How to Set Up an Ergonomic Work Station at Home

How to Set Up an Ergonomic Work Station at Home

Ergonomic (adjective): relating to or designed for efficiency and comfort in the working environment.

Working from home has become the new norm. Most people set up shop at their kitchen tables, coffee tables, and even in their beds, taking their phone calls and Zoom meetings without stopping to think about how ergonomic their new set up is. It is very likely that at some point you’ll end up feeling the effects of poor ergonomics. Lower backs, necks, shoulders, and wrists get tight and sore from the uncomfortable positions working from home all day. The good news is that this can be helped, and doing so doesn’t require any home renovations! This article is going to explain the steps you can take to ease some of your symptoms and take care of your back, no matter where your workstation is located.

Step 1: Make sure your chair is set up properly

Sitting either too high or too low relative to your desk can cause fatigue in the upper back, shoulders, and neck. Positioning your chair too high means that you will spend too much time looking down and your arms won’t have enough support. This leaves the neck and shoulders to overcompensate for that lack of support, increasing strain on these muscles. Having your chair too high means that you might not have the right amount of back support to avoid slouched shoulders, which can also increase stress on the back.

Properly positioning your chair:

Make sure to sit with your lower back pushed to the very back of your seat. Sit up straight so that your lower back and shoulders are resting against the back of the chair. Ensure that your chair provides adequate support for your back by; if your chair doesn’t provide adequate support you can place a pillow or rolled towel behind you (see diagram). The back rest of your chair should be adjusted to an angle of 90° - 110° from the seat. The seat should be at such a height and angle that your thighs are parallel to the floor, and your knees are either in line with or slightly lower than your hips. Check your feet! They should be planted flat on the floor. If they are not, use a footrest or a stool to decrease pressure on your thighs.

Step 2: Properly positioning your monitor

It’s important to consider the position of your computer monitor in order to avoid putting extra stress on your neck, shoulders and upper back. The top half of your computer monitor should be at eye level. This helps to keep your head up and your posture in a neutral position while you work. 

If you cannot adjust your computer monitor, try stacking books under the base to raise it up. Alternatively, if the monitor is too high, you can compensate by raising your chair (so long as your feet are still planted firmly on the ground or a footstool). 

The distance between you and your monitor matters as well. If you were to sit up with good posture and then raise the arm straight in front of you, you should be able to touch the screen. 

Step 3: Positioning the keyboard and mouse

Your keyboard should be positioned so that you are able to rest your arms with your elbows at your sides, forearms parallel to the floor. You should not have to reach, and you should be able to keep your wrists relaxed and in a neutral position when your fingers are on the keys. If necessary, use a soft wrist support.

The mouse should be at the same height as the keyboard and as close as possible to your body so you don’t have to reach for it. Keep your wrist straight and use your full arm to move the mouse. Make sure you let it go when you aren’t using it. Arm rests should support the forearms and elbows, make sure they are the correct height for your body. 

Step 4: Posture

There’s a saying, ‘the best posture is the one you just moved out of’, meaning that even if your posture is picture perfect, movement breaks are very important to help reduce compression (of the discs in your spine), mitigate muscle fatigue, and stimulate blood flow. Getting up every 30-60 minutes should greatly improve your overall ergonomics. If you need a reminder, try setting an alarm! Straighten Up Canada is a free app developed by Canadian Chiropractors that includes quick, easy to perform exercises and has a feature that allows you to set reminders to check your posture.

This diagram illustrates some of the important things to check for when ensuring your home work station is ergonomic. Credit: Canadian Chiropractic Association