HOW TO USE ERGO CREATIVITY:

Take a moment to assess your workstation. Then explore the following simple and inexpensive ergonomic problems.

Desk too low:

• Place 2x4 boards, bricks, etc. under the legs of the desk.

Desk too high:

• Trim the legs.
• Raise your chair and use a footrest or create a platform upon which you can sit.

Dangling feet:

• Use phone books, reams of paper, or firm pillows to create a footrest.

Homeless mouse:

• Place a mouse bridge over the 10-key pad.
• Use a c-clamp with a small board next to the keyboard tray to create a mouse pad.

Source documents or books flat:

• Prop a 1-inch 3-ring binder between the keyboard and monitor to create a document holder--use a small piece of anti-skid shelf lining or a large clip tokeep documents from sliding (shelf lining can be found at hardware stores, Target or Costco).
• If you are reading a book, use a fork to keep the pages open-place it across the top with the prongs slipped through the pages on one side and the handle pressing against the pages on the other. Rest your hands.
• When reading at home, use pillows on your lap to raise the book closer to eye level.

Flat writing surface:

• Use hard cover 2-inch 3-ring binder with anti-skid shelf liner to create a slant surface.
• Students can carry an empty 3-ring binder with anti-ski shelf liner for a note-taking slant table.

Chair uncomfortable:

• Use a pillow for better back support.
• Remove the armrests if they get in the way of working at the keyboard.
• Roll a towel and hang it over the back so it supports your spine and helps you to maintain a neutral posture. Tape the towel in place with plastic packing tape.
• Wrap the armrests with soft, spongy material if they are too hard and tape.
• Sit on a large gym ball instead of a chair.

Keyboard flat:

• Place a row of post-it pads underneath the front of the keyboard to create a negative tilt. Peel the back of the post-its so they stick or use anti-skid shelf liner.

Sharp edges on the desk:

• Glue a strip of weather stripping to the edge.

Monitor placement:

• Too close: Move your desk away from the wall and push your monitor to the back of the desk.
• Too low: Use reams of paper to raise the monitor. One ream is approximately 2 inches thick--adjust the volume of paper to the correct height.
• Too high: remove the stand from the bottom of the monitor.

Regardless of your ergonomic situation, always remember to take your breaks-micro-, meso-, and large movement.

Copyright 2003 Erik Peper, Ph.D. and Katherine Hughes Gibney
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