Understanding office ergonomics and organizing your workspace accordingly will help you feel good during your workday.

Understanding office ergonomics and organizing your workspace accordingly will help you feel good during your workday.

If your job involves sitting at a desk, discomfort is not necessarily part of the job. By using proper office ergonomics, you can avoid some of the health problems associated with sitting at work, such as neck and back pain, wrist and shoulder pain. Chair height, distance between devices, and desk position all play a role.

Use this guide to reduce stress on your body, protect your joints, and keep you comfortable while working.
Choose a chair that supports your spine. Adjust the height of the chair so that your feet are flat on the floor. Or use a footrest to keep your thighs parallel to the floor. If the chair has armrests, position them so that your arms rest lightly on the armrests, your elbows are close to your body, and your shoulders are relaxed.

Make sure there is enough space under the table for your legs and feet. Avoid storing items under the table as this reduces available space and makes it difficult to sit properly. If the table is too low to change its height, you can raise it by placing strong boards or wooden blocks under the table legs. If the table is too high to replace, raise the chairs. Use footrests to support your feet if necessary. If you don’t have a footstool, try using a small stool or a sturdy stack of books. If your desk has non-round hard edges, pad the edges or use a wrist rest. This will protect your wrist from a problem called contact stress, which can be caused by prolonged contact with hard edges.

Place the computer keyboard in front of you, keeping your wrists and forearms in line and your shoulders relaxed. If you use a mouse or other type of pointer connected to your computer, place it within easy reach and on the same surface as your keyboard. When you type, use your computer’s touchpad, mouse, or pointer, keep your wrists straight, your shoulders close to your body, and your hands at or slightly below your elbows. If possible, set the sensitivity of your mouse or pointer so that you can click on it.

Place the computer monitor directly in front of you, directly behind the keyboard and about an arm’s length from your face. The monitor should be no closer than 20 inches (approximately 50 cm) and no closer than 40 inches (approximately 100 cm) from you. The top of the screen should be at eye level or slightly below. If you wear bifocals, lower the monitor an additional 1 to 2 inches (approximately 2 to 5 cm) for more comfortable viewing.

Using a laptop can be uncomfortable due to the low screen height and cramped keyboard and touchpad. If you use your laptop at your desk, consider using an external keyboard and mouse and a laptop stand to more closely mimic a desktop setup.

Keep items you use frequently (such as your phone, stapler, or printed materials) close to your body to minimize contact. Stand up and reach anything that is difficult for you to reach while sitting.
If you spend a lot of time on your phone or frequently type or write while using your phone, turn on your phone’s speaker or use headphones. Don’t place your phone between your head and neck.