Proper Ergonomics for Writers
Organising Your Writing Desk for Comfort and Longterm Health
Feb 13, 2008
Don't think writing's dangerous? Writers often suffer from painful conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injury (RSI). Both of these conditions can be minimized by smart workspace set-up.
Sitting Position
Sitting in a poorly adjusted chair can cause back pain, neck strain, shoulder tension. Writers need a good chair. It doesn't need to be expensive, but an adjustable chair is a great investment. Supplier Duncan MacIntyre has an excellent article on what to look for when choosing an adjustable chair.
When setting up your chair, keep these things in mind:
- Your feet should be flat on the ground, and your knees at at least a 90º angle. Use a footrest if necessary. Make sure there's no pressure on the backs of your knees.
- Your back should be resting against the back of the chair, and the lumbar support should fit into the curve of your lower back.
- Armrests should not be used while typing. They should fit just below your arms when your arms are at 90º, and should only be used to rest your arms during breaks.
Typing Position
- Your wrists should be in a neutral position – that means not slanting up or down – and the wrists should be slightly higher than the keyboard. Don't rest your hands one the keyboard as you type.
- Shoulders should be relaxed, and elbows not locked.
- Consider getting an adjustable keyboard and mouse tray if you don't already have one.
Monitor Position
- The computer screen should be about an arm's length away from you.
- Screen should be centered in your line of vision.
- The top of the screen should be level with your eyes. Ideally for your sight line will hit about 2-3' below the top of the screen. Raise your monitor with a laptop stand, or improvise with a shoe box.
- Eliminate glare on the screen. Glare can cause eyestrain, squinting and headaches. To minimise glare, adjust the screen height or tilt and be aware of any light sources that are being reflected. A good test for glare is to turn the monitor off and look for reflections in the screen. If your see reflections, you've got a glare problem.
- Adjust your font size and colour to minimize eyestrain.
Take Breaks
- To keep your muscles from getting to strained in one position, take frequent short breaks. Every twenty minutes look away from your screen and do some shoulder rolls and gentle neck stretches.
- Try to get out of your chair at least once an hour and walk around a bit, even just to the end of the hall.
- If you have a tendency to get lost in your work, set an alarm to remind you when it's break time.
Special considerations for laptop users
- Laptop users should get an attachable keyboard, and raise their computers so the top of the screen is at eye level. Some writers also purchase an extra at-home monitor, so they can simply plug in their laptop to the second monitor and keyboard and work as though at a stationary computer.
For more information, Healthy Computing has a great resource on ergonomic office set up, with photos and video demonstrations.The BC Health Guide also has some good information on office ergonomics.
