Ergonomic Tips & Posture
Equipment Resources
Learn how to set up your desk and adjust your Sayl Chair for maximum comfort and support.
Ergonomic Tip #1
The 20-20-20 rule! To help relieve eye strain due to extensive computer monitor use, every 20 minutes look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This allows your eyes to re-hydrate and refocus.
Ergonomic Tip #2
Get up out of the chair!! If you are reading any kind of paperwork or talking on the phone, try standing for a few minutes, throughout the day. This will help with circulation and will also be helpful for your back.
Ergonomic Tip #3
Make sure your monitors are positioned correctly. The top of the monitor should be approximately eye level, while the distance should be approximately an arms length away. If you wear progressive lenses, position the monitor lower and try tilting it back a bit to prevent craning of the neck.
Ergonomic Tip #4
How to position the chair! Feet flat on the floor, knees at a approximately a ninety degree angle, arms positioned just under your forearm. Sit all the way back in the seat and make sure your back is touching the back of the chair.
Ergonomic Tip #5
Keyboard positioning! Arms and wrists should be in a neutral position, which may mean the keyboard is at a negative tilt (higher in the front than the back). Bring the keyboard towards you so your arms are at a comfortable resting position, elbows at slightly greater than ninety degrees.
Ergonomic Tip #6
Get up and move whenever you can. If you need to tell a coworker something and they are a few cubicles away, walk over and tell them in person instead of sending an e-mail. Moving is better for circulation and keeps the joints hydrated.
Ergonomic Tip #7
Reduce the ambient lighting around your monitor. By creating greater contrast between the light from your monitor to the surrounding light will make your eyes less strained by reducing glare.
Ergonomic Tip #8
Be sure to keep frequently used items within easy reach. Reaching and bending in awkward postures throughout the day can result in RMIs (Repetitive Motion Injuries).
Ergonomic Tip #9
Do you typically mouse with your right hand? Give your right hand a break and mouse with your left! This helps keep strain of the right hand and wrist down, and also helps improve coordination.
Ergonomic Tip #10
Keep cords and cables neat and tidy. This will help prevent tripping hazards
Ergonomic Tip #11
Laptops are good for keying or viewing, but typically not both. Elevate the laptop to be at the appropriate viewing height and use a separate keyboard for typing.
Ergonomic Tip #12
Remember that if your light is freestanding you can move it to where you need light the most based on work tasks, which will help you see better and reduce eye fatigue.
The Chair
(1): Sit all the way back in the seat. (2): Feet should be flat on the floor or on a footrest. (3): Hips and knees should be should be at approximately a 90˚ angle. (4): Arms should be positioned just under your forearm.
The Sit-to-Stand Work Surface
(1): Use a sit-to-stand work surface to adjust postures throughout the day. (2): The height of your work surface should be near elbow height. (3): Stand up straight, balancing your weight evenly between both of your feet. (4): Keep shoulders in a neutral position, with no lift. (5): Your elbows should be at a 90˚ angle, with your wrists in a neutral position.
The Keyboard
(1): Always ensure that your wrists are in the neutral position, which means the hands and wrists are in line with your forearms. (2): Your chair and seated position should be relative to the height of the desk and your position to the work surface and keyboard. (3): To ensure that the keyboard is fully centralized, the letter “B” should be in line with your bellybutton.
The Mouse
(1): When handling the mouse, keep your hand in a straight line with your forearm. Avoid bending the palm at the wrist: either to the left or right, or up or down. (2): Avoid mouse shapes that may cause the wrists or fingers to be bent sideways or upwards when grasping the device. (3): Keep your mouse in your primary reach zone and do not overextend your arm. Your mouse should stay at the same level as the keying surface. (4): Float the wrist over the work surface.
The Monitor
(1): The computer monitor should be placed directly in front and facing you, so that your body and neck aren’t twisted when looking at the screen. (2): Viewing distance—the monitor should be at a comfortable horizontal distance for viewing, which is usually around an arm’s length for 20/20 vision. (3): Your screen should be positioned about an arm’s length away (20-28 inches on average). (4): Place the monitor at a comfortable viewing height that doesn’t make you tilt your head up or bend your neck down to see it. (Users with bi-focals or PALs may choose to lower the monitor to prevent neck strain.) (5): Screen image should be legible, flicker-free, stable and free from glare and reflections. It should also tilt and swivel easily to suit your needs.
The Laptop
(1): Ensure that your chair is set up correctly and that you are seated at the correct height in relation to your workstation. (2) Use a laptop stand which allows you to raise the top of the screen to the correct viewing height. This eliminates neck strain that results from tilting your head downward for extended periods of time. (3): Use a separate keyboard and mouse on a suitable work surface. (4): The laptop screen should be placed directly in front and facing you so that your body and neck aren’t twisted when looking at the screen. (5): The laptop should be at a comfortable horizontal distance for viewing, usually an arm’s length. If your legs are not reaching the floor, use a footrest.
Task Chair
A key factor in supporting the technology worker is a good task chair. Sayl’s 3D Intelligent suspension back provides passive PostureFit sacral support, which allows your spine to maintain its natural S shape, and empowers your body to maintain a healthful posture with less fatigue. Did You Know: The Sayl chair was inspired by suspension bridges – structures that deliver support withminimal material.
Sit to Stand Table
Sit. Stand. Repeat. Moving throughout your day increases your energy and focus. Person-centered design. Intuitive movement with a soft, paddle-shaped switch works exactly as expected, moving up to raise the table and down to lower it. Softly angled corners prevent bumps and bruises. Slim profile legs give room to move. Did You Know: Most North Americans are sedentary for 21 hours a day. Changing your posture throughout the day can reduce health risks.
Monitor Arm
Adjusting your monitor for the posture and task to ease eye strain and increase focus. The fluid, dynamic movement of Flo monitor arms lets you adjust the position of one screen or multiples exactly where you need it. Large range of motion and quick, intuitive fingertip control. Did You Know: Leaning forward toward your monitor places pressure on your neck and often leads to headaches.
Desktop Power
Today’s knowledge worker requires access to power within easy reach of their desktop. The ability to plug in laptops and monitors along with charging cell phones is essential. Power should be available without stretching and clearly visible. Did You Know: Office workers spend 47% of their time doing computer related work and check their cell phones 150 times a day.