5 Must-Have Essentials to Create the Perfect Ergonomic Workspace

If you have a desk job, you know how those hours add up and can result in nagging pain in different parts of your body. Even though sitting in front of a screen may not seem like a workplace “danger” at the beginning, over time, it can lead to discomfort and injuries.

Some common complaints that arise from sitting at desks include ache in the back and shoulders, neck pain, lower back pain, as well as headaches from eye strain. For this reason, it’s highly recommended to consider an ergonomic design for your workspace. Apart from providing health benefits, ergonomic furniture may boost your productivity in many ways. Let’s check in detail some ergonomic essentials that you might want to consider for your office.

Sit-Stand Desk

A sit-stand desk is also known as a standing desk, stand-up desk, and height-adjustable desk. Its name suggests that this desk allows you to stand up comfortably while working. It allows you to change the height of the desk and alternate between sitting and standing.

Using a sit-stand desk can have impressive health benefits. One benefit is lowering the risk of weight gain and obesity. The ultimate cause for weight gain is consuming more calories than you burn. Standing instead of sitting has shown to burn more calories.

A standing desk also reduces back pain and this is certainly one of the most common complaints of workers who sit all day. This desk will significantly reduce upper back and neck pain and help you focus better on the tasks at hand.

You will also notice an improvement in your mood and energy levels. In fact, a standing desk will have a positive influence on your overall well-being.

Ergonomic Keyboard

If you have a computer job, you know how frequently you use your keyboard is used. Therefore, your keyboard has to be comfortable to work on. When looking for practical and high-quality keyboard ergonomics should be your first criteria. Ergonomic keyboards are designed to fit you, rather than you having to adjust to the keyboard. These pieces are usually designed to fit different body types, as opposed to standard keyboards. When using a standard keyboard for only 20 minutes a day, you are risking an injury, as you are turning your wrists inward to fit a flat keyboard.

Wondering what is the difference between a standard keyboard and an ergonomic keyboard? Ergo keyboards are designed with different layouts and their keys are places in more strategic locations. They are meant for two-handed typists, i.e. they have a V shape. Another model is a split keyboard. Both these designs allow the left and right hand to type at a more natural angle, and are designed to adjust both your body and your typing style.

When talking about practical keyboard ergonomics offer many benefits. The first and most obvious benefit is the wrist support and comfort. With ergo keyboards you have more space for your wrists and forearms to operate in while typing, and this is very important to stay comfortable. This way, you will make less effort while typing as your fingers are positioned closer to the keys.

Ergonomic keyboards also reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome happens due to the pinching of a nerve in your wrist. This is a pretty uncomfortable condition that can cause numbness in your fingers or your entire hand. These keyboards help you position your wrists and forearms naturally, thus also reducing the strain put on your hands and mitigate the risk of this syndrome.

As you will be typing in a natural and relaxed way, these keyboards will also help you increase your typing speed. Once you get used to this type of keyboard, you will certainly type with ease.

Ergonomic Vertical Mouse

If you feel like your current mouse is causing you too much pain, it’s high time to replace it with a practical and easy-to-use ergonomic vertical mouse. While the standard desk mouse is crafted in a one-size-fits-all design, the ergonomic mouse is designed to adjust to your natural position and takes the strain off of your hands.

One of the main benefits of using an ergonomic vertical mouse is the comfort it provides. This mouse prevents stress injuries from repeated non-natural movements and there’s no pronation of the forearm. Your shoulders are also naturally rotated externally. This is a neutral position for most people’s arms and hands at rest, therefore the most comfortable position. It is also known as a handshake position.

This type of desk mouse also reduces the risk of mouse arm syndrome. Wondering what is mouse arm syndrome? Mouse arm syndrome is a term that refers to a few different types of injuries that cause pain in the arms, shoulders, neck, and hands – all caused by repeated mouse use. When working with a vertical ergonomic mouse, however, that inflammation is significantly reduced. There is no more holding your fingers, wrists, arm, shoulder, and elbow in a cramped position.

Another benefit of choosing an ergonomic mouse is preventing carpal tunnel. When using a standard mouse for a longer period, your arm stays twisted, thus putting tension on your wrist and other joints. After a while, that repetition may cause carpal tunnel syndrome or RSI (repetitive strain injury). Both these conditions cause pain in the hands, forearms, elbows, wrists, neck or shoulders. However, the ergonomic mouse eases existing wrist pain as it reduces the range of motion necessary for the operation and allows you to naturally extend your arm and hand.

Ergonomic Chair

You will certainly feel the benefits if you choose an office chair that supports your spinal curves. If you sit on a basic office chair, you probably feel a host of issues after extended use, including lower back, shoulder, neck, and eye strain. An ergonomic chair, however, adjusts to your height, weight, and movements, thus providing comfort and boosts productivity.

You can adjust its armrests so that your arms can gently rest on them. Also, by adjusting the height of your chair, your feet can rest on the floor or on a footrest and your thighs will be parallel to the floor. Choosing an ergonomic draft chair when you want to introduce ergonomics to your workplaces also a great idea.

Ergonomic Back Pillows

A great addition to an ergonomic desk chair would be an ergonomic back pillow. Even the best desk chair needs some additional support for prolonged periods of sitting. It’s highly recommended to look for some orthopedic seat cushions that are easy to strap onto any desk chair, but also cushions that are adjustable based on your areas of need.