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Ergonomics is not just about the office chair, but also about the science of arranging workplaces to suit employees. Shai S speaks to experts to find more

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Say the word 'ergonomics' and the first thing that pops into the mind is an office chair. It is true that the applied science deals with seating and office furniture, but it is much more than that. At a workplace, its scope also includes lighting, temperature, noise, storage and the human body itself.

The usual suspects

Ergonomics is the process of designing or arranging workplaces, products and systems in a way that they suit the people who use them. Simply put, it is to maximise productivity and minimise the risk of injury.
"The positioning of the office table and chair is highly critical," says Dr Rumi Beramji, an orthopaedic expert, who specialises in treating slipped discs. "The level at which the screen is, or the level at which the keyboard is kept, determines whether there will be muscular strain."

Beramji illustrates this with an example. "If you are talking to a customer face-to-face, you need to keep your neck straight (at a 90° angle to your body) and your eyes may look down at the screen at a 45° angle and not more," he says. This will not cause the neck to strain.

Another common blunder, Beramji reports, is that people often place their keyboards on top of the desk. "The keyboard should not require you to lift your elbow in order to bring your wrist in line with the keyboard. If you lift your elbow, then the muscle pulls the shoulder, going right up to the neck, causing neck pain and dorsal spinal pain.

High task repetition and poor body posture are also responsible for causing neck ache and backache. "The back needs to be in an S shape, but because of slouching, it takes on a C shape," he remarks.

Sitting is the new smoking

A recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that sitting for long stretches of time can increase the risk of heart disease and cancer. And since sitting is the new smoking, the 'standing desk' seems to be the antidote, and the newest trend to hit the cubicle world. Standing does helps burn calories, but standing all day long can be pretty tiring.

Innovation at work

Rolling in line with the standing desk, in terms of innovation, is the 'stability ball' or the 'balance ball', which forces you to maintain good posture.

"Transitioning from sitting in a chair all day to sitting on a stability ball or standing all day long is a drastic change; one that your body may be unprepared to handle," says Dr. Rajani Patil, spine and sports physiotherapy specialist.

"The core and leg muscles may tire fairly quickly leading to pain. Moreover, the stability ball does not support the arms like a chair does; it may not position the hips and knees at optimum angles as per ergonomic requirements."

Other attempts at rescuing the neck, back and wrist include Varidesk (a two-tiered standing desk), Oyster Mouse (with five angular positions), and even an app called PostureZone, which helps reveal body imbalance.

Back to basics

Understanding body mechanics, however, remains the crux of maintaining proper posture. The keyboard needs to be at a much lower level whereby the arms are touching the chest—and hence is in a
neutral state.

Taking frequent breaks and doing simple stretching exercises are no-brainers, but did you know that keeping body weight in check is also highly critical? "People forget that the muscles in the front help to balance the muscles in the back. A pot belly will create load on the spine and change its curvature," says Beramji.

Exercises at the desk

1) Sit or stand upright. Without lifting the chin, glide head straight back until you feel the stretch. Hold and count to 10. Repeat 3-5 times.
2) Drop head slowly to one side, taking ear towards shoulder until you feel the stretch. Hold and count to10. Repeat 3-5 times.
3) Sitting with the back supported, slowly roll shoulders up and backwards in circular motion. This exercises the shoulder. Repeat 10 times.

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