Healthy Computing: Working Postures

When working in an office, we usually accept the ergonomic situation as it
is. We often adapt our bodies to the environment and thereby create
dysfunctional working postures. Decrease your risk and enhance your
health when you check and then change your working postures.

How to Check Your Working Postures

Use the following checklist, Working Postures*. To any question that you
answered with NO, explore strategies to reduce the risk of injury.

The workstation is designed or arranged for doing computer tasks so it allows
your

1. Head and neck to be upright, or in-line with the torso (not bent
   down/back).

2. Head, neck, and trunk to face forward (not twisted).
3. Trunk to be perpendicular to floor (may lean back into backrest but not
   forward).

4. Shoulders and upper arms to be in-line with the torso, generally about
   perpendicular to the floor and relaxed (not elevated or stretched
   forward).

5. Upper arms and elbows to be close to the body (not extended outward).
6. Forearms, wrists, and hands to be straight and in-line (forearm at
   about 90 degrees to the upper arm).

7. Wrists and hands to be straight (not bent up/down or sideways toward
   the little finger).

8. Thighs to be parallel to the floor and the lower legs to be
   perpendicular to floor (thighs may be slightly elevated above knees).

9. Feet rest flat on the floor or are supported by a stable footrest.

* from Computer Workstation Check List developed by OSHA. For more detail

Copyright 2003 Erik Peper, Ph.D. and Katherine Hughes Gibney
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