Ergonomics - a term frequently thrown around the workplace, but what does it really mean to you? It might be tempting to dismiss it as technical jargon, but in reality, ergonomics holds immense significance and directly influences our day-to-day lives. In this blog post, we'll delve into the essence of ergonomics, explore its importance, and discover how it can benefit you. Understanding ergonomics is pivotal for anyone seeking a healthy and comfortable working lifestyle.

What is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics is the scientific study of designing and arranging objects and systems to fit the human body while optimizing human performance. It revolves around creating products and environments that promote comfort, safety, and efficiency for people to use. The word "ergonomics" is derived from the Greek words "ergon," meaning work, and "nomos," meaning natural laws or rules.

In simpler terms, ergonomics aims to make our daily activities and interactions with objects and spaces more comfortable and productive. It takes into consideration factors like body posture, movement, reach, and interaction to design workspaces, furniture, tools, and equipment that minimize strain, discomfort, and the risk of injury.

This interdisciplinary field draws from anatomy, psychology, physiology, engineering, and design, making it relevant across various domains such as office work, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, and home environments.

Achieving Ergonomics in Your Workspace

Creating an ergonomic workspace is essential for promoting good posture, reducing discomfort, and improving productivity. Here are some tips to help you achieve ergonomics in your workspace:

1. Take regular breaks: Stand up, stretch, and walk around every hour or so to alleviate muscle tension and reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries.
2. Invest in a standing desk - to enable you break up sitting time especially during phone calls, teams meetings and routine work
3. Then invest in the right chair: Consider a stool to avoid you getting too comfortable , or if you have poor core strength get an adjustable chair with lumbar support, a comfortable cushion, and the ability to adjust seat height and backrest angle.
4. Position your monitor correctly: Place your monitor at eye level, approximately 20 inches away from your face. Adjust brightness and contrast to prevent eye strain.
5. Maintain proper keyboard and mouse position: Position your keyboard and mouse at a height that allows your elbows to rest comfortably at your sides, with your wrists straight. Consider using a keyboard tray or wrist rest for added support.
6. Sit with proper posture: Sit up straight, keep your feet flat on the floor, and avoid crossing your legs or slouching, as these can lead to back pain and discomfort.
7. Organize your workspace: Keep frequently used items within easy reach to minimize unnecessary stretching or twisting movements.

Remember, ergonomics is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Experiment with different adjustments and listen to your body to find the most comfortable and efficient setup for your specific needs. By implementing these tips, you can create an ergonomic workspace that promotes your overall well-being and helps you stay productive throughout the day.

Why is Ergonomics Important?

Ergonomics might be a buzzword, but it holds real value when it comes to enhancing our well-being. By integrating ergonomic principles into our lives, we can prevent musculoskeletal disorders, reduce fatigue, and improve our physical and mental comfort. Whether you spend long hours at a desk or engage in physically demanding tasks, ergonomics directly affects you by ensuring that your environment supports your body's natural movements, thus reducing the risk of repetitive strain injuries. Hence, whether you're at work or at home, understanding and implementing ergonomic practices is essential for optimizing your comfort and performance.

One of the key reasons why ergonomics matters is its ability to prevent and reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and lower back pain often result from repetitive movements, poor posture, and awkward positioning. However, incorporating ergonomic principles into your workspace can significantly reduce the risk of developing these painful and debilitating conditions.

Moreover, ergonomics contributes to your overall quality of life. Prioritizing your physical well-being in a proactive and preventive manner helps prevent injuries, improve posture, and promote better health in the long run.

The Benefits of Ergonomics

Embracing ergonomic practices in your workspace offers numerous benefits beyond just comfort. One of the key advantages is improved productivity. When your workstation is properly set up to support your body's natural posture and movements, you can work more efficiently without distractions from discomfort or pain. This leads to increased focus and accuracy, enabling you to complete tasks swiftly.

Ergonomics also plays a vital role in preventing work-related injuries. By using ergonomic equipment and maintaining good posture, you can minimize the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain, neck strain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Not only does this reduce absenteeism due to injuries, but it also lowers healthcare costs for both employees and employers.

Furthermore, implementing ergonomic practices in your workspace can contribute to overall well-being. By reducing physical strain and discomfort, you can alleviate stress and enhance your mental health, leading to improved job satisfaction, decreased employee turnover, and a positive work environment.

Lastly, ergonomics promotes long-term health benefits. Proactively taking measures to prevent injuries and strains reduces the likelihood of chronic pain or disability in the future, allowing you to maintain a healthier lifestyle and continue working without hindrance as you age.

In summary, incorporating ergonomic principles in your workspace offers numerous benefits. It not only improves productivity and reduces the risk of injuries but also enhances well-being and supports long-term health. By prioritizing ergonomics, you are investing in your overall comfort, efficiency, and longevity in the workplace.

Regular Movement is Essential

Failing to take regular breaks and engage in movement throughout the day is a common mistake. Prolonged sitting or repetitive movements can lead to stiffness and muscular imbalances. Incorporate short breaks and stretches into your daily routine to prevent these issues.

Remember, small adjustments can make a big difference in the long run.

Everything you need to provide comfort and support is available here at Yo-Yo OFFICE

Yo-Yo DESK are helping boost workplace activity levels at the offices of Bury and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust – including treadmill work stations.

The NHS doesn’t just help keep us healthy, but as the country’s biggest employer, it works hard to keep its own staff in good health too.

That’s why Daniel Lythgoe, MD of the Bury and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust has made sure staff at two of his Trust’s offices have access to a range of active Yo-Yo DESKs.

He explains: “When we had an office move, we wanted to promote health and wellbeing for staff within the Trust. Previously, employees were being given appropriate equipment only once they had reported a problem. We took the decision to be preventative rather than reactive, bringing in standing desks in order to motivate staff to stay healthy and active during the working day.”

Not only has he installed some 15 of our best-selling Yo-Yo Desk®, but staff even have access to a couple of our treadmill desks, so they walk as they work.

The walking desks are located in a small meeting room, so staff can go in there to work solo when it’s available, or to have a one-to-one meeting, when either one or both of the parties clocks up steps while they work.

Daniel says: “We find the treadmills are most popular when the weather’s bad; otherwise we try and encourage staff to get some fresh air with a walking meeting. I would recommend getting two treadmill desks rather than just one: our set up works very well.”

As for the Yo-Yo Desks®: “Some people use them regularly and rarely sit down to work. They have been a success.”

Looking to improve health, motivation, productivity levels in your office? Get in touch for advice on the standing desk set-up that will best suit your workplace: no one knows standing desks like our sales team.

BMJ reports positive results from year-long study of standing desk usage by UK health workersIt’s official: using a Yo-Yo DESK® at work WILL improve both your health and your productivity.A study by health researchers at the University of Leicester has established that NHS staff who used sit-stand desks for a year experienced benefits including:

• reduced sitting time
• improved job performance
• better engagement levels
• less work-related fatigue
• better quality of life
• reduced anxiety

The workers were supported with advice – similar to the Yo-Yo DESK® user guidelines that we supply to every customer – along with targets and occasional info boosters to help remind them to make the regular switch between sitting and standing. Results were checked at three, six and 12 months.

Effectiveness of the Stand More AT Work (SMArT) standing desk intervention is reported in the British Medical Journal as well as on the BBC website and Daily Telegraph, amongst others.

Our stylish, affordable Yo-Yo DESK® is the UK’s best-selling way to incorporate the active working habit in your working day. Easy to adjust, with 15 height settings, the Yo-Yo DESK® is just one of the wide range of flexible standing desk converter options we offer to suit all needs, preferences and budgets. Or try the executive, electrically-operated Yo-Yo DESK® PRO for a smooth powered option.

Follow us on Twitter, and join our Yo-Yo Desker Facebook group to get your own ongoing #SitLess #MoveMore support and inspiration that will help you get the most out of your Yo-Yo DESK® standing desk product.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock says every business should encourage employees to use sit-stand desks, just like him.

“I know from personal experience that having a standing desk can help you get some exercise and improve your productivity at work,” the UK’s Secretary of State for Health Matt Hancock told the ISPAH global conference on physical activity this week.

He urged employers to offer staff the chance to use standing desks like our Yo-Yo DESK® in order raise activity levels and avoid the health risks of sedentary working habits.

“Workplaces can make a difference: encouraging breaks, offering standing desks, having standing meetings - which in my experience tend to finish quicker too,” Mr Hancock said.

He also encouraged GPs, schools and parents to take action on the national inactivity crisis: “Our message should be that movement is medicine.”

Musculoskeletal problems are to blame for nine million lost working days every year, with increasing numbers of desk-bound staff suffering health problems exacerbated by spending too much time seated.

In addition to the physical benefits of adopting sit-stand working practices, the mental health benefits are also proven. Staff who alternate between sitting and standing report greater productivity, creativity and motivation, as well as reduced stress and fatigue.

A study of NHS workers reported in the BMJ last week established that those using standing desks were happier and healthier, reporting less anxiety, raised energy levels, greater levels of engagement and improved job performance.

Mr Hancock’s call to action is reported in the Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph and Metro among others.

Many office workers who spend most of their day at a desk complain of neck, shoulder or back pain. This pain is often caused by poor posture. Slouching over a keyboard can lead to hunched shoulders. This constant tension can cause tight back and shoulder muscles that ache even after the workday ends.

An incorrect desk setup can also lead to muscular pains. Straining to see a monitor that is too far away or tilted at an incorrect angle can lead to neck strain and improper spine alignment. Improper keyboard height can also cause tension in the shoulders from having to hold your arms at an awkward angle to type effectively.

Scientists at Columbia University Medical Centre (CUMC) found that adults who spend one to two hours seated without a break have a higher mortality rate than those who sit for the same amount of time, but for shorter periods.

The researchers at CUMC’s Department of Medicine, based their Get Britain Standing on 8,000 people aged over 45. Some 77% of participants were sedentary for a shocking 12 hours per day, while for some that figure topped 13 hours. The results? People who spent most time seated, often in periods of 60-90 minutes, had an almost two-fold increase in death risk compared with those who sat less and for shorter periods of time.

Public Health England support Active Working guidelines recommending that office workers stand at least two hours a day, and eventually work up to four hours. Many people are now becoming aware of the negative health effects of prolonged sitting, and so may opt for active sitting arrangements.

As a result, stand up desks are becoming increasingly popular in the workplace. A standing desk can relieve most of the that issues that office workers suffer due to the sedentary nature of their job. When properly set up, a standing desk should allow for a 90-degree bend in the arms to the keyboard. The monitor should be tilted upwards at roughly 20 degrees and located about two feet from your eyes. It is also best to stand on a flat yet supportive surface, like an anti-fatigue mat. Sensible footwear, not high heels, also promotes natural posture.We ensure guidelines for best use of standing desks are sent to every Yo-Yo DESK® desk customer. These things combined realign your body to its natural centre and ease tension in the muscles.

Google reports show that the search results for ‘Standing Desk’ have quadrupled since 2012. Furthermore, the wave of interest at shows and industry events, continues to escalate. Simply put, the provision of workplace solutions which help build healthy working habits and increased productivity are becoming front of mind for facilities professionals.

“It’s no longer just the person with the bad back who wants an adjustable workstation, it’s increasingly a must-have for the whole team, or sales team, then marketing team and then everyone wants one. Also, when people move companies, it’s only logical that they take their standing desk habit with them.”

We get brilliant feedback on Yo-Yo DESK® products from office-based workers, but we wanted to know what bloggers would think of our Yo-Yo DESK® product. Here are a few testimonials from some bloggers who tried our products:

Home-based SME blogger Joanne Dewberry knows that people working from home are at high risk of sedentary behaviour when there are no distractions in the form of co-workers or meetings to get you away from your workstation. She found that a Yo-Yo DESK® was the perfect way to bring more activity to her working day.

Joanne says: “I’ve found that standing when I hit the office first thing is probably the most productive part of the day. I’ve just had 7 hours sleep followed by driving the children to school; by standing at my desk to sort emails and dive into my to do list I’m raring to go and full of energy. Previously mornings were met by slumping in my office chair feeling tired and sluggish, drinking vats of coffee. If I’d have known the effects of standing earlier, I’d have been doing it years ago.” Read the blog.

Glasgow-based Stephen Morrison is a civil servant by day, but also posts regular blogs about his fitness journey at howmanymiles.co.uk. Every year, his departmental staff survey requests that standing desks are provided for employees, so he was keen to try one out for himself.

Stephen says: “Firstly and most importantly, I am sitting less. At home, I am now spending at least two hours a day standing at my computer as I write, answer emails and watch TV shows whereas previously I would have been sitting on my backside. “Rather than being hunched over a desk, I now find myself standing straighter, with less rounded shoulders and less curving of my back. I also feel that I am being more productive.” Read the blog.