Today's workplace differs dramatically from the workplace of the past. In the past we may have had to cope with mechanical machinery, poor lighting, cold environments, standing for extended periods of time, lifting heavy articles and lots of writing with pens and pencils. With this kind of activity came a host of physical and medical issues. Most of that is gone now and instead we find ourselves facing a different dilemma.

As often as not a great number of employees spend a good deal of time sitting in front of a computer. As benign as this may seem the periods of inactivity and the constant maintenance of a seated position can be problematic. In order to help improve things we should observe some simple rules.

Check list for your workstation:

Sitting Comfortably

1.) The front of your chair seat should contact you just below your kneecap for proper seat height, when you stand in front of your chair.

2.) When you sit on the chair if the seat pan adjusts create a slight forward tilt so that 50% of your trunk weight is on the back of your thighs and 50% on your sit bones.

3.) The back of your chair should support your trunk in a vertical position, tilt the back of the chair up so it supports your lower back.

4.) Hips and elbows should be at approximately 90 to 110 degrees.

5.) Your wrist should be in a neutral flat position when you place your hands on the keyboard.

6.) Monitor height - the visual top of your monitor should be at your eye level.

7.) Monitor distance should be roughly an arm's length away.


If you are still experiencing pain while sitting for long periods, you may want to consider purchasing a lumber roll to keep you more upright, or ball chair to sit more actively during the day.

Thank you to Blair Schachterle - BScPT, Dip. Manip. PT, Dip. SportPT, FCAMT, CGIMS - for the checklist.  

If you're waiting more than a minute to boot your computer, you're waiting too long. That's just for starters. Virtually every computer, including new ones, can be sped up by 25% and computers that are two years old or older can be sped up by 50% or more. The Lightning Fast Computer Tune up Class will show you how.

Here are the up and coming dates.

Lighting Fast Computer Tune Up:     Thu Dec  15th 6:30 - 9:30pm

Virus Removal Class:                      Wed Jan  18th 6:30 - 9:30pm

Lighting Fast Computer Tune Up:    Wed Feb  22nd 6:30 - 9:30pm  

Virus Removal Class:                      Thu Mar  22nd 6:30 - 9:30pm

For additional information please visit http://www.llu.com/