Ergonomic Tip Of The Month

How to make an ergonomic office chair!

For those that sit in a chair all day, it is important to find one that is ergonomic and in turn correct for you. Not all chairs are the same and not all people need the same level of support. However there are important ergonomic basics that everyone should look into to find the perfect level of support.

Incorrect (non-ergonomic) support could lead to chronic back problems and back pain that are difficult and expensive to treat. Most, if not all of this work-related pain can be prevented by having the correct ergonomic approach.

For a chair, one of the most important aspects is finding a chair that keeps your spine in alignment. This will give you ergonomic (correct) posture and in turn take much of the stress off of your lower back. It is especially important that your lower spine (your lumbar) receives support.Your lumbar is your basis for your whole spinal cord and if that is out of alignment this causes problems for your whole back.

You also want to make sure your chair is placed a good distance from your keyboard at work so you are not straining your wrists in order to type. Having to reach a far distance at work all day could induce certain injuries such as carpel tunnel and they become chronic very easily.

Also make sure your feet are not dangling, this puts quite a bit of pressure on your lower back and thigh muscles. If your feet cannot reach the floor, you need to find a foot rest to relieve that stress.

Making these small changes at work will allow you to prevent many chronic work place issues, which in turn allows you to feel better and work more efficiently. So take the first step to health and make your office chair more ergonomic!