Ergonomic Definition

The ergonomic definition is one that may vary depending on which dictionary you use but in general ergonomics relates to the human body and how the home and workspace can be configured for maximum comfort and productivity. Also ergonomics focuses on healthy work habits and proper posture. The key is to keep the worker productive and comfortable while providing the support they need for the body. Desk jobs can be more hazardous to your health than you may know.

For example, by keyboarding in a seated position in an unsupportive chair or with poor posture, you may experience back pain. Sitting puts extra pressure on the invertebral discs, which are the spongy discs in between the vertebrae. Too much pressure on this area can lead to back pain and even debilitating back problems that keep you from working without pain. Luckily today's ergonomic chairs are made with lumbar support and adjustable height and arm rests for maximum comfort and back health.

When typing you should also watch your fingers, hands and wrists. Fingers should be in home keying position. Wrists should be straight and hover above the wrist pad instead of resting on it while typing. The wrist pad, often made from gel or foam, is meant for breaks in between typing. Also when using your keyboard elbows should be kept straight rather than sticking out to the sides. Keep your back straight, shoulders dropped rather than hunched, and monitor at eye level. This prevents you from bending your neck to an unnatural angle to see the screen.

Many of today's workplaces are following the ergonomic definition for creating a safe and healthy work area for employees. This issue is so important it has even been addressed by the CDC. Whether you work in an office with other employees or work at home in your own personal office an ergonomic setup is a must. Another thing you should be doing is taking breaks as often as possible, if for only a minute or two to stand and stretch or walk in place. Getting sufficient exercise throughout the week can also help you stretch and strengthen the body while improving circulation. This in turn can actually minimize workplace strain especially when ergonomic guidelines are followed.

Computer Ergonomics

Ergonomic News:

Evoque stirs emotions with stylish classic look - Brantford Expositor

Evoque stirs emotions with stylish classic look
Brantford Expositor
There has always been something I haven't liked about Range Rovers--whether it's the driving position, cabin ergonomics or looks -- and I've always been wary of Land Rover products because they continuously rate at or near the bottom of reliability .

and more »

Ergoweb's Peter Budnick to Participate in Current Trends in Ergonomics Webinar
Get a free preview of the valuable content that will be available at the upcoming Applied Ergonomics Conference! On Jan. 13, two of the conference's featured speakers EUR Bill Boyd of CNA and Peter Budnick of Ergoweb EUR will present a free webinar called "Current Trends in Ergonomics."..

Are tablet ergonomics a pain in the neck? | NewsHub
The Harvard study is among the first to look at the ergonomics of using a tablet, and its scope is necessarily limited: It only examines the effects of tablet use on the head, neck, and shoulders while seated in a relatively deep ...

Market Wire - Evans Expands European ATC Operations
January 17, 2012 -- Evans Consoles is pleased to announce the expansion of its ATC business with the appointment of Glyn Arthur as Director ATC, Europe. Glyn, a 20...

Best of Ergoweb 2011
At the close of each year we like to review the previous year's web site statistics to learn what topics were most viewed. I hesitate to use the word "best" when describing the content, because I'm not sure some of the Ergonomics Today„¢ articles and Ergoweb Forum discussions/collaborations you see listed below represent our best work and collaborations, but they are the most "popular," or at ...

New wheelchair seat gets users to regularly change their position - Gizmag

Medgadget.com

New wheelchair seat gets users to regularly change their position
Gizmag
Now, the Swiss research group Empa is working with the ergonomics company r going, to develop a new type of wheelchair seat that periodically causes users to change the way they're sitting. The prototype seat has an articulated backrest, .
Improved Ergonomics for Wheelchair UsersScience Daily (press release)
Wheelchair seat prototype features shifting pressure points to avoid bedsoresUbergizmo

all 8 news articles »

How to Keep Your 2012 Calendar from Hurting You - Gilroy Dispatch

How to Keep Your 2012 Calendar from Hurting You
Gilroy Dispatch
Nancy M. Lowe is the owner and Chief Ergonomist of Pacific Coast Ergonomics, a local ergonomics consulting firm. As a Certified Ergonomist, Registered Physical Therapist and Certified Hand Therapist, she has been treating and preventing injuries in the .

and more »

Not all workplace injuries on Marine Corps Base Quantico are traumatic, and their causes arent always obvious to the untrained eye. An improperly placed keyboard can result in wrist problems. A computer monitor situated too near or too far ...

Eveything you Need to know about iPad
The iPad is an incredibly popular gadget, selling more than 15 million last quarter. It turns out that the millions of iPads in our hands can put a strain on our shoulders, necks and backs EUR” in addition to your wallet. In a recent study by ...

Ergonomics in Design special issue on driver distraction now online
( Human Factors and Ergonomics Society ) The October special issue of Ergonomics in Design: The Quarterly of Human Factors Applications featuring research on the science and technology of driver distraction is available online...

Improved ergonomics for wheelchair users
( Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) ) Empa engineers, together with the firm 'r going', have succeeded in developing an ergonomic seat for electric wheelchairs which encourages the user to move around frequently. True to the motto 'life is movement' the aim is to enhance the freedom of movement of wheelchair users with a range of disabilities...

Login to Ergoweb
The article you selected requires a paid subscription to The Ergonomics Report. To access the selected article you will need to purchase a subscription to The Ergonomics Report where in-depth ergonomics articles are published...

A Safe Place to Learn
Follow us to get the latest developments and updates from Ergoweb...

How to Safely Use an iPad (and other Apple Products)
Apple has an entire section of its website dedicated to..

The New Science of Collaborative Workspaces
Drawing by Steven JohnsonRollabout desks and continuous cubicle walls are just a part of the new science of office ergonomics:Being a part of group is awesome (go team!) but so is individual effort. The ...

Why using a tablet could harm your health
..

Are tablet ergonomics a pain in the neck?
Now that tablet devices like the Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, and Amazon Kindle Fire are becoming commonplace in everyday society, researchers have started examining some of the possible ergonomic impacts of these devices. After all, almost every other technological gizmo and device that has become ubiquitous in society seems to have an impact on our bodies, from desktop computer users ...

Spring Fever: Sprucing Up Your Workplace
By Winifred TanChinese custom decrees that the arrival of the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, marks a brand new start. Preparations must be made to welcome a prosperous year ahead and to send the old and bad away. This is when many of us embark on our annual spring-cleaning exercise for our homes and offices. Beyond clearing the accumulated paper trails and dust bunnies, spring-cleaning ...

Natural
TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Furniture manufacturer, Natural..

Computer Ergonomics

Technorati Tags: Ergonomics, Ergonomic Solutions, Ergonomic Definition