The Ergonomic Factor

Right now, I am having serious problems getting a decent desk for my office. It would probably help if I wasn't so cheap. The upshot of it is that I neglected some very important factors when it comes to dealing with keyboard jockey stress last week. Meaning: it ain't all about keyboards. Sure, the display does have a profound influence. If there is one thing I can't stand, it's a refresh rate below 75 Hz. That should go without saying. As for the impact of lighting on your display, well, how many of you have much control over that? Our little office here has two choices available, on or off. Obviously, if I turn the lights off I risk being pummeled by other people, and I still haven't figured out how to make some new holes in the ceiling to put the light fixtures in the right place for me.

What I have found to be of extraordinary importance is the position of elbows in relation to the desktop. Now, this took me about five years to get right. If you are a student, you may want to skip this part because, you can hunch over a screen for at least another ten years before you realize that it hurts.

Anyone over 25 years of age has got to work on their posture. I used to have one of those ergonomic thingies that you knelt on. Like the one below.

Had to move on. It just didn't work for me because I could never get my elbows in the right position. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the US Department of Labor has a slew of recommendations regarding ergonomics and the computer workstation.