Ergonomics 101: Neutral Reach Zone, Part II

If you missed Part I of our Ergonomics 101 post on the Neutral Reach Zone, check it out here.

How ergonomic accessories can make your neutral reach zone even more effective

Setting up you reach zone as we've outlined will definitely enhance your working comfort. However by adding some useful accessories it's possible to make your working comfort even better. 6G Keyboard System by HumanscaleOf course, adding a sit-stand adjustable desk brings ergonomics to a whole new level. If you're not ready for that quite yet, these tools will be a big help.

Let's take a look at the possibilities.

When you place your keyboard on your desk, even in what seems an ideal position it doesn't usually let you keep your wrists and hands in line. This is where a keyboard platform can really help. A good quality articulated keyboard platform attaches to the underside of the front of your desk. You pull it out when you need it and push it under the desk when you don't. However another key benefit of quality platforms is the ability to angle them backwards, what’s called “negative tilt.” What this does is to allow you too keep your hands and wrists straight helping to minimize unnatural angles which can cause repetitive strain injury.

Generally speaking keyboard platforms usually have a built in mouse tray which can be moved into the ideal working position. Some of the mousing platforms are more adjustable than others. In my experience having the mousing platform rotate and move up and down is a real bonus. So this takes care of your keyboard and mouse.

M2 Monitor Arm by HumanscaleAnother great accessory is a monitor arm which simply fixes to the rear of your desk. Its articulated arm makes it simple to move your screen to precisely the position and angle you need for perfect viewing. Of course, having the monitor up off of the desk makes room for other things you need to keep close at hand. If you want to share your screen content with a colleague it's as easy as swiveling the screen to a position where they can view it comfortably. And when you don't need your screen and you want to free up some desk space for other tasks, you can just push it out of the way.
Element by Humanscale
Lastly a task light can be very helpful in illuminating your work area. A good task light is highly adjustable and its LED light source helps to eliminate glare. It can be especially useful for reading paperwork as this requires about five times more light than needed for reading from a screen. For an example of a a stylish new LED task lamp, check out our Equo video review.

Adding these sorts of simple ergonomic accessories can really help to improve your working comfort.

Let's recap on the points we've covered.

Summary

• Setting up your neutral reach zone is vital for keeping muscles healthy
• You need to assess what key tools and equipment must be in you reach zone
• It's still important to move as your work, setting things up properly eliminates unhealthy stretches  
• Ergonomic accessories can significantly improve your work area

What next?

Just like driving someone else's car you wouldn't be happy without adjusting your driving position first. Nor should you approach your workstation without getting your neutral reach zone properly set up.  

And of course as we mention above, adding key ergonomic accessories can really help to improve working comfort and efficiency. Here's where you can find out more about keyboard platforms with inbuilt mouse trays. You can read all about monitor arms by following this link. Lastly here's where to find more about LED task lights.

Neutral Reach Zone: Ergonomics 101

Why Office Workers Need to Heed The Neutral Reach Zone

Your car is in the shop and you need to borrow a friend's. It shouldn't be too complicated, but there’s a snag: your friend insists you don't alter anything. Your friend is a completely different build from you, and suddenly it's not so easy. You find yourself struggling to reach critical controls like the steering wheel and indicators. You have to stretch your neck to see in the rear view mirror.

Who can drive like that?

Yet this is exactly how many people approach their office work area. Instead of having things comfortably to hand they stretch and strain to reach basic equipment. All this places the body in awkward postures and causes unnecessary muscle strain. By applying some common sense ideas and having your neutral reach zone correctly configured, these problems can be avoided.

What is the neutral reach zone?

The neutral reach zone is simply the area of your desk which is easily reached without having to stretch to access frequently used tools. Simple enough, right? Generally speaking this is the area within an arc of about 18 to 24 inches of where you are sitting. It should have all your frequently used stuff within it. Beyond this area is where you should place less frequently used items.

So why does all this matter?  

Why is the neutral reach zone important?

Think of this area as your own personal cockpit. It's the hub of where all you work is performed. So if there is a key piece of equipment that is outside this area you're going to waste time reaching for it throughout the day. More importantly, you’re going to be placing unnecessary strain on your muscles as you keep stretching for it.

Continual movement while working in the office is absolutely vital for a healthy body. What we're trying to avoid here is making unhealthy stretches and contortions to get to the key stuff we need. Over the course of a day, a week, or a decade these unhealthy movements and positions add up.

How do you set up your neutral reach zone?
 
Setting up your own personal neutral zone is largely a case of common sense. Begin by observing how you work during the day. What tasks do you do and what tools or equipment do you use to do them?

This will probably include things like:

• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Monitor
• Phone
• Pen and paper
• Multiple coffee cups, if you work at Ergo Depot

Whatever it is you use frequently during the day needs to be part of your neutral zone.

Once you know the items you can then set about placing them conveniently on your desk. So the first thing would be to get your office chair adjusted to the right height and in a comfortable working position.

Next set up your monitor so that your eyes are level with the top of the screen. Making sure you can read the screen's content easily without craning your neck, typically about an arm's length away.

From there place your keyboard so you can type with your wrists straight. Position your mouse so it's close at hand and you can use it without having to move your arm too far to reach it.

Once you have these things correctly positioned, place any remaining items conveniently to hand.

If you get things properly set up it will ensure you are making good use of your neutral working zone.

What if it were possible to make things even better?

We'll be back tomorrow with more information on specific tools that can make a big difference.

Ergonomic Link Roundup: Wednesday June 13th

We are fortunate enough to truly love what we do. Part of that passion means following what people are talking about around the web in terms of ergonomics, adjustable-height desks, and other healthy working topics. Below are links to some of the things we're thinking about this week:

• Hemingway at workCongratulations to our new friend Muvman! The new sit-stand chair took home the Buildings Magazine Office Seating Innovation award in Chicago at NeoCon this week. Muvman sit-stand chair has already won a dozen design awards, check them out here. The design team behind the popular Swopper chair has once again put out a compelling, active sitting option to encourage movement Muvment.

• Our friends over at Lifehacker have come up with some strategies for surviving a work day on very little or no sleep. One of their ideas is to work standing up. Standing helps fight fatigue, plus it's nearly impossible to fall asleep on your feet.

• One of our favorite bloggers, Jason Kottke, takes a look at Ernest Hemingway's standing desk. Aspiring writers, take note!

• Forbes joins the chorus of cries against sitting all day. While the article does have some good information in terms of the health risks of sitting, some of the solutions aren't exactly what we'd suggest based on our experience with clients. We definitely can't argue with the general idea though: Sitting at Work can be Deadly.

• The Atlantic struck the same note in their piece on the health risks of sitting too much based on a different recent study:

Its most striking finding was that people who sat more than 11 hours a day had a 40% higher risk of dying in the next three years than people who sat less than four hours a day. This was after adjusting for factors such as age, weight, physical activity and general health status, all of which affect the death risk. It also found a clear dose-response effect: the more people sat, the higher their risk of death.

The health risks of sitting too much are certainly real and concerning, but we choose to use adjustable-height desks because it really does feel better at the end of the day. Standing desks are becoming more and more popular with office worker, but the ability to vary your position throughout the day makes the biggest difference in our productivity and energy.

Meet Muvman

We are excited to welcome a new German visitor to our showroom! Muvman, by Aeris, is a brand-new sit-stand chair. Stylish, ergonomic, and affordable only begin to describe the chair.

The design team behind the popular Swopper chair is behind the fun and functional Muvman sit-stand stool. Movement is the center of the design, and so far the Muvman does not disappoint. The pneumatic lift is one of the most versatile we’ve worked with. It’s springy, supports you as you move 360°, and is truly fun to use. In our office, we range from 5’7"-6’3” and the standard pneumatic lift works well for all of us. The tall fellas would recommend the high lift if your inseam was 34” or more.

We’ll have a detailed Muvman chair review coming soon. For now, we can assure you that it’s one of the sleekest designs we’ve seen, and we’re excited to pair it with our adjustable-height desks.

Why An Anti Fatigue Mat Is A Great Addition For Sit Stand Desk Users

So, you love your new sit stand desk, but it’s reminding you why you spent so much time in your chair to begin with: standing is hard on your feet. We found out the hard way, after standing on our poured concrete showroom floors for hours at a time. Once we came across anti-fatigue mats, it was a no-brainer; we were able to stand for longer periods without experiencing pain in our feet and calves.

When you invest in a height adjustable desk it’s well worth adding an anti fatigue mat to your new set up. The good news is you’re likely only looking at an investment of $60. It especially makes sense if you've spent many years sitting in an office chair, because your body will need to get used to a new way of working. Think of it as an inexpensive chair for your feet.

Standing to work means rarely used muscles in your feet, calves and even upper legs suddenly have to support your body’s weight. While this isn't normally a major problem, an anti fatigue mat will help to cushion the load.

You might think it won’t make much difference. Most offices are carpeted, so wouldn’t that be enough support? Office carpets and carpet tiles typically don't have much give in them and are actually firmer to stand on for long periods than you might imagine.

Adding extra support in the form of a plush anti-fatigue mat makes sense, even before knowing the specific benefits.

What are the benefits of an anti-fatigue mat?

When you stand to work, particularly when you haven't done so regularly, it’s surprising how quickly your feet and calves tire. The connection between body and floor is pretty firm meaning that your feet and leg muscles suddenly have to do a lot more to support you. A good quality anti-fatigue mat forms a cushion between you and the floor and helps take the harshness out of standing.

A properly designed mat will offer comfortable resilience and remove the hard connection. And it’s not a good idea to just pick any old mat or area rug for sit stand working.

What should you look for in an anti-fatigue mat?

It’s easy to think that all that’s needed is a slab of foam rubber, surely that will do? There’s a bit more to it than that. The core of an anti-fatigue mat will indeed be foam rubber based, but not just any old rubber. When you use cheap foams they just flatten and bottom out meaning you gain no benefit. What’s needed is a durable closed cell sponge which is designed to be resilient and retain its springiness so you really do get a proper cushioning effect.

Other types of mats should be avoided too. Many of these have been designed for use in manufacturing and are intended to form a gasket between workers and cold concrete floors. These sorts of mats are usually rigid and firm and don’t have any give in them. Let’s look at what’s needed for the office.

What makes a good choice of anti-fatigue mat for the office?

As we have have already seen, the core of the mat should be made from high quality, closed cell sponge. When this level of foam is used it’s possible to get good comfort with a sponge thickness between 3/8” to 3/4” thick.

Just a minute, isn't there a chance you will trip over the mat? With a well designed mat the sponge core is generally encapsulated in high quality plastic. Not only that the edges should be chamfered all round to avoid being a trip hazard. Carefully taking these points into consideration will help you select the right mat.

In our experience, the anti-fatigue mat is a simple addition to your sit-stand routine. In our showroom, when we aren’t using the mat, we simply slide it under the desk and hop back in a chair for a spell. In fact, take a look at the image next to this post. I snapped a photo while writing to give you a sense of how we work. After a year and a half of daily use on our anti-fatigue mats, they still hold their shape well and are thankfully very easy to clean.

Summary:

Let’s quickly summarize the main points we've covered here:

• An anti-fatigue mat is a great low cost addition to a height adjustable desk
• It helps cushion your feet and calves when you start standing to work
• Standing on firm surfaces can be quite tiring
• A good anti-fatigue mat will have a high quality closed cell sponge core
• Industrial or rigid mats aren't suitable for sit stand working
• Chamfered edges all round minimize any trip hazard

The perfect mat for your adjustable height desk
 
We’ve carefully researched suitable mats and recommend the Rhino anti-fatigue range of mats. You can find out what’s available here.