DEV Community

Cover image for Creating an Ergonomic Workspace

Creating an Ergonomic Workspace

Kim Arnett  on July 12, 2017

Once Upon A Time... In high school, I fell head-first off of a jumping horse. My helmet, (arguably gave me more damage by digging into t...
Collapse
 
kaydacode profile image
Kim Arnett 

Additional Resource: Thought this article was pretty slick - Ergonomic Office Furniture for Your Body Type

Collapse
 
damcosset profile image
Damien Cosset

Does working standing up always better than sitting down? I did a little standing desk with some shoeboxes some time ago to try it out. It was obviously awful but in the long term, is it worth investing in a good standing desk? Is it easier on your back? I'm not aware of what the science says on this.

Collapse
 
mdabek profile image
Marek Dabek

Better option is to differentiate between standing and sitting (with legs up). Pure standing speeds up vascular veins development.

Treadmill desks would be a nice option if the price was reasonable (can be workarounded with some DIY skills;).

Regarding standing desk, check the Kelly Starrett's book "Deskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World" - it gives nice overview of how to maintain your body.

Collapse
 
kaydacode profile image
Kim Arnett 

As far as I know - standing desks help you burn more calories, which is why they're encouraged as an alternative to standing all day.

In my opinion and experience, I enjoyed it every now and then as a way to get away from my desk. As Ben mentioned above, some people enjoy changing their workspaces so their body isn't in the same position constantly. Experiment with it and find what works best for you. I've seen people use cheap Walmart/IKEA end tables on top of their desk to make a standing desk too. Obviously there's more expensive options, but unless you're using it full time probably doesn't make sense to invest in one.

Collapse
 
gregorybodnar profile image
Greg Bodnar

My understanding is that always doing one thing is problematic. I have a low desk, only suitable for sitting, but I get up often and generally maintain an active lifestyle. When I'm doing activities that require standing more-or-less still, such as washing dishes, I find I lean to one side, which is poor posture as well. One of the people at work regularly changes the height of his desk. That's probably a good way to go. Get a standing desk that allows easy height adjustment.

Collapse
 
mdabek profile image
Marek Dabek

I see much talking less walking in the office ergonomic. Unfortunately, the desk setup is not enough for staying healthy. Our bodies are designed for movement and standing desks are only partial solution.

Back pains in lumbar part of the spine are often result of prolonged sitting, weak core muscles, and lack of flexibility (especially in the postural muscles). Numbing of fingers can be direct effect of pulling head forward.

I had severe issue with my lumbar part of the back (sciatica), but managed to get rid of it, mostly by trying to stay active. Turned out that no surgery was required.

My recommendation is to find good physiotherapist, who can assess what we need to work on and start immediately. It will save some serious trouble later. Additionally, find a sport or physical activity which you can try to build a passion about, and do it. In my case I can say, that judo saved my life.

And remember to stretch or roll on the foam rollers - this is lifesaver.

Collapse
 
kaydacode profile image
Kim Arnett 

Movement is definitely necessary for a healthier lifestyle, these are just some tips to help others find a workspace that works for them.

Collapse
 
ben profile image
Ben Halpern • Edited

@jess does all her typing on an external ergonomic keyboard that sits on her lap and when I started getting some issues, she recommended I do the same, but I kind of find that disruptive to my ability to pick up and go with my computer set up as easily as I'd like. If I go fully native with my laptop, I get to have the same experience, more or less, wherever I'm sitting. I probably do 50% of my coding at my main office desk and the rest is spread between home, random other places, and other spots in the office.

Not sure what I'm trying to say, but maybe I wouldn't be concerned about this fickle problem if I ever got really bad carpal tunnel.

Collapse
 
kaydacode profile image
Kim Arnett 

It definitely helps mixing up your work environment! My problem started when I was sitting in the same position for 50 hours per week 😰

That sounds like a great keyboard, definitely would be something to get used to, not using a desk. Neat!

Collapse
 
xiaohuoni profile image
xiaohuoni

thank you for share

Collapse
 
rdkleine profile image
Ralf de Kleine

Read this for more in depth information about ergonomic workplaces. safety.uwa.edu.au/topics/physical/...

Collapse
 
austindenz412 profile image
austindenz412

Awesome thanks for sharing this Flat Guide with us.