office ergonomic

1. Make your work area more
comfortable and productive
Dr Mohabbat Ali, PT
HOD, Physical & Rehab. Medicine Dept.
Workstation Ergonomics

2. • What is Ergonomics?
• Why it is important for every one?
• How to avoid from injury?
• Understand the basic principles of
ergonomic workstation setup
• Pictures of common problems
• How Ergonomics can help
• Injured – what to do?

3.  ERGO = “work”
 NOMICS = “rules” or “laws”
 Ergonomics literally means
“the laws of work”

4.  OSHA defines ergonomics as the science of
“designing the job to fit the worker, instead of
forcing the worker to fit the job.”

5. Affected Body Part
Other
37%
Shoulders
6%
Hands
6%
Wrists
51%

6. Study of 420 medical secretaries
– 63 % reported neck/shoulder pain
– 51% low back pain
– 30 % hand/wrist pain
– 15 % elbow pain

7.  Two Categories of Ergonomic Factors to be
considered
1. Environmental conditions – your physical
surroundings
2. Physical stressors – how your body reacts
to work practices

8. Environment Person
Behavior
Ergonomics
(Health and Safety)
Breaks
Process/Task
Furniture
Tools
Equipment
Weight
Knowledge
Stretching
Posture
Non-work activities
Physical fitnessMedical conditions
Physique
Process/Task
Position
Engineering
Non-work activities

9. +
RepetitionAwkward Postures
Force

11. Arrange tools around your desk so you minimize the distance you
have to reach for them. Divide your work space into three zones:
Primary work zone - the distance
from elbow to hand. Things you
touch on a daily basis.
Secondary work zone - within
arm's reach. Use this zone to
position those items that you use
frequently, but don't need all the
time.
Reference zone - outside arm's
reach. Use this zone for your least-
often used items.

12. • Reduce occurrence of
a) Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
b) Cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs)
c) Repetitive stress injuries (RSIs)
• Decrease fatigue, pain and injuries
• Decrease costs
– health insurance, workers compensation and
lost time

13. •Reduction of work-related injuries
•Reduced absenteeism
•Increased worker productivity
•Increased work quality
•Increased morale
•Increase comfort and productivity
Ergonomics provides a win-win
situation…..on and off the job
YOU JUST
FEEL
BETTER!

14. Numbness
Burning
Pain/Aching
Tingling
Cramping
Stiffness
 Tightness
 Decreased range of
motion
 Deformity
 Decreased grip strength
 Loss of function
If you experience these symptoms, you may want to
request additional ergonomic assistance.

15. Neck, shoulder, back pain
Headaches
Eye strain
Tendonitis (“tennis elbow”)
Bursitis
Fatigue
Poor concentration

16. Treatment required
Time off work
Loss of productivity
Errors
Impacts on home life and leisure
activities
Increase risk of injury
Feeling unhappy & ‘cranky’
Impact on financial cost

17. 1. Proper Ergonomics according
to your work place
2. Right exercises at right time

18. E arly
R esponse
G ains
O pportunity
• Reduce/Eliminate risks
• Prevent Pain
• Avoid or minimize need for
medical treatment
• Happier employees
• Higher productivity
• Financial Savings by avoiding
time away from work

19. Stand up, don’t
reach for items.
Be cautious of
twisting and bending,
stand up and use good
body mechanics.
Can cause neck pain
and shoulder pain,
both sides.

20. • Viewing Distance: 20”-40”
• Viewing Angle: 15-20 degrees
below horizontal
• Viewing Time
• Viewing Clarity

21. •Head vertical and facing forward
•Tilted head puts stress on neck and
shoulders
•Minimize head rotation
•Shoulders relaxed
•Arms tucked close
to body
•No extended reaching
Computer Workstation:

22. Computer Workstation:
• Elbows relaxed and close to the
body
• Elbows not extended forward or
backward
• Wrists in a straight line with
lower arms
• Hands not flexed up or down, or
bent inward or outward

23. Computer Workstation:
• Knees bent about 90 degrees
• Thighs parallel to floor
• Chair at a comfortable height
• Obstructions removed
• Feet flat on the floor or on a
footrest

25. Bad

26. Better

27. Bad

28. Better

29. Bad

30. Better

31. Bad

32. Better

33. Neutral
Awkward
Neutral
Awkward
Awkward
Neutral
Awkward
Neutral

34. !
Monitor at or below eye level
Wrists straight
Forearms supported
Back supported
Feet flat on the floor
Forearms and thighs parallel to the floor

35. NO!
 Mouse should be close
to the keyboard and the
same height or slightly
higher
 Locate the mouse to
avoid reaching

36. Should be different for right and left handers
You should not have to twist and reach across your body
every time you answer the phone.
Many people need to spend a lot of time on the phone, and must
often do other tasks at the same time
This creates a lot of stress
for neck and shoulder muscles
Consider a head set if you spend a lot of time on the phone,
especially if you do other tasks at the same time

38. Help Yourself
• Micro-Breaks
– Every 20-40 minutes
• Exercises
– Body stretch
– Raise forearms
– Shoulder blade
squeeze/shrugs
– Eye palming
– Arm and shoulder shake
– Arm extensions
– Side bends

39. • Minibreak:
–Relax your hands
• Rest break:
–Do a different task
• Eye break:
–Look away and blink

40. Hands
•Finger extensions
Wrists
•Backwards stretch
Shoulders
•Shrug and roll
•Blade pinch
•Overhead reach

41. Neck
•Nod head
•Turn head
•Tilt head
Back/arms
•Hands behind head
•Bend forward
•Knee to chest
•Back bend

44. While working on the
computer, elbows should be:
Computer monitor
should be positioned:
While you’re typing, your
wrists should be:
Control the mouse with:
a. Extended out
b. Close to body
b. Elbow movements
b. Straight
b. To one side
a. In front of you
a. Bent up
a. Wrist movements