Take a Stand For Better Ergonomics

[Chris Gohlke]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.notebooks.com/2010/08/26/diy-stand-up-desk/' target='_blank'>http://www.notebooks.com/2010/08/26...-stand-up-desk/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"For the past few months I have had incredible back pain that has led to many trips to the chiropractor. Even after adjustments the pain would return by the end of the next day as I slowly hunched closer to my computer. The pain lessened when I stood and worked at a countertop so I decided to create a standup desk with materials we had lying around the office."</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1283463158.usr10.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></em></p><p>We had a little debate going in the Thoughts Media back offices with regards to how prevalent standing at ones desk is. &nbsp;Personally, I've got a bar-height counter at work that I'll periodically stand at to work. &nbsp;Standing for a bit does wonders for the back as well as for my alertness. &nbsp;So, lets hear from the rest of you. &nbsp;Any other fans of the stand-up desk?</p><p><em></em></p>

[Reid Kistler]

Gee - hope you don't need to refer to one of those books! :eek:

Often stand at a workbench when working with hardware, but have never settled into the idea of doing so for general office work.

However, do take some pains to avoid back pain:
Reasonable quality desk chairs, with adjustable height, arm rests, and some sort of tilt function, whether back alone - as with my current favorite - or back & seat together. Some will permit a choice.

Proper keyboard height: see a lot of people ignoring this, but for most of us "desk height" is TOO high for comfortable keyboard use. Having a decent keyboard, good angle, and perhaps a wrist rest can help as well.

Try a TRACKBALL instead of a mouse - and/or learn keyboard shortcuts to limit mouse usage. Learning to use tracking device with either hand also helps.

Ensure that monitor is at the proper height, so it can viewed with a normal head angle. (And, as one ages ... :( ... consider adding a pair of "Computer glasses" optimized for near- to mid-range vision.)

Regular breaks - walking around, or even merely changing positions - and also 'flexing' exercises while at one's desk help.

Probably some that I forgot to mention.....


When working while STANDING, one thing I have found very helpful is to have a cushioned - but not overly soft - work floor, especially if the floor itself is rather hard (concrete...) and / or located below ground level where it might tend to be relatively cold. A good rug would work, but for more industrial areas have had good luck with dense foam mats (interlocking floor mats...). These don't stain as readily as a rug, and make it much easier to find the small parts that inevitably end up "on the floor...." :mad:

[beaversoc]

No worries! They are all the same yearbook for the class of 1970. For some reason there are enough in the closet to make 3 more standup desks.

[Reid Kistler]

No worries! They are all the same yearbook for the class of 1970. For some reason there are enough in the closet to make 3 more standup desks.


Class President??? :D


(1970.... one short year before my wife graduated! From High School, of course......)


And here we thought WE were being innovative when we used BRICKS and plywood boards to build bookcases!