Ergonomics in the Home
Ergonomics is the knowledge that deals with the relationship between man, machine, and the environment around him and the design of the devices. It suggests increasing comfort, accessibility, safety, and efficiency, and reducing the difficulty, risk, fatigue, and cost. It was created for human beings in order to design a suitable work and living environment.
Lack of ergonomics is one of the most important risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders. Statistics show that these complications are rising among housewives. Among your acquaintances and relatives, you probably know housewives who regularly are complaining about pain in the neck, back, knees, wrists, and numbness of the limbs. The root of many of these complications is the lack of ergonomic principles. By observing some simple ergonomic principles that are mentioned below, the above-mentioned disorders can be prevented or at least be reduced.
Manually carry loads: Sometimes, you have to carry luggage by hand during the day which is sometimes a large amount of daily shopping. Other activities such as moving furniture, carrying heavy containers full of food, etc. are some that can also negatively affect people’s health.
The following tips can help:
Use a cart for daily shopping: When using a cart, move it in front of your body by pushing (not pulling).
If you do not use a wheelbarrow, divide the load into two equal parts and carry it with both hands to maintain body balance.
When lifting children or any other device from the ground, keep your back straight, and bend your knees.
If you have to carry children over long distances, the use of “special hugs” distributes the pressure on the whole torso and reduces the incidence of back pain.
Get help from others to transport and move heavy furniture.
Avoid bending and turning your back to the sides. This is the worst possible position for the spine and puts too much pressure on the waist area.
The sofa and couch you use to relax and unwind should have good support for your back and neck. Seats should be soft. It is flexible and sinks about 10-6 cm due to the weight of the body. Its back should maintain the natural position of the spine (S-shaped), and its height should be such that it does not cause the legs to sag.
Arrange the sofa and the angle of the TV so that you do not have to turn your back and neck around or up for long hours. For sleeping, use relatively firm mattresses in the right size and use pillows in the right size to maintain the natural curvature of the neck.
The best sleeping position is to lie on your back. Sleeping on the left side puts double pressure on the heart and sleeping on the abdomen increases the curvature of the spine as well as difficulty breathing.
