Use an adjustable office chair. Set the chair up so the following is achieved:

· The seat base is flat, the backrest raised to support the curve in your lower back (lumbar spine).
· The backrest should be sightly reclined (10-20 degrees), so that the backrest does not push you forwards).
· The seat depth should allow a small gap (2-3 fingers) between the back of your calves and the front of the seat base.
· Armrests should not cause you to shrug your shoulders or prevent you positioning your chair close to the desk.

2. Once you have adjusted your chair, raise it so that your belly button sits approximately level to the top of the desk. In that way, your shoulders should be able to relax, your upper arms rest by your sides, and the creases of your elbows should sit level or slightly higher than your wrists when using your keyboard or mouse.

3. Once your chair is raised to the appropriate level and you are sitting back in your chair…..if your feet do not rest flat to the floor, you should use a footrest (or some books/packs of copy paper/an upturned tub or similar) to support your feet.

4. You should raise your laptop up on a stand (some books or a shoebox would also suffice) so that the top of the laptop is just below your eye height. The screen should be approximately 1 arm’s length away from you, and should have a slight backwards (upwards) tilt applied to reduce eye strain.

5. With your laptop raised, you will need to use a separate keyboard and mouse. These need to be positioned close to you so that you do not need to reach forwards with your arms or lean your trunk forwards to use them.

6. Your mouse should be positioned directly in front of your elbow (not rotated out to the side).

7. Aim to take regular mini breaks (at least every 30-60 minutes) to reduce postural strain.

8. Consider the orientation of your desk so that the window is not directly behind your screen. Ideally the window should be to the side of the desk. If this is not possible, consider shading the window to reduce glare and eye strain.

ErgoLogic is now offering ‘remote’ home office assessments and training, to educate and empower both students and workers to reduce the chances of developing aches and pains as they study and work from home.

For more information on our assessment packages or for a quote, please contact consultant@ergologic.com.au