When you buy ergonomic products, you want high-quality items that will help prevent musculoskeletal injuries, are built to last, and fit your budget. Improving workplace ergonomics can help you improve your posture, which can reduce fatigue, stiffness, and soreness. You can give your entire workstation an ergonomic makeover with just a few products.
But first, you’ll need a measuring tape. Take down the measurements for:
- Eye height while sitting and standing. The center of your computer monitor should be at eye height, no matter whether you choose to work sitting or standing.
- Elbow height while sitting and standing. This is the height you’ll want your keyboard and mouse, for both standing and sitting positions.
- The dimensions of your current desk. Whether you’ll be replacing your desk with one of many available ergonomic standing desks or using a standing desk conversion that sits on top of your existing work surface, you’ll need to know what fits in your area.
- The height of your current desk. If you’ll be using a standing desk conversion, you’ll want to know how tall your desk is, so you can be certain the conversion you buy will adjust to the heights you need.
Once you’ve got your measurements ready, it’s time to research and shop.
Ergonomic Standing Desks
Having the option to stand while working can help you increase your physical activity during the day, which burns more calories than sitting. Additionally, alternating between standing and sitting while you work can help you maintain better posture. An adjustable desk can help you achieve better ergonomics while you work.
When you buy ergonomic products like a height adjustable desk or a standing desk conversion, you want to be sure you can raise and lower the height to match the measurements you took earlier. A new standing desk will need to fit in the space you have, and a height adjustable standing desk conversion will need to fit on the existing work surface. You’ll want your computer monitor at eye height, as we recommended earlier.
Adjustable Keyboard Tray
Raising your monitor to eye level is only part of the ergonomic workstation story. When your keyboard is positioned too high, too low, or too far away, you may be straining muscles in your head, neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, and hands.
To keep your arms, hands, and wrists in the optimum posture for typing, you need your keyboard to be at elbow level. Your arms should be bent at about a 90-degree angle, and your wrists should remain as straight as possible. For the most ergonomic wrist position, the top of your keyboard should be tilted downwards.
To achieve this position, you’ll need an adjustable keyboard tray. A good keyboard tray should have a separate mousing platform so that your mouse remains level while your keyboard is tilted to the best wrist position. Additionally, a keyboard tray will help you position your keyboard and mouse at the right height whether you’re standing or sitting.