DIY adding cushions on the back of the chair for lumbar support and maybe placing a box on the floor so you can rest your feet.
What is the right set up for your desk?
- Shoulders should be low and not reaching forward
- Lumbar support adjusted to align with lower back curve
- Armrests adjusted to elbow height (elbows bent to 90 degree)
- Hips slightly higher than knees
- 5-8 cm behind knee and front edge of the seat
- Feet should be supported on the floor or a footrest
- 90-120 degrees angle between legs and hip
- Wrists should be straight
- Keyboard and mouse are at elbow height
- Top of monitors are just below eye level
- Monitors are 45-90cm away from your eyes (depending on their resolution)
References:
- WELL Building Standard version 2 (WELL v2) Feature V02: Visual and Physical Ergonomics
- Ewiworks
I am a designer and I have been doing research in behavioural neurosciences using qualitative methods/ interviews, with prominent figures in Neuroscience, and Psychology.
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