Back to School Ergonomics
My buddy, Audra, asked me for a post about kids at desks during virtual learning and I think this is such a great idea.
Ergonomics is the study of people’s posture and productivity in their work environment. Since a lot of us have kiddos learning from home virtually or are themselves working from home virtually, let’s dive into this topic. Ergonomics relates to PT because we are the experts on the musculoskeletal system for posture and alignment.
Here are the big things to look for whether for kids and adults. I was even able to make them into a cute acronym! So let’s HUSTLE!
- H is for…Head and Neck Posture – we want to make sure that the head and neck are “stacked” on top of eachother. We want a nice midline position where the screen is able to be seen with the head and eyes facing forward. We want to avoid “forward head position” or constant hyper extending of the neck. This may require lifting the computer a bit from the table using a book, etc.
- U is for….Upper Extremity Positioning – we want the shoulders to be relaxed, with the elbows bent gently and able to rest on the keyboard or mouse. Not tight and up by the ears, not reaching up super high to a keyboard, not reaching straight out.
- S is for…Spine Support – We want support for the back that is comfortable, easily accessible AND encourages proper alignment up from the low back to the neck.
- T is for….Time in position – we want to make sure that we are getting up for rest breaks, stretching, moving our body and getting the sillies out.
- L is for….Lower Extremity Alignment – we want the thighs supported by a chair, the knees bent about 90 degrees and the feet able to rest comfortable on the floor or other supportive surface.
- E is for….Energy levels – For kids with lower energy levels or who have a hard time sitting up this long without getting tired, we may need a more supportive chair/ surface, or offer other options for rest positions like side lying or reclined on the couch. For the kids who crave movement and are full of energy, we might want to come up with a standing desk option, a therapy ball seat, or laying their tummy.
Practically Perfect Physical Therapy is happy to offer discounted postural screenings for $15 per child/ adult with discounts for other members of the household. You can send me photos or videos of your work spaces and I will make recommendations on how to improve the posture and alignment to maximize your comfort levels during this virtual life.
This is definitely important if anyone is experiencing head, neck, eye, shoulder, wrist, elbow or back pain!
