Thursday, July 14, 2011

Keyboard Positioning to Prevent and Reduce Arthritis

Office workers always face the risk of suffering from different types of physical pain because of improper posture while at work. This is largely related to the positioning of the office equipment. Your mouse, keyboard and monitor should all be at the correct positions. Productivity could come at a cost of suffering physical pain especially arthritis if you don't set up your equipment correctly.

Proper Posture as the Key

The best way to prevent arthritis while working in an office is to practice proper posture. Always sit up straight with your back comfortably leaning in the cushion. You don’t have to lean too much – your cushion should be there to support your back.

Your knees should be able to touch each other at will and your feet should comfortably lay flat in the floor. Your feet should be at a 90-degree angle and anything lesser than that could cause some muscle discomfort at the end of the day.

Hand Position in the Keyboard

The best way to determine if your hand is properly positioned for the keyboard and mouse is the angle of your arms. To prevent any muscle problems, your arms should have a 90-degree angle. The keyboard should be conveniently placed in front of your body easily reachable by your hands. The mouse should be placed beside the keyboard so that you don’t have to stretch your hand while working.

Periodic Breaks

While these positions can prevent arthritis, you should avoid staying in the same position for more than an hour. Stand up and walk for a minute or two so that your body could break the monotony of the position.

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