Positioning Yourself at Your Desk

Resources
Repetitive Strain Injury: A Computer User’s Guide. Pascarelli, Emil M.D., John Wiley and Sons, 1994.

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety website: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/sitting/sitting_position.html

First, make sure your workstation is set up correctly. Here’s a checklist.

1.    Your chair and keyboard should be set so that the thighs and forearms are parallel to the floor.
2.    The keyboard height should ensure that the wrists are straight and level.
3.    The keyboard should be close enough that you don’t have to stretch forward to reach the keys.
4.    The mouse should be close to the keyboard where you don’t have to reach to use it.

Now check your body position.

1.    Keep your hip, knee, and ankle joints open slightly (90 degrees or more).
2.    Keep your head aligned with your spine.
3.    Keep your upper arms close to your sides, hanging straight down.
4.    When typing, your wrists should be relaxed, not be bent up, down, or to the sides.

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*** Massage should not be considered as a replacement for professional medical treatment: a physician should be consulted in all matters relating to health and especially in relation to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. In some cases, a primary physician’s approval/prescription is required before any bodywork is administered. Care should be taken during pregnancy, particularly in the use of essential oils and pressure points. Essential oils should not be ingested, and should be used for babies and children only on professional advice.

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