Office Furniture: How Ergonomics can prevent and/or reduce Carpal Tunnel

My wrist and arm hurt so bad, I can’t even type a simple e-mail anymore. This is a complaint that doctors are hearing more often as a common patient problem, usually related to a workplace injury. Computer programmers, hairstylists, prep cooks and even your average office employee are all at risk for injuries just stemming from their everyday work tasks.

Carpal tunnel, tendinitis and nerve disorder injuries from improper positioning of the workstation or from a task requiring repetitive motion for extended periods are growing in number. People are also working longer hours without proper seating or equipment for the task.

Carpal Tunnel, Tendinitis as well as many other minor injuries are now making the way to the workers compensation claim arena on a large scale. The rising number of claims being filed for such injuries is thought to be due to the improper positioning of employee workstations and the lack of employee training in proper practices for good body health. Most workers spend a considerable amount of time in their workstation, proper positioning is critical to good body health and employee productivity.

When workstations are designed with ergonomics in mind, it can help in both the prevention of injuries and in aiding employee productivity. A comfortable employee is a much more productive employee. Many ergonomic devices have been invented to help with the prevention and treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome affects a person’s wrist and fingers with many different levels of seriousness and can progress quite quickly to a serious problem. Affecting both typing skills, mouse use and everyday tasks, such as phone use, carpal tunnel can easily put an employee on full leave, due to their inability to complete tasks as needed.

Carpal tunnel can be treated in many different ways and is said to be completely correctable with surgery, with many patients experiencing a full recovery after going under the knife. Braces can also be worn to help keep the wrist stabilized and ease the pain experienced with movement.

Some massage therapists are known to treat and help to alleviate carpal tunnel as well as tendinitis through an array of massage treatments. Tendinitis and carpal tunnel are treated with emphasis on the spine and neck area to help with the pinched nerves and muscles that helped to cause the problem in massage therapy.

Proper ergonomic positioning of the body while sitting and keeping the desk, keyboard and mouse at the correct height is key to prevention of injury and can save workers and employers a lot of hassle, time and money. Carpal Tunnel and tendinitis are problems more widely recognized by most companies as an important issues for overall employee health and hopefully continues to be. With education, avoiding a ton of hassle for both the employees and employers is simple.

Author Bio:
Amy Pedersen has worked in the Ergonomics and Office Furniture
industry for over 10 years and is owner of Sit On This Ergonomics,
operating a number of ergonomic websites dedicated to Office
Chairs and the practice of good Workplace Ergonomics.

Featuring a wide variety of Executive Chairs, Leather Office Chairs,
Mesh
Seating & Task Office Chairs with an Online Sales Catalog. Their
Huge
Office Chair Collection and the Sit On This Ergo
website
provides detailed ergonomic information on proper chair positioning and
seating in the workplace environment to help people to find the perfect
Office Chair for their situation.

Visit Our Office Chair Collection:
Sit On
This Ergonomics

More Ergonomic Information:
Ergonomics
Explained

How to Choose Your Chair:
Picking
the Right Office Chair for You

Office Furniture: Finding the Right Fit for Big and Tall Needs

When searching for office chairs, it is easy to assume that one size fits all. However, to practice good ergonomics, the office chair can have many features designed to help the users who fall out of the range of normal size, has special health considerations, has an unusual job or works with unique machinery. The most popular extra features and options for an ergonomic chair are discussed here.

Some users have longer or shorter torsos and body types and extra adjustments and cylinder height options should be considered to keep the proper posture. Some individuals may not like the idea of a footrest option and might order a smaller cylinder, while a larger person would order a taller cylinder height. The cylinder height controls the seat height allowing the user to place his feet flat on the floor, an important step in ergonomic positioning.

Some workspaces that necessitate taller needs, such as drafting tables or wetbars may require a foot-ring option to keep the users feet firmly supported while still reaching the table comfortably and with proper elbow placement. Foot-rings can also help the smaller user accommodate for the proper feet placement.

Large individuals can often have the most difficult time finding chairs with options and features that adequately meet their needs. Many options are now available to keep any user practicing good ergonomics. The seat pan can be manufactured to a wider specification, with usually only 1-2″ increase can make all the difference. Many Big and Tall chair models also come with a sliding adjustable seat to change the seat depth to better accommodate a longer leg or upper thigh. A synchro knee tilt which keeps the user’s feet firmly on the floor even when reclining is recommended for a larger user to prevent circulation reduction in the back of the legs. This feature reclines the back of the seat at a faster ratio than the seat pan, helping keep the legs positioned correctly.

When choosing your office chair, the casters are also an important option to consider and one which many people forget. When using an office chair on carpet, the caters are of a completely different sort than on hardwood or linoleum. Make sure to consider where the chair will be used to get the easiest glide available. Some casters are made with locking mechanisms which are needed in some workspaces or optional glides to keep the chair stationary.When choosing the options for your office chair, it is good to remember proper ergonomics, always keep in mind your body type and any special needs necessary and unique for your comfort.

Author Bio:
Amy Pedersen has worked in the Ergonomics and Office Furniture
industry for over 10 years and is owner of Sit On This Ergonomics,
operating a number of ergonomic websites dedicated to Office
Chairs and the practice of good Workplace Ergonomics.

Featuring a wide variety of Executive Chairs, Leather Office Chairs,
Mesh
Seating & Task Office Chairs with an Online Sales Catalog. Their
Huge
Office Chair Collection and the Sit On This Ergo
website
provides detailed ergonomic information on proper chair positioning and
seating in the workplace environment to help people to find the perfect
Office Chair for their situation.

Visit Our Office Chair Collection:
Sit On
This Ergonomics

More Ergonomic Information:
Ergonomics
Explained

How to Choose Your Chair:
Picking
the Right Office Chair for You

The Reception Office Furniture: Make A Good First Impression

First impressions are important and lasting, and in the office, your reception area is more often than not the place that customers and clients get their first impression. Thus it is imperative that you give the right impression, whether you want to project a professional, modern, casual, or chic appearance. Today’s office furniture market offers a wide range of reception chairs to fit any style and price range. Remember, office furniture should be ergonomic, commedias, and fit your desired style and budget. Reception seats offer the most contribution to making your reception area warm and friendly as the chairs are often the only furniture they will use. You can choose from some of the contemporary and iconoclastic designs or maybe even a couch.

Barrel shaped leather or vinyl office chairs are uniquely designed and are perfect for lounge use or guest chairs. The sturdy base offers support to help insure longevity of use and style. The barrel chair is surprising comfortable and fits any modern styled office.

Traditional Bankers Reception Side chairs are very elegant, and as the name implies, enhances a traditionally styled office. This chair features upholstered arms, a contoured back, solid wood frame, and individual brass nail heads trim the leather to add style. This chair is known for its long lasting durability and comes in many different styles and materials.

Stack reception chairs are the most cost efficient and universal; they are used from offices to hotel ballrooms for large conferences. The ability to stack multiple chairs also allows this option to save storage space when needed. These chairs also come in a variety of colors, styles (such as with or without armrests or coasters), and materials.

However you decide to decorate your reception area, keep in mind style, space, comfort, and ergonomics for the perfect first impression.

Author Bio:
Amy Pedersen has worked in the Ergonomics and Office Furniture
industry for over 10 years and is owner of Sit On This Ergonomics,
operating a number of ergonomic websites dedicated to Office
Chairs and the practice of good Workplace Ergonomics.

Featuring a wide variety of Executive Chairs, Leather Office Chairs,
Mesh
Seating & Task Office Chairs with an Online Sales Catalog. Their
Huge
Office Chair Collection and the Sit On This Ergo
website
provides detailed ergonomic information on proper chair positioning and
seating in the workplace environment to help people to find the perfect
Office Chair for their situation.

Visit Our Office Chair Collection:
Sit On
This Ergonomics

More Ergonomic Information:
Ergonomics
Explained

How to Choose Your Chair:
Picking
the Right Office Chair for You

Creating Your Ergonomic Office Environment, Part 1

Once buying your ergonomic office chair, your journey towards a better office is just beginning. Now you must correctly set up your chair and create an ergonomic environment. Once seated in your chair, proper positioning is a key element in keeping up good blood flow and body health. Movement is critical during the work day, and proper movement is critical to good ergonomics. It all starts with knowing how to properly position your back and legs.

While seated in your chair, start by adjusting your backrest angle and the seat pan to place the torso and the upper legs at 90 degrees or in a slightly more reclined position. This provides for good lower back support. Studies have found that the slightly reclined position is the most desired posture and a proper tilt mechanism, preferably with locking positions is critical to practicing good ergonomics.

Have your feet firmly on the floor is also very important. If your feet are not touching the floor, even with seat height adjusted, you will need to find a footrest or platform to rest your feet on. When viewing a picture of this posture on the human body, you will notice that 90 degrees is the overall effect. The arms are at an angle 90 degrees from the chest, the lower abdomen is 90 degrees from the lower leg and the upper leg is 90 degrees angled from the lower leg.

To continue creating an ergonomic environment, place your monitor so the middle of the screen is eye level to reduce the stress to the neck muscles. Follow the manufacturers recommended distance from the computer monitor to your eyes.

You probably spend a great deal of time typing or using a mouse device in your workstation. To properly arrange your mouse and keyboard, relax your arms allowing them to hang down naturally from your shoulders. Next, bring your forearms up so that they are positioned parallel with the ground. You want your wrist to be in a neutral position. Place your chair in front of your workstation desk and adjust the height of the seat so that your elbows are just at or above the keyboard height. You’ve done it with little effort, now practice makes perfect. Try to remember to keep the posture throughout the day and soon it will come naturally.

Taking the right position in your office chair is critical for a long term body health and good ergonomics can help prevent future back, neck, and arm problems. Ergonomic positioning is easy once you get used to the posture. When practicing your office ergonomics, make sure to remember how critical it can be to keeping productive and healthy in the workplace.

Author Bio:
Amy Pedersen has worked in the Ergonomics and Office Furniture
industry for over 10 years and is owner of Sit On This Ergonomics,
operating a number of ergonomic websites dedicated to Office
Chairs and the practice of good Workplace Ergonomics.

Featuring a wide variety of Executive Chairs, Leather Office Chairs,
Mesh
Seating & Task Office Chairs with an Online Sales Catalog. Their
Huge
Office Chair Collection and the Sit On This Ergo
website
provides detailed ergonomic information on proper chair positioning and
seating in the workplace environment to help people to find the perfect
Office Chair for their situation.

Visit Our Office Chair Collection:
Sit On
This Ergonomics

More Ergonomic Information:
Ergonomics
Explained

How to Choose Your Chair:
Picking
the Right Office Chair for You

Know Your Office Chair Needs and Options Before Buying

There are thousands of options to choose from when picking your office furniture, from different features and styles to colors. With such a large market, it can be confusing when trying to find and order the chair that best suits your needs. The most important feature to look for in a chair are the ergonomic options. Practicing proper ergonomics can promote a healthy spine and good posture. This will help reduce pain and possible related health problems.

The standard options available on most task office chairs and stools are things like seat height adjustment levers, a tilt mechanism, tilt locking pins, and lumbar support with adjustments on each. Having proper lumbar support and the adjustability of the tilt mechanism are perhaps the most important features for good ergonomics. The lower back is the area affected by the most stress when sitting for a long period of time; extra lumbar support is really effective to help relieve some of the pressure to the lower back. Lumbar support can also be optioned with an adjustment scale to help place the support where needed for the user’s specific body type.

The desired position when seated in your office chair is in a slightly reclined position, therefore a tilt mechanism is needed for proper positioning. This also works to prevent future long term back problems. Some tilt mechanisms also come with locking positions to help the user properly recline into the desired position for the task at hand.

Another feature that is helpful to users but is often found mostly in more expensive models is an option referred to as “synchro-knee tilt.” This allows the user’s feet to stay on the floor while supporting a straight back or in a reclining position. Ergonomics also call for your feet to be placed squarely on the floor at all times to help keep the spine in the correct position. The ratio is approximately 2 degrees for recline in each position or the back support and 1 degree for recline in each position for the seat.

Finally, a headrest can be helpful to the taller user or to the user who spends more time reclining than the average worker. When choosing a high backed model versus a mid or low backed model it seems to be more of a matter of taste than ergonomic needs. Most executive chairs feature a high back while the task chairs are standard in a mid back form. The “Big and Tall” options within office chairs are growing bigger. When choosing the features for a chair where you intend to spend a great deal of your day, keep in mind your body type and individual tasks that need to be performed daily to find the perfect office chair for you.

Author Bio:
Amy Pedersen has worked in the Ergonomics and Office Furniture
industry for over 10 years and is owner of Sit On This Ergonomics,
operating a number of ergonomic websites dedicated to Office
Chairs and the practice of good Workplace Ergonomics.

Featuring a wide variety of Executive Chairs, Leather Office Chairs,
Mesh
Seating & Task Office Chairs with an Online Sales Catalog. Their
Huge
Office Chair Collection and the Sit On This Ergo
website
provides detailed ergonomic information on proper chair positioning and
seating in the workplace environment to help people to find the perfect
Office Chair for their situation.

Visit Our Office Chair Collection:
Sit On
This Ergonomics

More Ergonomic Information:
Ergonomics
Explained

How to Choose Your Chair:
Picking
the Right Office Chair for You

Ergonomics and your Aching Back

After I graduated from college, and while working to put my husband through school, I took a job at a law office as a file clerk. Because of limited space and the nature of my job, I didn’t get a typical office set up. My “desk” was comprised of an old, leather executive chair that had been sitting in storage waiting to be thrown away. This chair was crammed in between two of the three rows of filing cabinets, and I cradled my laptop on my lap while balancing stacks of paper around me on the floor. Although the nature of the job isn’t physically demanding, the environment left me physically tired at the end of each day. My back hurt from poor support and being hunched over. My hands and wrists hurt from using the keyboard on my computer improperly. I could even feel the strain in my neck and my feet.

Thankfully, I’ve since moved out of that make-shift desk into an office that is now ergonomically friendly and my back thanks me everyday. The human spine is comprised of vertebrae like a stack of bones, with the bones in the lower back curve in. In between these vertebrae is a separate disk, and like an ice pack, it’s strong exterior protects a gel like substance inside. In the normal position, the space between the vertebrae and the disks are evenly filled with this “gel”. When leaning forward, like I was having to be all hunched over a computer, the vertebrae pushes all the gel to the rear of the back. This compresses the nerves that exit the central nervous system. In response, the nerves tighten up in your back muscles, because they think they are supposed to contract the lower muscles in the back. Eventually, the muscles slowly pull the vertebrae further out of line while pushing the gel further back against the nerves.

If the body is continually subjected to this position, it can cause severe, if not permanent pain. The same nerve that is cause pain in your back also runs down the leg to the feet and toes. In a worst case scenario the “ice pack gel” can completely rupture and you can be in for a long recovery.

The good news is that ergonomics can prevent this pain. Proper lumbar support is essential for prevention of muscle and nervous system issues when seated at your office or workstation. Without this support serious injuries can occur and impede workplace production. Proper lumbar support can be found in most good office chairs that are labeled “Ergonomic”. Make sure when shopping for you chair that it has the back support you need to make it through the work day.

Author Bio:
Amy Pedersen has worked in the Ergonomics and Office Furniture
industry for over 10 years and is owner of Sit On This Ergonomics,
operating a number of ergonomic websites dedicated to Office
Chairs and the practice of good Workplace Ergonomics.

Featuring a wide variety of Executive Chairs, Leather Office Chairs,
Mesh
Seating & Task Office Chairs with an Online Sales Catalog. Their
Huge
Office Chair Collection and the Sit On This Ergo
website
provides detailed ergonomic information on proper chair positioning and
seating in the workplace environment to help people to find the perfect
Office Chair for their situation.

Visit Our Office Chair Collection:
Sit On
This Ergonomics

More Ergonomic Information:
Ergonomics
Explained

How to Choose Your Chair:
Picking
the Right Office Chair for You

What Ergonomic Chair Functions and Features Do – Part 4

By now, most people are familiar with the term “Ergonomics” and understand that ergonomic furniture is more healthy for the body because it helps to maintain more natural positions that reduce stress to the bones, muscles, and nerves throughout the body. But chair companies and ergonomists often throw around terms related to the designs and functions of ergonomic chairs that the common consumer may not understand. Here is a list of some terms you may need to know.

Lumbar Support: This is one of the most important features of an ergonomic chair. This device is intended to prevent, as much as possible, the flattening of the lumbar spine that occurs to most people when there are seated. Lumbar supports usually work as a gentle curve in the backrest shape, and allow user to be seated more comfortable for a longer period of time.

Backrest Height Adjustability: This function allows the user to change the height of the lumbar support area in the chair backrest, although this feature is often interpreted as the ability to change the height of the entire backrest. This function accommodates preference by different users regarding where and how the lumbar support curve contacts the back.

Lumbar Depth Adjustability: This feature affects the size and sometimes the firmness of the lumbar support curve in a chair’s backrest. Like backrest height adjustability, it accommodates different body types and preferences by the user.

Author Bio:
Amy Pedersen has worked in the Ergonomics and Office Furniture industry for over 10 years and is owner of Sit On This Ergonomics, operating a number of ergonomic websites dedicated to Office Chairs and the practice of good Workplace Ergonomics.

Featuring a wide variety of Executive Chairs, Leather Office Chairs, Mesh Seating & Task Office Chairs with an Online Sales Catalog. Their Huge Office Chair Collection and the Sit On This Ergo website provides detailed ergonomic information on proper chair positioning and seating in the workplace environment to help people to find the perfect Office Chair for their situation.

Visit Our Office Chair Collection:
Sit On This Ergonomics

More Ergonomic Information:
Ergonomics Explained

How to Choose Your Chair:
Picking the Right Office Chair for You

What Ergonomic Chair Functions and Features Do – Part 3

By now, most people are familiar with the term “Ergonomics” and understand that ergonomic furniture is more healthy for the body because it helps to maintain more natural positions that reduce stress to the bones, muscles, and nerves throughout the body. But chair companies and ergonomists often throw around terms related to the designs and functions of ergonomic chairs that the common consumer may not understand. Here is a list of some terms you may need to know.
Height-adjustable Armrests: This function, as the name suggests, allows the user to adjust the height of the armrests to suit the body of the person, this helps people avoid using chairs with too high or too low of armrests, which could result in elevated shoulders and pressure on the undersides of the elbows and forearms, or would require the user to slump or lean over to one side to use the armrest, respectively. This feature also allows for the armrest to be moved out of the way during some activities that may require lots of arm movement.

Width-adjustable Armrests: This function allows the user to change the distance between the armrests, not the armrests themselves. For an ergonomic office experience, the user does not want a chair with armrest too close together as this will splay the elbows and cause the wrists to bend to the side during activities such as typing. This puts the user at wrist for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Padded Armrests: This feature is advisable as it prevents uncomfortable pressure on the undersides of the forearms and elbows.

Author Amy Pedersen has worked in the ergonomics and office industry for a number of years and is currently co-founder of Sit On This Ergonomics, operating a number of ergonomic websites dedicated to office chairs and the practice of good workplace ergonomics. Featuring a wide variety of executive, leather, mesh and task office chairs with an online sales catalog, their website also provides detailed ergonomic information on proper chair positioning and seating in the workplace environment.

Sit On This Ergonomics:
http://stores.ebay.com/sitonthisergonomics

More Ergonomic Info:
http://stores.ebay.com/Sit-On-This-Ergonomics/Ergonomic-Positioning-Explained.html

What Ergonomic Chair Functions and Features Do– Part I

By now, most people are familiar with the term “Ergonomics” and understand that ergonomic furniture is more healthy for the body because it helps to maintain more natural positions that reduce stress to the bones, muscles, and nerves throughout the body. But chair companies and ergonomists often throw around terms related to the designs and functions of ergonomic chairs that the common consumer may not understand. Here is a list of some terms you may need to know.

Seat Height Adjustability: This function allows the user to adjust the height of the chair to allow one’s feet to rest comfortably on the floor or footstool while still maintaining optimum distance from the desk and keyboard. Pneumatic adjustable features are easier to use than mechanical adjustable chairs.

Seat Depth Adjustability: Chairs with the function are able to change the front-to-back depth ratio of the seat by either a backrest in-out adjustability or a sliding seat pan. For smaller people, a shorter seat pan is preferred to allow the person to use the backrest, while a deeper one offers more stability to taller individuals.

Seat Pan Angle Adjustability: This function generally refers to the ability the user has to change the forward-back angle of the seat. It allows them the choice of a fixed angle, rather than a free-floating recline. This function commonly allows for a forward tilt, in which the thighs slope downward. The main purpose of forward tilt is to open the angle between the trunk and thighs, inducing lordosis and reducing disc pressure.

Author Amy Pedersen has worked in the ergonomics and office industry for a number of years and is currently co-founder of Sit On This Ergonomics, operating a number of ergonomic websites dedicated to office chairs and the practice of good workplace ergonomics. Featuring a wide variety of executive, leather, mesh and task office chairs with an online sales catalog, their website also provides detailed ergonomic information on proper chair positioning and seating in the workplace environment.

Sit On This Ergonomics:
http://stores.ebay.com/sitonthisergonomics

More Ergonomic Info:
http://stores.ebay.com/Sit-On-This-Ergonomics/Ergonomic-Positioning-Explained.html

Using Ergonomics to Help Reduce the Risk of Musculoskeletal Disorders

Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD) are a collection of painful disorders involving the muscles, tendons, and nerves. Examples of WMSD are tendinitis, thoracic outlet syndrome, and tension neck syndrome. The main cause of these disorders are work activities which require frequent and repetitive motions or activities which require the person to remain in an unnatural or awkward position for an extended period of time. Since most work environments request the use of the arms and hands, most WMSD affect the hands, wrists, elbows, neck, and shoulders.

Here are several tips to help prevent WMSD from developing.

1. Create an ergonomic environment in your workplace/office. Chairs with proper lumber supports help the back maintain a more natural position which helps reduce the stress to muscles, nerves, and bones throughout the body. Ensure that the keyboard, mouse, and computer monitor are properly positioned to reduce stress to the body and straining of the eyes.

2. Take regular breaks from working to help break up repetitive motions; it is recommended to take a few minutes at least once an hour.

3. Alternate work tasks to further break up continuous motions, for example, switch between computer and non-computer tasks.

4. Become familiar with keyboard shortcuts for applications that you regularly use.

Author Amy Pedersen has worked in the ergonomics and office industry for a number of years and is currently co-founder of Sit On This Ergonomics, operating a number of ergonomic websites dedicated to office chairs and the practice of good workplace ergonomics. Featuring a wide variety of executive, leather, mesh and task office chairs with an online sales catalog, their website also provides detailed ergonomic information on proper chair positioning and seating in the workplace environment.

Sit On This Ergonomics:
http://stores.ebay.com/sitonthisergonomics

More Ergonomic Info:
http://stores.ebay.com/Sit-On-This-Ergonomics/Ergonomic-Positioning-Explained.html