Hi there, it’s me, the work place health nut again. June is my month, so I’m going to keep pushing you to be healthier in as many ways as I can. I was talking to a friend of mine recently who’d been complaining about a sore back. He thought it was probably from taking too many swings recently. He plays both softball and golf and wondered if he hadn’t just been over doing it. Well, you know me, the health nut, so I just had to ask my friend if perhaps his chair at work was ergonomically correct for him. He looked at me quizzically and wondered, “What the heck does how much my work chair cost have to do with my sore back?” Okay, I get that I’m the health nut and all, but really? It did make me stop and think though. Most people have heard the term, “ergonomics” tossed about over the last decade or so, but there’s still probably a lot of people out there who aren’t quite sure what the term means. So let’s get this out there right away. ’s meaning for ergonomics: the study of the relationship between workers and their environment, especially the equipment they use.
Obviously the most important ergonomic factor for anyone over the course of an office workday would be the set up of desk, chair and computer monitor. Most of you are probably somewhere between those two examples, but hopefully, for your sake, you’re a little bit closer to the woman in the second picture than the crumpled up guy in the first. We’ll get to all the fun and dynamic chair and computer options you have in a minute, but first we’ll simply address those of you on a standard chair at a standard desk. If you get nothing else out of reading this, please just remember this: Over the course of an eight to ten hour day, if you’re spending the majority of time sitting at a desk, your posture and sitting position will have a pretty big impact on your body. (On average, 95% of an office workers’ day is spent sitting in front of the computer, according to OSHA.) You should do your best to sit with your feet flat on the floor with your back slightly inclined rather than straight up and down or slouched forward.
Try to keep your shoulder and neck muscles relaxed, as the more you strain those, the more worn out your body will start to feel. OSHA also reports that 34% of all lost work days are a result of poor workplace ergonomics! We’ll ignore the fact that the woman on the right is using a computer from the year 2000, and simply note that the way she’s twisting herself to see her screen is not going to do her any favors in the long run. Okay then, that’s about enough of the bad, seeing as I’m the health nut at the workplace, let’s get to the good! That’s right people, it’s 2015, we’re all running out of excuses to short-change ourselves when it comes to our work spaces. As those of us at Innovative Office Solutions know, healthy ergonomic choices can lead to a happier, more productive work force. A combination of the two is probably the best practice, but obviously those options aren’t available to everybody. Innovative offers Sit Stand Workstations by Humanscale (pictured above) and Sit/Stand stools by Muvman.
Another fun and healthy option available from Innovative, are Ballo Chairs, also by Humanscale. Ballo is an imaginative take on traditional ball chairs, supporting flexibility and freedom of movement. They’re perfect options for “pulling up a chair” in meetings or conversations at a co-worker’s desk. Zenergy also offers a nifty version of the ball chair, which is also available through Innovative. Not only do all of these desk options provide comfort and movement during the day, but they minimize the risk of pain and musculoskeletal disorders. Studies have shown that regular standing can burn calories and have a positive impact on well-being and can help prevent everything from heart disease to high blood pressure. While ergonomic improvements in desks and chairs are your best investment, adding ergonomic workstation accessories can improve your comfort and ultimately your production at work. While it may seem like a simple thing, the split key designed keyboards (admit it, you’re seeing more and more of them and you’re kind of intrigued!) conform to your natural hand positions, which reduces tension in your shoulders, arms and wrists.
You’re free to set up your workstation to suit your own specific ergonomic needs with a workstation shelf by Fellowes, which are available from Innovative. You know how you often get in the car after work and you can’t believe how worn out you are? It’s almost silly sometimes how fatigued we can feel after simply sitting at a desk all day. Just know that you’re not alone in feeling that way! Innovative has all of the above available and more. A Fellows Footrest is a great investment for your workstation. It works as a footrest or a free-standing climate control with cool fan, low heat and high heat. An adjustable footrest elevates your feet to relieve lower back pressure and improve posture. The simple fact is that you spend too much time at work to be uncomfortable. Ergonomically outfitting your space at work will not only keep away many little aches and pains that can add up to more severe problems, but being more comfortable will also make you more productive.
Exercise balls are useful, in a gym or therapeutic setting, for strengthening your core muscles. The inherent instability of the round, prone-to-rolling exercise ball forces core muscles to constantly stabilize your body while you're on the ball. Even though big-name trainers like Bob Harper from "The Biggest Loser" endorse the use of exercise balls in place of desk chairs, some still oppose the idea. Exercise balls are sized by their diameter in centimeters. Your height determines what size ball you need. For general exercise applications, a 45 cm ball is appropriate for anyone up to 5 feet tall. A 55 cm ball suits those 5 feet to 5 feet, 5 inches; a 65 cm ball suits individuals who are 5 feet, 5 inches up to 6 feet; a 75 cm ball is appropriate for those over 6 feet. Hard-to-find 85 cm exercise balls are appropriate for individuals over 6 feet, 8 inches. If you’re using the exercise ball as a chair, however, the University of Minnesota Extension recommends using a ball one size larger than you would for typical exercise.
So, for example, an individual up to 5 feet tall would bump up to a 55 cm exercise ball. One of the biggest arguments against using exercise balls as desk chairs is that balls lack the adjustability and support that a proper ergonomic--by its very definition, “stable”--chair provides. Features that an ergonomic chair may have that a ball cannot provide include adjustable seat depth and angle, lumbar support and armrests. Exercise balls don’t offer the same support that an ergonomic office chair would. After all, forcing your body to stabilize itself is part of the appeal if using the ball instead of a chair. But an exercise ball should still conform to some of the same principles of ergonomics that govern office chairs. To test whether your exercise ball has you properly aligned, sit squarely on the ball in front of your desk, close your eyes, and adjust your head angle, as necessary, so that it’s facing straight forward. You should be looking right at the center of your computer screen.
If you’re not, adjust either the screen or where your ball chair is situated. Next, sit up straight on the ball with your upper arms straight down by your sides. Bend your elbows and place both hands on the computer keyboard or, if you have no keyboard, the desktop. Your elbows should be bent at a 90-degree angle; if they’re not, you need to adjust the size of your exercise ball or your desk accordingly. Arguments against using exercise balls as desk chairs include the risk of falling off the ball; excessive strain from continued muscular exertion; the fact that one can slump just as easily on an exercise ball as in a chair; the lack of support for those with back injuries; and the potential risk of a sudden deflation. The chief touted benefit of using an exercise ball as a desk chair is that it will give you a constant core workout as your muscles struggle to stabilize your core, so that even while working at your desk, you'll still be getting some exercise. Simply rolling your exercise ball over a fallen thumbtack might cause it to suddenly deflate.
If you’re sitting on it when this happens, a serious injury might result. Help cut the risk of this happening by selecting an exercise ball that is clearly labeled as either puncture- or burst-resistant, or with the letters SDS (slow deflate system). Gain 2 pounds per week Gain 1.5 pounds per week Gain 1 pound per week Gain 0.5 pound per week Maintain my current weight Lose 0.5 pound per week Lose 1 pound per week Lose 1.5 pounds per week Lose 2 pounds per week How to Use a Stability Ball As a Chair Pros & Cons of Sitting on a Stability Ball Exercise Ball Chair Exercises How to Sit on an Exercise Ball at a Desk 5 Things You Need to Know About Using an Exercise Ball as an Office Chair How to Sit on a Workout Ball at Work The Benefits of Using a Stability Ball as a Chair Does an Exercise Ball Chair Actually Give You Any Health Benefits? The Best Exercise Ball Brand What Size Stability Ball Should I Buy?