How to set up your workstation

The start of a new year means we’re all back on the tools. And we’re not talking literally about tradies and their tools, but metaphorically about the common office worker and their desk, chair and computer setup; the retail worker and their footwear and station post (think stool or lack thereof at a counter scenario); the truck driver and their driver’s seat; the hospitality worker or hairdresser who are constantly holding (sometimes really heavy and awkward) weight out in front of their bodies. Regardless of who you are and what you do, there are common ergonomic applications we can apply to you and your ‘tools’.

Office worker:

• Chair

• Hips, knees and ankles should be at 90 degrees

• Hips may be at greater than 90 degrees (so the thighs are parallel to the floor or on a downward slope)

• Your bum should be sitting in the crevice of the chair so your back is supported by the back of the chair

• The arms of the chair (which is preferable to have) should be able to just fit under the height of the desk, with your forearms being able to rest gently on them

• Your feet need to rest flat on the ground – if not, place a foot rest or stack of books under your feet to allow this to happen

Desk / computer / keyboard / mouse:

• Working at a desktop computer, rather than a laptop, is preferable

• The top of the computer screen should roughly sit at eye level

• The keyboard should be within an easy arm’s reach

• The mouse and keyboard should be sitting so there is no kink within either wrist

Check out these awesome resources from Corporate Work Health Australia. Be sure to refer to this to help you set up your office.

Tradies and their tool belts:

• The weight of the tool belt should be evenly distributed as much as possible, around the belt itself

• Ensure the belt is fastened tightly enough around the waist so it is not ‘hanging’ down off your body

• Having a hanging belt will place a significant amount of pressure through the lower back creating pain, tightness and stiffness through that same area

• Suspenders can be a really good option to ensure the weight is evenly distributed across the torso rather than just across the lumbar spine

People standing on their feet for long hours eg hospitality, hospital staff (nurses / doctors), retail etc:

• Wearing supportive footwear is vital

• Avoid shoes that lack cushioning or those that have too much RIGID support

• If you are on your feet all day it may be a good idea to seek professional advice about what shoes will specifically be suitable for you

• You may even need some specific inner soles which will help your weaknesses and play on your strengths - we love the team at Pro Feet Podiatry for professional orthotic advice.

• For standard, yet podiatrist endorsed footwear, check out Bared Footwear. They’re all about the looks, but so much about the function.

Hospitality staff, hairdressers, tradies and deli workers:

Problems begin to arise when weight needs to be held out in front of the body – think holding out a hairdryer in front of you, drilling whilst applying downward pressure, holding plates out in front. This is an unavoidable task in some scenarios. Best practice includes:

• Minimize the weight if possible – eg. Hospitality - make multiple trips rather than carrying it out all at once

• Try to carry the weight as close to your body as possible – the further out the weight is from your body, the more strain that gets put through the structures of the spine including ribs, spinal joints, discs, muscles etc this could apply to hairdressers, hospitality staff, tradies

• If you have to have weight out in front of you whilst applying pressure or force (think tradies drilling or hairdressers drying hair), do your best to get your weight on top of the tool. This will mean the weight is close to your body, and your body weight is behind the force, rather than having to use muscular force from your arms and/or torso.

Get in contact with us if you have any questions about how you could alter the ergonomics around the activities you do for work. Sometimes a simple tweak can make a HUGE amount of difference. For an appointment book online by clicking below, or call the clinic on (03) 9052 4220.