Too often we see this set up in offices. Most often it is using Yellow Pages phone books – primarily because they are big and bulky and it only takes a couple to raise the monitor up.
This however, is a new one. I believe this person has also use a bowl turned upside down – we will be working to have the boss approve a better solution.
While very clever this is creating a very unhealthy situation, one that we will be addressing in future posts here as well.
The first issue is that the monitor has been raised to a very unhealthy height. This person is not that tall so while working at the computer they are actually looking slightly upwards which puts pressure on the neck and spine. Current guidelines indicate that the top of the monitor should be no more than eye height but preferably 10 degrees below. This puts the head is a slight downward position, more closely matching how you would read a book.
Second is that with all of these solutions, whether you use phone books or a bowl, the monitor is in a static position. Throughout the day you REALLY, REALLY, REALLY (emphasis intended) need to be moving around, changing your position and allowing / forcing your body to change as you work. This helps to:
- Keep your body awake
- Force your muscles to change and adapt
- Allow for better positions depending on the work you do
When you keep your monitor in the exact same position it forces your body to keep the same position.
So our recommendation is to provide a monitor support arm like SpaceCo’s Space Arm. This supports virtually every size monitor on the market and allows for each adjustments as you go through the day. You can find more information on this HERE.
In our ACCESSORIES section you can find information on other solutions and products.
SO let’s ditch the phone books and bowls and get our work areas up to the 21st century