Help Yourself! is not designed to be a substitute for medical advice, or physical therapy advice, for that matter. This is simply a column that you can visit periodically for a quick tip or idea that may be of help to you. We will restrict our advice to that which is helpful with minimal chances of being harmful. Simple things such as advice on posture or exercises can be harmful, because what is helpful for one person is harmful to to the next. Be careful when it comes to generic advice, and if you choose to follow it proceed with caution. If you have any doubts, see a qualified health care professional for an evaluation and recommendations which are appropriate for you.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is "The applied science of equipment design, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort. Also called biotechnology, human engineering, human factors engineering", as per www.dictionary.com.
For our purposes, we will not get into equipment materials or design, rather we will discuss setting up your equipment to minimize stress and fatigue and to maximize productivity and well being.
We assume that you read the section on Posture, and that your job involves being seated at a desk.
The ultimate goal is to have your body lined up in a neutral position, and to have your equipment adapt to you - not to have you adapt to your equipment.
Your feet should be on the ground; your seat height should be such that your hips are higher than your knees, as much as comfort allows; your arms should hang freely at your sides and your elbows/forearms should rest lightly on an armrest (remember, we are assuming that you are in a 'pelvic neutral' as described in the 'posture' section - do so before adjusting your armrests and seat height); your wrists should rest comfortably on a pad, but your wrists should not be flexed - they should be extended slightly, approximately twenty degrees; your eyes should face straight ahead or perhaps down a bit, and your line of sight should be at the center of your computer monitor or slightly above center.
Most people can achieve all of this with a standard desk and an adjustable chair, but if you cannot, you may need to purchase a foot rest, a stand for your monitor, and/or an adjustable desk.