Ergo Home

Ergonomics, the science of fitting the job to the person, should be something that people practice at home in their daily life, not just during the workday. Lower Back Pain and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can occur at home from activities such as improperly lifting heavy objects, chopping vegetables or sewing just as easily as they can occur at the office. Here are some suggestions for practicing ergonomics easily at home.

Proper Body Mechanics and Articulation at Home

Practicing proper body mechanics and articulation is essential in helping to prevent RSIs from developing. The back and neck are particularly vulnerable to pain at home, often simply from improper use of the spine. Let's look at a few examples:

Bending: Whether you are gardening, washing dishes, or raking leaves, it is easy to bend the spine incorrectly, which can result in Lower Back Pain, Cervical Disc Herniation, Lumber Disc Herniation, or Neck Pain. Bend forward from the hips, not the back, and keep your neck and head in line with your spine to prevent back problems.
Lifting: Lift heavy objects from the legs, not the back. This usually requires squatting down to lift the object. If something is too heavy for you, ask for help.
Neck Issues Our everyday posture affects our health and well being just as much as our work posture does. Often people don't worry about their posture when they leave their computers at work and slip into slouching, slumping Forward Head Posture while reading, watching television, eating, or using a home computer, leaving them vulnerable to Neck Pain and other RSIs. Just as at work, try to keep your ears over your shoulders and lengthen the spine.
Reading: Lift your book to eye level instead of collapsing your neck to look at the book. Move your eyes more than your neck when reading. This will strengthen your eyes as well as reduce awkward neck movement that may lead to Neck Pain. Try supporting your elbows with a pillow on your lap in order to have the book comfortably at eye level.
Sleeping: Getting enough sleep is essential to good health and the prevention of RSIs. When your body is tired your immune system is overburdened and less able to cope with the buildup of irritating waste products in your muscles. Stress buildup increases anxiety and makes getting enough sleep harder, which can turn into a vicious cycle of little sleep=tiredness=stress=little sleep, and so on. Often sleeping in awkward positions puts additional strain on joints instead of being the healing, restful activity that sleep is supposed to be. If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees to support your legs. If you sleep on your stomach, place a read more