| CHECK |
RECOMMENDED
ACTIONS |
| Keyboard |
| Elbows
at 90°-110° |
Raise
chair or use keyboard tray. |
| Keep
forearms, wrists and hands straight when keyboarding |
Use
wrist rest or keyboard tray placed directly in front of
you. Lower, raise or change slope of keyboard. Consider
split keyboard. |
| No
hard or sharp edges at wrists, elbows or forearms |
Use
wrist rest or pad desk edge with foam or towel |
| Keep
upper arms and elbows close to the body |
Lower
work surface
Lower armrests
Bring chair armrests in closer |
| Keep
shoulders relaxed |
Lower
work surface or keyboard
Lower chair armrests
Raise chair if feet can still be supported |
| Keep
knuckles and fingers relaxed and avoid hitting the keyboard
with excessive force |
Habit
training
Light touch key-board |
| Avoid
frequent or prolonged reaching |
Keyboard,
mouse, phone and documents should be within easy reach |
| Mouse
Use |
| Gripping
the mouse creates tension |
Hold
the mouse loosely |
| Avoid
resting your wrist or forearm on the table when moving the
mouse |
Use
a mouse pad
Habit training |
| Use
your whole arm and shoulder to move the mouse, not just
the wrist |
Habit
training |
| Keep
your wrist in a straight position. |
A
mouse pad will help to support your wrists and keep them
straight |
| Avoid
reaching for the mouse |
The
mouse should be located next to keyboard so it can be operated
without reaching |
| The
mouse should be easy to activate and shape/size fits hand |
A
mouse pad should allow the mouse to float friction- free
over it |
| Avoid
prolonged mouse use |
Greater
work variety. Frequent breaks. Alternate Hands. Learn keystrokes
to substitute for mouse. |
| Chair |
| Knees
at 90°-110° |
Raise
or lower your chair. If you are unable to raise it, use
a small cushion. If you are unable to lower it, place a
small pad under work or keyboard. |
| Lumbar
curve supported |
Adjust
height of back of chair or use a small cushion or rolled
up towel to support lower back |
| Back
contact maintained |
Sit
right back in chair. Tilt back slightly forward or use a
small cushion or obus forme. |
| Keep
feet supported to decrease pressure on thighs and lower
back. |
Use
a footstool, binder or small box. If chair is too low, raise
it and your work surface or keyboard. |
| Seat
front does not press against back of knees |
Adjust
seat pan depth if possible. Add firm back support to move
your seat positioning forward. |
| Thighs
have clearance space between the chair and the keyboard |
Raise
keyboard |
| Ears
in line with shoulders. |
|
| Keep
shoulders and forearms relaxed |
Armrest
provides support to forearms and Decreases shoulder tension |
| Head,
neck and trunk face forward |
Rearrange
work space to avoid twisting
Use a swivel chair |
| Trunk
perpendicular with the floor |
Sit
right back in chair. Maintain contact with the back of your
chair. Avoid leaning forward in your seat. |
| Monitor/Document
Holder |
| Monitor
at arm's length from eyes. |
Reposition
monitor. Use monitor arm if needed. |
| Avoid
twisting neck from side to side |
Keep
monitor positioned directly in front of you |
| Avoid
sustained neck flexion or extension |
Raise
or lower monitor or document holder.Use slant board when
writing to elevate work |
| Top
of screen level with forehead |
Reposition
monitor. Use a small box, monitor stand or old book if monitor
too low. |
| Keep
documents at same level and distance as monitor |
Use
a document holder to prevent you from straining your neck |
| No
glare on screen from lights or windows. May cause you to
assume an awkward position. |
Reposition
computer so light enters from side angle. Close the blinds,
use task lighting instead of overhead lighting. Use an anti-glare
screen. |
| Phone |
| Keep
shoulders relaxed and head upright. Avoid prolonged periods
of elbow flexion. |
A
telephone headset will help to keep your head upright and
your body straight. Alternate hands. |
| Work
Pace |
| Frequent
breaks used |
Use
1 minute micro-breaks throughout the day every 20 minutes
and a 5 minute break every hour. |
|
Stretches
done regularly
|
|
| Vary
work tasks to avoid making the same movements and using
the same muscles for prolonged periods of time |
Seek
opportunities to change positions or tasks. Do a different
task for five minutes of every hour. Place the phone away
from your computer desk to encourage you to alternate your
positioning. Use a timer to remind you to take a break or
change your position or task. |
Arthritis
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