Ergonomic Office Furniture Design
Ergonomics. The name may sound like something you'd find in outer space, but it's actually a principle increasingly at work in the contemporary office environment. Unfortunately, some office workers not only fail to understand what ergonomics is, but how important it is to their long term good health. Let's take a closer look at the basics of ergonomic office furniture design.
Ergonomics 101
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration defines ergonomics as “the study of work.” Can it really be that simple? Absolutely.
As our world has increasingly moved toward a system in which large numbers of workers maintain office jobs, ergonomic office furniture has also become more important. Why? Because in real-world workplace terms, ergonomics seeks to adapt furniture to suit workers' needs rather than expecting workers to adapt to the furniture. This science relies on a number of scientific factors to determine how best to support the physical needs and health of workers. In even more simplistic terms, ergonomics is all about you.
Basic Principles of Ergonomics
A Neutral Posture
One of the most essential principles of ergonomic relates to the body's posture. The human spine is naturally curved in an S-curve. Particularly in the lower region, the best chairs encourage a “sway back” posture. Unfortunately, some chairs force your back into a C-curve, leading to unnecessary strain. Over extended period of time this can lead to back pain, injury and other chronic health problems.
Neck alignment also falls under this category. The neck bones are an extension of the spinal column and therefore require the same S-curve support as the back. Lack of this support can lead to shoulder and neck strain.
Shoulders, elbows and wrists should also maintain neutral positioning. If not positioned correctly, shoulders can become hunched or bunch, elbows can flare out, and wrists can fall out of alignment with forearms. All of these can lead to health complications.
Easy Reach
Another important element of an ergonomically friendly office place is keeping all essentials within easy reach. Every employee has a “reach envelope”: the semicircle span of your arms as you reach out across your workspace. If items are outside of this zone, stress and strain can result.
Sometimes, the solution is a simple matter of rearranging your desk or work space. In other situations, you may need to downsize to a smaller work surface or incorporate a cutout element.
Height Matters
Working at the right height is another tenet of ergonomics. For office workers, elbow height — either seated or standing — is generally considered to be optimal. If you're currently sitting at your desk, extend your hands over your keyboard. Are they at elbow height, or slanted upward or downward? If not at elbow height, an adjustable chair can help.
Know Your Options
Luckily, today's ergonomic office furniture can help. In particular, office chairs come with plenty of adjustable options to promote neutral body positioning, easy access to essentials, and ideal height adjustability.
In addition to investing in adequate ergonomic furniture, it is also important to take time out every day to stretch. If your job consists of sitting for long periods of time, move around often to change up your position. You also adjust your seat throughout the day to prevent repetitive use injuries.
While “ergonomics” may seem like an intimidating concept, there's one last thing you should know: ergonomics is the best friend of the contemporary office worker. And now that you better understand the principles of ergonomic, a natural next question arises: is your workspace ergonomically designed or are you in need of an upgrade? After all, buying ergonomic office furniture is not your average office expense: it's an investment in your personal health.