The Invisible Risk of Remote Working: Why An Ergonomic Set Up Is The Only Way To Work From Home.
A Simple Switch Can Change (And Save) The Way We Work
Along with health and safety pressures, the pandemic has imparted a massive economic shock to multiple industries, many small and mid-sized businesses are working harder than ever to stay afloat. ”
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, February 2, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- — Chris Lam
That the average American spends roughly 10 hours of their day in a seated position is not a new finding—we’ve long understood our collective trend toward more stationary work. In fact, in the pre-pandemic world, most Americans were exceeding those ten hours. We commute in a seated position to sit at the office until we commute home to take a seat at the dinner table. Exhausted, we want nothing more than to take (another) seat on the couch.
The hope that a remote work day might reduce some of those seated hours was short-lived. A normal day at school or work is punctuated with trips to the water cooler, walks with colleagues, and the brisk jaunt we make to beat the lunch rush at our favorite local restaurant. Now we’ve lost those daily routines; and while we work to keep ourselves and our communities safe, we might be jeopardizing our longterm health in other ways.
A recent study published in Psychiatry1 confirms that sedentary behavior has increased as a result of the pandemic, with physical activity seeing a 32% reduction in the most active of participants. The study makes the association between reduced activity and increased screen time with declining mental health. And we’ve long known the evidence between sedentary behavior and physical health as it relates to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and chronic aches and pains.
As we all grapple with the gravity of the COVID-19 crisis, it seems our aches and pains should take a back seat (no pun intended). But the wear and tear of improper work posture is also affecting our productivity. In one workplace survey, researchers tracked nearly 30,000 workers over the course of two weeks. They found the average amount of lost productive time attributable to pain—arthritis, back pain, head-aches, and general musculoskeletal discomfort—averaged 4.6 hours a week.
“Along with health and safety pressures, the pandemic has imparted a massive economic shock to multiple industries,” says Chris Lam, Founder of ErgoFoam3. “Many small and mid-sized businesses are working harder than ever to stay afloat. The risks that come along with that aren’t always understood.”
ErgoFoam is a national leader in ergonomic design. Their flagship product is the ergonomic under desk footrest, specifically designed to correct poor posture habits and facilitate healthier positioning over the longterm. Their orthopedic design is engineered to relieve seated load, and their proprietary high density foam provides a perfect firmness. An adjustable height allows you to manipulate it for your comfort, allowing your feet to fall exactly where they’re meant to rest for the day.
“We’ve always wanted to help people feel their best, everyday” says Lam. “In this age of health insecurity, we’re taking that mission really seriously.”
Awarded ‘Best Under-Desk Foot Rest of 2020’ by Wirecutter, ErgoFoam footrests are designed to be used in many ways. Laid flat, they form the foundation of a proper seated posture, and the curved side offers an easy way to perform small calf stretches throughout the day. Flipped over, the footrest turns into a rocker, and the user is able to infuse some active movement and circulation into their desk-bound day.
Not all of this Zoom fatigue we feel is mental; much of what we’re feeling is the culmination of small aches and pains that are less noticeable throughout the course of the day. Known as ‘invisible’ stressors, chronic aches take longer to address. But without proper management, small aches turn into larger, more immediate, and more costly health concerns.
An under desk footrest is just the first step, but it’s an important step to take. Employers would be well advised to facilitate a safe at home set up for their remote teams. An ergonomic work station involves a firm chair at proper posture, a desk at the right height, a raised computer monitor and a well-designed mouse and keyboard. Blue light glasses can be employed for extended periods of screen exposure, and simple seated stretches can be dispersed throughout the day. Most of these are low-cost or cost-free adaptations—certainly less than the toll of hours wasted due to chronic aches and pains.
Employers who are interested in learning more about promoting safe at-home work environments are encouraged to reach out to the ErgoFoam team. Visit ErgoFoam to get your free e-book "Top 10 Tips for Better Ergonomics".
“Sharing information has been the best strategy we’ve had when it comes to protecting ourselves and each other against the virus,” says Lam. “I believe this is information that every working professional needs.”
Darryl Brisebois
Mackasey Howard Communications
+1 514-718-4171
darryl@mackaseyhow.com
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1 http://www.cambridge.org/engage/coe/article-details/5eb2056d7a31fc00183d05db
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2996155/
3 https://ergofoam.co