How ergonomic accessories support healthy working

What are the benefits of using ergonomic accessories at work?

You may have heard about the benefits of using an ergonomic chair or products such as a sit stand desk at work, but there are a number of ergonomic accessories available to support you. These include products such as keyboard and mouse mat rests, lumbar support, footrests, arm rests and laptop risers, allowing you to work in comfort and without strain.

Why use ergonomic accessories?

With more of us sitting for at least 8 hours of our day, this level of inactivity can cause discomfort in many areas of our bodies. As well as remembering to take breaks and move around, you can support your body with ergonomic accessories for many reasons:

• Increased comfort
• Less strain and tension on joints and muscles
• Increased productivity
• Better posture
• Happier at work!

What ergonomic accessories should I purchase?

For those who work from home and require ergonomic support, this bundle of ergonomic essentials is the perfect choice. This box includes a laptop stand, a keyboard, an ergonomic mouse and a free antibacterial egg mouse mat to get you started working more comfortably.

Ergonomic mouse

This everyday desktop item makes tasks more efficient allowing you to navigate the screen in a matter of moments. Unfortunately, a traditional mouse does not support the natural posture of your arm and wrist, forcing pronation which can cause pain. To keep the hand in a more natural alignment try an ergonomic mouse. Avoid overuse on the trackpad on a laptop too which can cause discomfort. You can enhance workflow speed and your comfort by using a mouse.

Use a compact keyboard

Using a separate keyboard to your laptop is a great way of enhancing your working comfort as you can adjust the position, prop it up or use a wrist rest to keep your arms in alignment. Go one step further and use a compact keyboard. This allows you to shorten the distance between your keyboard and arm position of your mouse keeping your arm in alignment and avoiding overstretching. It also reduces pressure on the lower arms.

Try a document holder

Neck pain is a common complaint from people who work at a desk daily. The constant looking down at documents can further aggravate this pain. A document holder, propped either in front of your screen or towards the side of your monitor at eye level avoids that constant looking down so you can write at a more comfortable level without actually moving your head at all.

Laptop riser or monitor arm

For DSE assessments, it is suggested that your eye level should be in line with the top of your screen. Adjust the height of your monitor to allow you to work at the correct height. Often, we look down at a laptop, our arms and shoulders are not aligned with our head facing down causing pressure on the back. In contrast, when a monitor screen is situated at the correct height and distance away from your eyes, your posture is corrected for comfortable working. Use a laptop riser or monitor arm to obtain the correct monitor height for comfortable working.

Ergonomic lumbar support

If your office chair does not come with integrated lumbar support, you may want to consider investing in this equipment. A separate lumbar support that fixes to your chair with Velcro will keep your spine in a more natural alignment when sitting at a desk.

Try a footrest

A footrest is an essential ergonomic accessory if your desktop height cannot be altered. This handy piece of equipment allows you to easily adjust the height and inclination of your feet so you can create the optimum working posture. They can help with leg circulation, reduce fatigue and support back and leg comfort when seated. Ideal for hot desks too, as each user can adjust the footrest to the optimum height and angle.

Support your arms

Underarm support that fixes to the front of your desk can help reduce muscular strain in the neck and shoulders. This simple arm rest design clamps to the desk to give extra support to your wrists.

Why not try using a couple of these ergonomic accessories and enjoy a more comfortable way of working at a desk.

Find more great ergonomic accessories on our website or contact a member of our team if you are looking to source something specific.