How to Have Correct Ergonomic Posture When Seated at a Computer

office chair

Although the human body is a wonderful creation, it was not designed to work at a computer in the way that many people do today. Increases in technology have resulted in much of the world spending a significant portion of each day sitting at a computer. To avoid undue stress on your body, follow these tips to ensure that you are sitting correctly behind a computer.

Things You'll Need

• Ergonomic office chair

Instructions

1. Invest in an ergonomic chair. Ergonomic office chairs have adjustable features such as tilt, recline, arm rest positioning and lumbar support that are essential to have good posture while working at a computer.

2. Choose a chair that has a high enough back to support your shoulder blades. Adjust the lumbar support to be slightly below your waist line and lean back. Momma might have told you to sit up straight, but that is not the correct posture behind a desk. Your back should make somewhere between a 100-130 degree angle with the floor in order to take pressure off of your pelvis.

3. Adjust the height of the chair so that your feet touch the floor, but are not completely flat. The best position for your feet to be in is actually no position. They need to be free to move around. You can use a foot rest some of the time, but do not cross your ankles. This is very poor ergonomics!

4. To use the arm rests correctly, position them at the height of your elbow when your arms are hanging loosely from your shoulders. The angle of the armrests should either be parallel to the floor or sloping down.

5. One of the best ergonomic tips is to take small, frequent breaks throughout the work day. Most experts recommend a 10 minute break for every hour of work. Get up, walk around, stretch, and resume your work in a slightly different position than you were in before.