I used to think posture and ergonomics were the same thing. But the more I thought about it, ergonomics doesn’t just happen in the workplace. It goes home with us.
Any healthy habit that I practice, regardless if I’m at work or not, contributes to my overall health and wellness.
Therefore, many of them are variables in my computer ergonomics process.
Ergonomics in the workplace is important. If I sleep poorly one night, I’ll be tired before 9am the next day. Think about how much that affects my sitting posture. This also explains why I include sleep quality as part of my ergonomics process.
Most adults spend a lot of time in the workplace. An 8-hour workday, 5 days a week, equals about 24% of our week. I want to do everything I can to be as effective as possible during that time.
To help understand that, I’ll talk about the underlying principle of ergonomics in the workplace.
What Is The Underlying Principle Of Ergonomics In The Workplace
This article will help readers understand the difference between posture and ergonomics in the workplace.
This article doesn’t contain any medical advice. Just because we read someone’s personal experience on the internet, doesn’t mean we can skip our blood tests, physical exam, pelvic exam, etc.
I write my articles to be as informative as possible. But they are based on my personal experience. I share healthy habits that’ve helped improve my quality of life. These habits could have to do with:
- how I lose weight
- how I decrease pain
- how I focus on muscle recovery
- or how to improve posture while sitting at computer
But they are always related to computer ergonomics, whether it be directly or indirectly.
What Is Ergonomics In The Workplace
Posture is the position I hold my body in (when I’m working at a computer, for example). But ergonomics…
Ergonomics is the study of people’s efficiency in the workplace.
There’s a big difference between posture and ergonomics. Posture is actually a variable that falls under the umbrella of ergonomics.
In addition to posture, other ergonomics variables include:
- hydration
- nutrition
- breathing
- sleep quality
- exercise
- muscle recovery
- supplements
All these factors are directly related to how good (or bad) my computer posture is. And the better my ergonomics are, the better my work productivity is.
What Is The Primary Purpose Of Ergonomics In The Workplace
A lot of industry experts will tell you that the primary purpose of ergonomics is work productivity. That’s very important to me. But in my opinion, it’s not the primary purpose.
My primary purpose of ergonomics in the workplace is to improve posture at computer.
When my posture is improved, many additional benefits come along with it:
- increased work productivity
- decreased computer-related pain
- improved mental clarity
- increased energy
I consider all these to be purposes of computer ergonomics.
Why Is Ergonomics Important In The Workplace
Improved computer posture
Posture is the north star for me when I’m working on a computer. Without good posture, many other problems arise. Mainly, excessive muscle tension, chronic pain, and joint dysfunction.
Increased work productivity
The less physical pain I’m in, the more productive I am at work.
Decreased computer-related pain
The less pain I have, the more focused I am, the more efficient I am at work, the more money I make.
Improved mental clarity
The better my posture is, the less pain I have. The less pain I’m in, the more mental clarity I have.
Increased energy
We’re allowed a certain amount of energy per day. This energy gets divided up between physical and mental. The more physical pain I’m in, it doesn’t only take from my physical energy, it takes from my mental energy, too.
Who Is Responsible For Ergonomics In The Workplace
There’s 2 ways I look at this:
- Depending on the company, the employer will provide a certain level of ergonomics quality. But it can always be better. Plus, posture happens at our desk. Ergonomics happens at our desk too. But it comes with us when we leave the office (to the gym, the kitchen, even into the bedroom).
- So essentially, how good our ergonomics are will always be up to the individual office worker. We are our own primary caretaker. Not our PCP, not our personal trainer, not our physical therapist, and definitely not our employer. Do your research. Make good decisions. And best the best possible advocate for your own healthcare.
What Are Ergonomic Hazards In The Workplace
These health conditions may not be directly caused by poor ergonomics, but ergonomics can definitely play a role. Especially since it has so much to do with sedentary lifestyle, women health, and environmental factors.
- nutrition-related → weight loss, weight gain, type 2 diabetes
- chronic stress-related → hair loss, high blood pressure, hormone imbalance (despite taking birth control pills or not). Chronic stress is also known to raise androgen levels. Which has been known to worsen excess hair growth and acne. Ergonomics doesn’t necessarily cause excessive hair growth, but it can cause chronic stress (which plays a large part).
- insulin resistance (causing insulin levels to rise) → which can cause skin tags (which are more common in women with pcos (polycystic ovary syndrome pcos).
Read my guide: How Can You Protect Yourself From Ergonomic Hazards
How To Avoid Ergonomic Injuries In The Workplace
Take micro-breaks at work.
I used to sit at my desk and grind out work for hours at a time. I thought this was effective. But there was a heavy price I ended up paying. Physical pain, mental fogginess, lower productivity. All of this could’ve been avoided if I prioritized taking breaks at work.
It doesn’t take much. Just a 5 minute break every hour or so. To get some movement in. And to increase my blood flow throughout my body.
Don’t work in the same exact position for long periods of time.
Now, I switch positions every time I get back to my desk from taking a micro-break. This has been a great way for me to improve blood circulation and give my postural muscles a break. I switch between sitting, standing, and reclined.
I adjust my chair height until my elbow level is above desk level.
My personal preference is to have my elbows 2 or 3 inches above my keyboard and mouse. This elbow height allows me to minimize my biceps activation, which led to chronic shoulder pain in my previous life.
I make sure to adjust my chair, only when I’m sitting with an upright torso, with a neutral spine, with its natural curves intact. This spinal position is right in the middle of slouching forward and sitting up too straight.
I adjust my monitor height until the top of the screen is even with my eye level.
I want to make sure I adjust my chair height first. Then, my monitor height. Otherwise, it could cause me to slouch forward or overextend my spine to meet my eyes with the monitor. I don’t want to meet the top of my screen with my eye level. My eye level is already set once I adjusted my chair. I want my monitor height to meet my eye level.
I keep my feet flat on the floor (or a footrest, if necessary).
If correct chair height doesn’t raise my feet off the floor, I keep my feet flat on the floor at all times. I never want to pull my feet under my desk chair. I used to make this mistake. It caused overuse in my hamstrings. Which caused muscle tension, chronic pain, and joint dysfunction throughout my entire legs. Even up into my lower back.
If correct chair height lifts my feet off the floor, I keep that chair height. Because that’s where my correct elbow height is. Then, I get a footrest to place my feet on (flat).
How To Implement Ergonomics In The Workplace
I’ll be honest, this section is going to promote some of my paid services that I rarely ever talk about. I’ve worked very hard on creating all of these. Thank you very much for supporting my work. ❤️
Snag the book I wrote.
It’s titled 45 Ways to Improve Computer Posture. I wrote this book to be the resource I wish I had back in 2002, when I first started sitting at a computer with bad posture.
Download my proudest work, my Computer Posture Checklist.
My Computer Posture Checklist contains all 27 posture cues I use. It covers both sitting and standing workstations. It’s a 4 page PDF. I kept it short as possible. It’s the minimal amount of posture info, that will produce the most effective ergonomics.
Book a Zoom call to ask me questions about your computer posture.
Ask me anything. This option is for single users only. Schedule your call here.
Schedule a webinar (with me) on the basics of computer posture and ergonomics.
This option is for multiple Zoom users (up to 100). It’s great for your team, or your whole company to log on. You can schedule it here.
If you want posture solutions in your inbox, sign up for my Computer Posture Newsletter. It will always be free.
I keep my emails short, with actionable tips.
Because as full-time office workers, we’re very busy.
So I respect your time and inbox energy.
Thanks for your interest in computer posture.
Todd Bowen – Computer Posture Correction and Pain-Free Ergonomics: For Office Workers Who Want to Delete Their Sitting Pain
P.S. If you liked this article, you’ll love the digital store I just published.
🙏 Thank you for supporting my work. -Todd