If you work in an office, you’re probably familiar with all the negative aspects of the sedentary lifestyle. Bad posture, back pain and neck pain are just some of the negative consequences of sitting in front of a computer 8 hours a day. This is why creating an ergonomic desk station is a must. But besides investing in the bigger pieces of furniture, such as an adjustable standing desk and a high-end office chair, you should also equip yourself with the proper ergonomic desk accessories.
Ergonomic Laptop Stands
Laptops nowadays definitely utilize technology and portability, but the only thing that has never improved is their form design. In other words, the compact laptop technology can rarely meet the ergonomic standards of the standard desktop equipment and make it difficult to achieve a comfortable and healthy sitting posture.
However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t make your workspace more body-supportive if your main work equipment is a laptop. The only thing you need to do is to get a raised stand to improve laptop ergonomics.
Wondering how ergonomic laptop accessories can help? Well, first of all, you probably know that laptops screens have a low height that makes you look down to see the screen. But what you may not know is that being bent at just 15 degrees puts the weight of your head on your neck which can be too much to support, especially when it comes to long working sessions. On the other hand, laptop stands feature raised designs and their main purpose is to bring the laptop’s screen to your eye level and put your neck into a straight position to eliminate pressure.
One more reason to improve your laptop ergonomics with a convenient stand is that these pieces improve typing ergonomics. In fact, finding a comfortable position to work with your built-in laptop keyword may bring your screen too close to your face, while keeping your laptop too far may cause stiffness in your arms and shoulders. On the other hand, an ergonomic laptop stand will let you connect an external keyboard and adjust your arms in the most comfortable position for you.
Finally, a laptop stand doesn’t just take care of your well being, but it will also maximise the space for air circulation and prevents your laptop from overheating.
Ergonomic Seat Cushions
As mentioned before, an ergonomic office chair is a good investment, but it may cost you a fortune. On the other hand, you can still turn your chair into a more body-supportive piece of furniture with a simple ergonomic seat cushion. Ergonomic seat cushions are made from memory foam that redistributes your weight evenly to prevent putting pressure on your hips and tailbone. Releasing these spots from the comprehensive force of typical office seats can also improve circulation and digestion. This may help you achieve better blood flow in your pelvis, legs and back and more room in your belly to “do its thing”.
Finally, when spending a valuable amount of your time at your desk, you might as well do something to feel comfy. By releasing the pressure and tension from your body parts and giving them the right support, you won’t only get rid of the striking pain, but you’ll also improve your natural posture in no time.
Ergonomic Footrest
Upgrading your desk with an ergonomic laptop stand and a seat cushion may offer support for your neck and your torso. But what many people forget is that the lower parts of the body can also suffer from sedentary work, especially when sitting in a bad posture for a longer period. This is where ergonomic footrests come in.
Wondering what a simple footrest can do to your body? Well, you probably found yourself sitting with crossed legs instead of your feet on the floor, which distorts your steady posture. On the other hand, many office chairs are too high for the average user and they may put your body into a bad position which leads to shoulder inclination and forward head posture.
One of the things an ergonomic footrest can do is to make a good sitting posture easier by keeping you sitting back in your chair. For users that are under the average height, a footrest will prevent legs from hanging down and provide an elevated surface to make steady and comfortable contact with the floor. This won’t only lower the chances of leg stiffness and pain, but it also increases your blood circulation and prevents developing varicose veins or blood clots.
On top of that, an ergonomic footrest will also encourage the movement of your toes, feet and ankles to prevent staying in a static position for a longer period. Movements in these body parts while sitting will encourage venous return and reduce blood pooling, which decreases your chances of developing vein thrombosis.
Ergonomic stands, cushion seats and footrests may not turn your desk into an ergonomic oasis, but they can definitely make your office feel more comfortable. So, don’t wait to equip yourself with these ergonomic accessories to boost your productivity and well being while working.