5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying Ergonomic Equipment
I’ve got bad news…
Not everything that’s labeled “ergonomic” is good for you.
In fact, some things that are labeled “ergonomic” don’t even make much sense. Ergonomics is a field with high interest from employees and employers, and unfortunately, that makes “ergonomic” a buzzword that is used by a lot of companies as part of a sales-pitch. Searching online for the word “ergonomic” brings up many items that we’d never recommend, and some that might actually be detrimental to you.
What can you do? Always keep the basic principles of ergonomics in mind when you are shopping for an ergonomic product. And ask yourself these five important questions:
Q. Will I have to concentrate on my posture while using this item?
A. The answer should be “Not much.” Good ergo items promote good posture. Sometimes, you’ll have to concentrate a bit as you break some long-term habits, but after a while, you’ll be able to maintain that good posture with minimal effort.
Q. Is this item a good fit for my body, or will this item adjust to fit my body?
A. The answer to one (or both) of these should be “Yes.” The item should either already be a good fit for your body, or it should adjust to fit. This is one reason that chairs in offices tend to have so many knobs and levers; all that adjustability makes it more likely that the chair can be adjusted to fit a wide range of employees.
Q. Does this item challenge my balance or otherwise affect my safety?
A. The answer should be a resounding “No.” Safety and ergonomics are highly interrelated. If your safety is adversely affected, then the item isn’t ergonomic at all. Ergonomic furniture should be supportive, sturdy, and allow you to maintain a safe and neutral posture.
Q. Will this item adversely affect the rest of my ergonomic setup?
A. The answer should be “No.” It’s never a good idea to solve one issue by creating a new one. If that new item is going to throw off everything else, then keep shopping. For example, if you really like the fit of a certain keyboard, but it is huge and puts your mouse far away from your body, you could be creating an issue for your mousing arm. A better fit might be a similarly-shaped keyboard without an attached number pad, a “mouse-friendly” keyboard with the number pad on the left, or even just a smaller version of the keyboard that you’d originally picked.
Q. Does this item encourage an upright, supported posture that incorporates all of the ergo rules of thumb?
A. The answer should be “Yes.” Again, if an item solves one issue but creates another, then it’s not a good solution. Anything that you add to your setup (or replace in your setup) should allow you to work in a neutral posture. Otherwise, we’re potentially adding risk factors - such as awkward posture and contact stress – that can lead to discomfort and even work injuries.
And remember, we’re here to help. It’s what we do. If that item you were considering didn’t pass the “5 Questions” test, or you just don’t know what you need (or if you even need anything!), start with us before you start shopping.