Ergonomics and Back Health

Sit, Stand, & Move! Want to start improving your ergonomics? Change it up every 20-30 minutes. It's a healthy combination.

Sit, Stand, & Move! Want to start improving your ergonomics? Change it up every 20-30 minutes. It's a healthy combination.

The goal of ergonomics is to reduce stress and eliminate injuries and disorders associated with the overuse of muscles, bad posture and repeated tasks. 

Take a Stretch Break!

Did you know that taking frequent, short rest breaks throughout the day can help you reduce tension and discomfort, restore energy, and even boost productivity? Take a 2-minute movement break away from your computer every 1/2 hour! 

  • Get up from your computer and move around
  • Rotate your job tasks to avoid constant computer work 
  • Sit, stand, and move: Your body is designed to move throughout the day. Standing or sitting in any one position for long periods has health disadvantages. Listen to your body; change postures when you fatigue or start to slouch or slump forward.
    Research findings recommend sitting for 20 minutes, standing for 8, and moving for 2 minutes per half hour.  
  • Try a few stretches
    • Stretch your shoulders, neck, wrists, and back throughout the day.
    • Do partial squats or calf raises
    • Move your feet by doing ankle circles or flexing them up and down to improve circulation. 

View our Ergonomics Study Posture video on Instagram Reels!

Stretch Break Videos

Student Ergonomic Tips for Laptop Users

Ergonomic Tips for UC Berkeley Students: Setting Up & Using Your Laptop

Setting Up Your Laptop 

  • Long-Term Use (1+ hours)
    • Maintain a neutral neck posture by placing the top of the screen at eye level.
    • Use an external monitor or laptop stand, or place your laptop on a stable support surface, such as reams of paper or textbooks, so that the screen height can be adjusted.
  • Short-Term Use  (< 1 hour)
    • Place the laptop on your lap to help keep your wrists straight while typing.
    • Use a lap desk (rentable at Moffitt Library) to maintain an upright head posture.
    • Use a chair that supports a comfortable upright/lightly reclined posture.
    • Tilt the screen to maintain a neutral posture. 
  • Transporting Your Laptop
    • Reduce the stress on your body when transporting your laptop across campus:
      • Carry your laptop in a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps.
      • Switch hands or shoulders frequently when using a case with a handle or shoulder strap.
      • Heavy backpack? Use the waist/hip belt if possible!
      • Lumbar (lower back) support is important! If possible, take a moment to find a balanced and comfortable position in each setting.

Managing Low Back Pain

Eighty percent of adults will experience significant low back pain sometime during their lifetime. Low back pain usually involves muscle spasms of the supportive muscles along the spine. Also, pain, numbness, and tingling in the buttocks or lower extremities can be related to the back. There are multiple causes of low back pain. Prevention of low back pain, as well as knowing self-care options for acute low back pain, are important, as symptoms can recur on more than one occasion. Learn more >  

Laboratory Ergonomics

Whether you plan to work in a research lab for one semester or throughout your career, there are ways to protect yourself from ergonomic hazards common in laboratory settings.

Don’t wait until your body tells you it’s too late! The guidelines and ideas on this website are fairly simple to implement, and by incorporating them into your daily life, you can help avoid the aches, pains, and sometimes injuries that poor ergonomics can cause. 

Learn more >