Questions tagged [ergonomics]

Ergonomics encompasses the things in the workplace that make you work more efficiently - from chairs and other furniture, lighting, color of the walls, and ambient ambient sounds.

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Thumb pain due to mouse usage [closed]

I am a 25 year old software engineer. I used to play online games where I made nearly 100 clicks per minute. In one such instance I felt a sharp pain in my thumb joint right below my thumbnail, and ...
Ajay Sabarish's user avatar
-5 votes
2 answers
533 views

Uncomfortable with desktop pc type setup for work, any resources for help?

I have been using a standard laptop for education/office work, since about 10 years. I have been using an external monitor, as a secondary display, since about 3 years, and find it useful. Been ...
DS R's user avatar
  • 557
-1 votes
1 answer
262 views

Is it possible to use something like stunt wire harness to reduce the stress on the back and spine? [closed]

I have lower back pain and my lumbar muscle frequently fatigue due to long time sitting. I just got this odd idea of using some kind of harness system to hoist myself up during working to reduce the ...
Ziqian Xie's user avatar
-2 votes
1 answer
386 views

Is ergonomically correct to let the backrest unlocked?

My ergonomic advisor recommended me to let the backrest of the chair unlocked, and play with the tension adjustment till I find a position in which I'm supported by the backrest. However my issue is ...
Damian Nadales's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
1k views

Office chair: use the backrest or not

I'm currently test driving and reviewing a new chair. The salesman recommended that I should not use the back support, but sit a bit to to the front and rely on my lower back muscles. This position ...
Damian Nadales's user avatar
11 votes
12 answers
3k views

What can I do to mitigate wrist/other pains, allowing me to spend as much of my week sitting at a desk as possible?

Edit - This question may (understandably) invite knee-jerk reactions, so I'd like to clarify that I'm not talking about 70 hour work weeks. I'm talking about 40 hour work weeks plus 30 hours of ...
Andrew Cheong's user avatar
9 votes
3 answers
4k views

Chair is uncomfortable, do I just have to get used to it?

Last Saturday I received a chair that is very very similar to this one (it's funny - I can't find the one I bought and this was just a few days ago). I've been sitting on it ever since and it feels ...
maria's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
291 views

Ergonomic rules for repetitive handling of wood pieces

ok, I hope to be clear in my question for my first one on this SE site. I'm trying to design a trolley divided in several compartments. Each compartment will correspond to a set of wood pieces. ...
lemon's user avatar
  • 129
5 votes
6 answers
874 views

How can I persuade my employer to give me an adjustable desk?

I work in an office setting and as a result, need to be on my computer for extended periods throughout the day. Since before I started with my current company, I've had lower back pain issues, which ...
Pyrotechnical's user avatar
66 votes
8 answers
13k views

I've decided to leave my job entirely over ergonomic reasons. How honest should I be at the exit interview?

I'm leaving because: My desk is far too high, nearly at shoulder height. I go home every day with wrist, elbow, shoulder, and back pain. I'm 30 and this has never happened before in previous offices ...
Krishna's user avatar
  • 449
2 votes
1 answer
869 views

Would a huge screen/projector be healthier for the eyes?

As a very common exercise supposed to save your eyes whilst working long term in front of a monitor is to "look twenty feet away for twenty seconds every twenty minutes" and that's apparently the ...
AlexGeorg's user avatar
  • 153
4 votes
3 answers
624 views

Reducing neck and shoulder pain while at the computer

I recently started a job in assisting my company with operations. This essentially is a software job, so I spend my 8 hours at a desk. I sustained an upper back strain before starting this position ...
Forkinator9000's user avatar
22 votes
3 answers
4k views

Office space bait and switch

I've worked at my current job for about 4 months. My previous stints are 10 years and 6 years. After my interview, I asked to walk through the office and see what it is like. Unfortunately, my now-...
Max A.'s user avatar
  • 962
-1 votes
4 answers
971 views

Is wearing a brim hat acceptable in the office setting? [closed]

Overhead lighting directly into the eyes kind of sucks. Cubicles, so cannot do much about it otherwise. I'm thinking about wearing a brimmed hat to block it. I don't work with clients, but still it's ...
levant pied's user avatar
1 vote
6 answers
2k views

How to survive in absence of keyboard tray on keyboard centric job?

I saw some scary office desks that do not have a keyboard tray and I scared because I have years of neck pain because of using trayless desk setup which makes my arms 3 inches higher than where it ...
my-lord's user avatar
  • 139
30 votes
7 answers
28k views

Should I be able to keep my company purchased standing desk when I leave my job?

I may be leaving my company soon to start a new position, and one thing I've wondered about is whether or not I will be able to keep my standing desk. The reason for my question is that it was ...
ConcernedHobbit's user avatar
15 votes
6 answers
3k views

Very dark open space office, how to protect my eyes

We recently moved to a new office and it was almost unanimously, decided to keep the lights off unless it's literally night. Unfortunately, If i turn on my lights, it will turn on the lights for ...
hilchev's user avatar
  • 261
5 votes
1 answer
310 views

Ergonomic Standing Mats - Good vs Bad?

I recently began a new position with a Sit/Stand desk setup. Initially I did not have a mat to stand on while using the standing function of the desk, so I was on hard linoleum. I found a mat in a ...
Mumford451's user avatar
23 votes
7 answers
16k views

Using audio cues to encourage good posture

My workplace encourages employees to sit in the right ergonomic position to minimize stress and fatigue related to bad posture. This is completely new to me and my previous employers have never ...
Prasanna's user avatar
  • 478
66 votes
16 answers
28k views

I'm in charge of equipment buying but no one's ever happy with what I choose. How to fix this? [closed]

I have several hats at work - I'm primarily a software developer but I also have to do Linux sysadmin, Windows sysadmin, tech support (like changing printer ink, plugging in cables for people, etc), ...
user avatar
1 vote
4 answers
760 views

How to know if an ergonomic chair I've been recommended is overpriced [closed]

I've been having pain which the consultant has said could be down to my posture, so my employer paid for an assessment to be done. The company who did the assessment recommended a new chair, but this ...
Matt's user avatar
  • 129
-4 votes
2 answers
739 views

Coworkers flashing with optical mouses lasers during work

I work in a fairly small office room with 4 other coworkers. Two of them sit in front of me facing my direction. From time to time it will happen that as they work they will slighly pick up their ...
aMJay's user avatar
  • 2,151
2 votes
2 answers
455 views

Desk setup causing back issues. What are my options? How to avoid this issue in the future?

At my work, our desks are rather high and not adjustable. I bought a chair I use at home, but the height of the desk seems to be causing back issues which have gotten much worse since the start of my ...
Daniel Paczuski Bak's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
659 views

Asking to keep (or buy) specific keyboard I use at work pending my departure

I am leaving the company I currently work for in two days. I currently use a hhkb pro 2 and really enjoy it. I inherited it from another colleague who asked for the company to purchase it for him ...
sfidf12489's user avatar
  • 1,587
5 votes
3 answers
3k views

Could working facing a wall be harmful to my eyes?

My co-workers told me that it is harmful for my eyes' health to work facing a wall (the distance between my eyes and the wall is the width of the desk). I was given a brief explanation but I'm not ...
aadcg's user avatar
  • 169
2 votes
2 answers
12k views

How to avoid placing the desk facing a wall, if a window is facing the door?

Below is a sketch of my current office room layout. The desk and the bookshelves can be moved. According to the article "Where to Put Your Desk" on What's Best Next, it is generally best to see the ...
user87320's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
339 views

Ergonomic wall arms for home office. What are my options? [closed]

I am allowed to work 1-2 days a week from home. I work with a computer 6-8 hours a day. We have one corner in a living room that I would like to transform into into my home office with a monitor, a PC ...
dzieciou's user avatar
  • 129
5 votes
9 answers
2k views

Do I need to be disabled to request my workdesk be raised

I sit 8 hours a day 5 days a week at a call center. My work desk seems low and I find I am hunched over all day long, and it is causing neck and back pain. The desks can be raised to different levels. ...
Carolynn Rickey Jaskot's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
889 views

How to convince manager for better computer accessories? [duplicate]

I work for a big publicly traded company which has a net income of several millions of dollars. After an office ergonomic evaluation, it was recommended that I be given 3-4 computer accessories (...
StingyBigCorp's user avatar
-1 votes
2 answers
976 views

Uncomfortable computer chair is killing me, is it possible to bring my own? [duplicate]

So my office has a very uncomfortable computer chair - I can't seat on it without being in pain after a couple of hours. I have a low height (156 cm), so most medium-sized chairs are uncomfortable, ...
user78920's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
1k views

Best ergonomic setup posture for people who can't touch type?

The standard for office ergonomics (screen position, keyboard position, chair height etc.) seem to be based on people who touch type. I cannot touch type - how should I organize my workplace?
Willemien's user avatar
  • 145
2 votes
3 answers
998 views

Should one feel unprofessional for using an eye-saver app that gives popup reminders to rest my eyes at work? [closed]

Does it feel unprofessional to use an eye saver app (to remind you to rest your eyes) or browser extension at work? It recommends to close your eyes for a while and watch further for relieving ...
Bor's user avatar
  • 680
36 votes
6 answers
14k views

Desk is hurting my wrists. What are my options?

I recently changed jobs, and am now working as a postdoc in Belgium at a major university. The desks in our department are not adjustable, and they are too high for me (75 cm). Furthermore, the ...
Jannis Teunissen's user avatar
2 votes
5 answers
3k views

Options for an employee with shoulder surgery [closed]

We have an employee that has recently had shoulder surgery. All of our workstations are all desktop PC's, no laptops, tablets, etc... By the end of the day, this employee has a lot of discomfort in ...
C-dizzle's user avatar
  • 137
1 vote
1 answer
5k views

Programming hurts my right pinky. How do I improve my typing to reduce strain on it? [closed]

I've noticed recently that when I program for periods of time, my right pinky starts to hurt a little. I think it has to do with the frequent need to use arrow keys for autocompletion and navigating ...
ThinkBonobo's user avatar
15 votes
2 answers
2k views

Do computer glasses reduce eye strain?

I work at a computer for 8 hours a day, with a 30 minute break. There are fluorescent white lights and white walls. My eyes sometimes feel dry, hurt and tired. I've changed the brightness and gamma (...
user20150725's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
734 views

Places to look for office chairs made for shorter people

I am 5'4" and find that all of the office chairs at my office are uncomfortable because of my height. My main issue is this: My back can't rest against the back of the chair with the inside of my ...
camiblanch's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
987 views

Mouse/keyboard ergonomics for a very tall person

I'm fresh out of college and recently started my first full-time job as a software programmer. I started to get some wrist pain, which is somewhat normal (though not good, obviously), so I'm taking ...
vaindil's user avatar
  • 143
12 votes
8 answers
4k views

Should I give up my window seat to my more senior , experienced colleague?

Well, An awkward situation at work. We moved into a new office, and I was lucky enough to get a window seat . The first day, the manager just told us to pick our own seats. So I went ahead found a ...
Caffeinated's user avatar
  • 7,251
2 votes
6 answers
2k views

Sitting for long periods of time hurts my lower back. What can I do? [closed]

I like my job as a programmer but I heard all about the permanent damage that sitting can cause on the lower back. Right now my lower back is annoying me and I cannot focus on my job­. Some days it is ...
user3453281's user avatar
-3 votes
2 answers
626 views

Can my office manager force me to lower my desk to sitting height at work? [closed]

I've been standing at my desk while I work. I have my monitors propped up on (admittedly silly looking) boxes and my keyboard and mouse too--bringing them to standing height. My office manager (note, ...
Jay's user avatar
  • 1
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

Does using a laptop riser help make workplace more ergonomic? [closed]

I use a laptop (a 13-inch Macbook Pro) for my daily programming work. I've faced some back problems in the past, which I currently address through stretching exercises (via yoga). Is there a way to ...
boddhisattva's user avatar
5 votes
4 answers
829 views

Should I bite the bullet and get a standing desk? [closed]

I believe in the benefits of a standing desk, namely, that it's better for you. On a couple occasions I tried sitting on an inflatable ball, but somehow getting the right size and inflation became off-...
user avatar
0 votes
4 answers
1k views

What is the best position to keep monitor?

The programs work on monitors day in and day out for near untraceable period to time. What is the best position to keep the monitor?
nitesh.kodle123's user avatar
25 votes
8 answers
37k views

Shared Fluorescent Light Problem

Our office is primarily lit by very intense, very annoying fluorescent lights, and I find that they give me a headache if I sit under them for too long. My resolution for this is to get a lamp with a ...
Zibbobz's user avatar
  • 10.3k
5 votes
2 answers
19k views

Should we turn on or turn off the lights while working? [duplicate]

I get used to work at home in complete darkness, regardless of whether I'm currently gazing at 27' monitor or looking into 13' notebook screen. Recently a friend of mine has told that this is quite ...
shabunc's user avatar
  • 2,326
5 votes
3 answers
4k views

Evidence to convince management the sitting/standing desk is worth the investment? [duplicate]

This question is specifically speaking to the sitting/standing desk movement. This movement has become very popular in the last decade, now that the majority of careers center on computers... and ...
Greg McNulty's user avatar
  • 3,320
6 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why do companies disregard investing in productivity equipment? [closed]

Why do most companies have no special policies for improving productivity on their workplaces, especially in terms of ergonomics? Such improvements are fairly measurable and the return of investment ...
drabsv's user avatar
  • 343
3 votes
3 answers
2k views

How do I prevent myself from leaning too close to the monitor? [closed]

Sometimes I get too excited about something I'm doing with my computer and I tend to lean closer and closer to the monitor, though it becomes harder to read and my neck starts hurting. Usually I snap ...
user1306322's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
972 views

Chair and Laptop prediciment [duplicate]

I have recently started a new job in which I have been using my own laptop. I have also been given what seems to be a broken chair in that there is no support on the back. When you lean back on it it ...
Alec.'s user avatar
  • 1,049