Ergonomics Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Where should the keyboard and mouse
be placed for the most comfortable position?
- Take a couple of seconds to sit back in your chair. Lean
back
on
the chairs
backrest,
keep
shoulders
relaxed
and your arms down along your sides with your hands on your
lap.
- Your feet should be comfortable on the floor in front of you.
- Keep resting back in your chair, now lift your arms bending only
at
the elbow. That is where the keyboard and mouse should
be for maximum safety and comfort.
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Sit in your chair with your arms by your side. You should be able to sit comfortably while computing.
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Your keyboard and mouse should be at
your fingertips. Above you can see how the base rolls underneath and the user is sitting comfortably as he was in the photo to the left.
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You should be able to lean back in your chair
to be comfortable.
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A growing number of people are experiencing
shoulder aches and pains due to reaching for the mouse.
Using a free standing support makes sense. It keeps the keyboard
and mouse or laptop close to your waist and eliminates reaching for
the mouse, allowing you to lean back in your chair, while staying
a safe distance from the monitor.
Does sitting close to the monitor irritate your
eyes?
Eye strain and headaches are symptoms from sitting
to close to the monitor and improper body positioning. Using a keyboard
drawer forces you to sit close to the monitor and encourages you
to lean forward in your seat. An independent floating keyboard platform
allows you to position the keyboard at the right height, while staying
a
comfortable
distance from the monitor.
We would not think of sitting that close to a TV. If you can touch
the monitor, you may be too close. Try sitting a minimum of 28 inches
from the monitor. Try sitting back from your monitor, you will be
surprised to see how far back you can sit.
Taking the keyboard off the desk permits the
user to stay a safe distance from the screen while positioning the
keyboard and mouse
close, enabling the user
to lean back in their chair.
Does ergonomics matter to the home user?
There are often poor ergonomic
choices given to the computer user at home, despite the increasing
number of hours per day spent at a home computer. Although ergonomic
design may be either a statutory requirement or
an economic
necessity
in the work place, it receives minimal consideration the the home
yet the consequences of fatigue and repetitive stress are still
present.
One of the unique ergonomic concerns of home use is the proliferation
of computers positioned on tables, bureaus, file cabinets and other
home furniture. By using an adjustable support that accommodates
a keyboard and mouse, you get the ability to stay a comfortable
distance from the monitor. A free standing, rolling,
adjustable platform for the
keyboard gives
maximum
flexibility to the variety of home furniture arrangements.
Home computers are often used
by variety of people in the family, from children to grandparents.
A height adjustable keyboard/mouse platform allows for flexibility
in the variety of computer users in the home, providing ergonomic comfort
and safety for both the 6 foot adult and the five-year old child.
The proliferation of wireless networking in the home also allows
unusual placement of the laptop computer for special occasions. The
first beautiful day of summer also encourages the laptop user to
move to a lawn chair outdoors or poolside. An adjustable keyboard/mouse
platform accommodates this uniquely home ergonomic issue.
Sitting or Standing Without the Stress
The human body requires frequent movement and postural
changes to be comfortable and productive. Sometimes,
a radical change in the user's position, like going from
a sitting to a standing position, can result in the relief
from the stress and discomforts of staying in a fixed
position.
Taking the keyboard off the desk permits the user to
stay a safe distance from the monitor while positioning
the keyboard and mouse close, enabling the user to lean
back in their chair. Pulling the keyboard to you keeps
you back in the chair, allowing the chairs backrest support
your back.
Using the AKP is like having a floating keyboard
support that you position wherever you want. The five star
base is pulled underneath you so your feet rest on the
floor as if you were just sitting in your chair, any type
of chair. |
How do I evaluate my computer setup?
- Can you lean back in your chair and let the chairs backrest
support you?
- Do you stay a safe distance from the monitor? You would
not sit that close to a TV. See how far back you can sit
without straining to see the text.
- Are your keyboard and mouse side by side? If you reach
for the mouse your using upper arm muscles, shoulder muscles
and neck muscles. Continuously reaching for the mouse strains
the nerves and muscles of the arms and upper body.
- Are your seat and hands centered on the keyboard? Or is
your keyboard off-center to accommodate room for the mouse?
The key to comfortable computing is alternate
muscle usage and taking breaks.
You can sit with your legs to the side of the height adjustment
cylinder. |
Kick back while just using the mouse without having to reach.
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Lean on your keyboard support without worrying about weakening
the connecting hardware. |
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