The positioning of your mouse and keyboard aren't the only things important in combatting repetitive stress injuries. Your monitor plays a role too. I used to work at the front desk of a hotel and the computer monitors there were embedded into the front desks's counter. It was horrible. I had to bend my head to look down at it all day, straining my neck muscles in the process. And because I spent so much time on the computer at home, the problem only worsened. My neck and shoulders were constantly tense.
Ideally, when you are in a comfortable sitting position, your eyes need to be level with the upper third of your monitor. You can accomplish this by either adjusting the height of your chair or adjusting the height of the monitor. Office supply stores carry various fancy monitor stands, but plenty of low-budget solutions will work too. For years I had the city phone book and a full Staples catalog stacked under my monitor. There are also surge protectors designed to double as monitor stands.
Neck strain will lead to headaches due to the constant tenseness. Taking a few easy steps to put your monitor at the correct height is an easy way to avoid this. Sometimes a simple change is all you need.
2 comments:
I have to hold my hand up to being terrible when it comes to screen height/neck positioning. Something I guess I should be more weary of!
I tend to use my laptop whilst lounging on the sofa, doesn't exactly scream great posture does it?
True 60 and Counting, if you wear bifocals, the height of the monitor needs to be a little lower.
Exquisite Chick, yeah laptops are difficult to get ergonomic positioning for. Some of my coworkers who spend several hours on them have a separate monitor hooked up to avoid injury.
KG, why so far away? I believe it needs to be half that distance, ideally. A bigger screen would help if it has to be that far.
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