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Benefits of Ergonomics to Office Workers

Injuries and health problems can develop from office workers spending hours each day sitting in desk chairs and working on computers. Ergonomics, the practice of developing more comfortable furniture that also helps prevent injury, is one way this issue is addressed. There are many benefits to office workers from using ergonomic furniture and practices.

  1. Relieving Tendon Inflammation

    • One major problem that office workers can suffer from is carpal tunnel syndrome and other types of tendon inflammation. By using ergonomic furniture, such as specially designed mouse pads and keyboards, this can be prevented or alleviated. In addition, office workers can use ergonomic exercises and practices to help, such as taking short breaks from work often, wearing fingerless gloves to keep hands warm and making sure joints aren't constantly in contact with hard surfaces. For example, when typing the wrist often hits a desk, so having a mouse pad with a soft surface at the wrist location helps an office worker.

    Relieving Eyestrain

    • Eyestrain is a common complaint of many workers. Typical symptoms of eyestrain include blurring, tightness, watering, double vision and headaches. Simple ergonomic exercises can alleviate eyestrain. One common rule is the 20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes, an office worker should take a break and look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It also helps not to stare into a computer screen from a very close difference. Ergonomic practices teach office workers to work as far from a screen as they can, provided they can continue reading and seeing the screen.

    Relieving Lower Back Pain

    • Desk chairs often cause office workers to experience lower back pain, as well as leg pain. There are many ergonomic chairs for sale that can help reduce back and leg pain. Many of these chairs focus on six things: elbow measure, thigh measure, calf measure, lower back support, resting eye level and armrest. All these factors combine to ensure that an office worker who can often spend eight or more hours a day sitting does not suffer from back pain and leg injury.

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