Ergonomics and a Healthy Spine: At Home

Ergonomics: When we understand how daily activities and work tasks affect our bodies, we can see how our backs in particular take the brunt of daily stress and strain. This can ultimately lead to back ache and, if not alleviated, serious back problems.

Principles of ergonomics can be applied to the home and our personal lives. When we have the right equipment in the right environment, household chores can be done with ease and efficiency. It’s when tasks are awkward and uncomfortable that we can get stressed and over-strained physically.

Your home is your living space. It should be a safe, comfortable and healthy environment. Most room layouts are designed with users and aesthetics in mind. Furniture is mass-produced to suit the general population. Tools and gadgets are designed to suit a general group of people as well. When planning out a room or equipping it, shop around and find what works for you. Because as appealing and stylish as something may look in a magazine or on the showroom floor, it just may not be the ideal “living” space for you. If things are too high, too low or awkwardly placed, your life can become uncomfortable.

Many patients who come to our Toronto back clinic cannot recall a specific incident or injury that caused their severe back or neck pain. The pain is often something that developed over time. The patient self medicated, went for massage therapy and chiropractic care. Nothing seemed to work. While we’re not going to say your kitchen counter and living room chairs were the culprits, there is something to be said for having home worksites and stations that are ergonomically appropriate for the people living there.

Custom furniture and cabinetry can always be built. It does cost more, that’s for sure. But if it will make your life easier, more enjoyable and less stressful, then it’s a worthwhile investment.

Let’s take a look at ergonomics in the kitchen. The kitchen is the most-used room in the home.

Counters: A standard counter height is 36 inches. This is considered a good average height for all types of kitchen work. It may not be ideal for certain specific tasks, but for most people, it’s comfortable. Now, a standard counter may suit an average height person for cutting or mixing. But too high or too low, and your neck or lower back could begin to suffer. If you’re kneading dough, the same height may be straining on the shoulders and neck. In this case, working on the kitchen table may be more comfortable.

People who are very short or very tall may find that custom-built counters suit their needs better. Or another solution: a custom stepstool. I have a good friend who recently redesigned her very large gourmet kitchen. The counters are standard (she’s got a big family and most are average height). But she is very short. So she had a stylish custom rolling stepstool built that allows her to scoot around and work comfortably anywhere she needs to – at the sink, stovetop or counter.

Cabinets: Lower cabinets are typically 24 inches deep at minimum. If you have a small galley kitchen like me, there is not enough counter space to house large appliances like mixers, blenders, slow cookers and coffee makers. These items are stored underneath and taken out when needed. Surely it strains the lower back to constantly bend down and lug out heavy pots or appliances. In today’s kitchens, many lower cabinets are made up of drawers deep enough to hold large and heavy items. Having these installed can help to alleviate the strain of crouching down and lifting. (If you do have to bend and lift, remember the essential rule: bend at the knees!)

Upper kitchen cabinets typically begin at 4 ½ feet high and extend upwards about 30 inches. They’re about 12 inches deep. Such standard measurements make the entire cabinet accessible for average size people. If this is too tall for you, you may find yourself stretching and straining much of the time. We have many patients who insist they threw their back out reaching for a can on an upper shelf. If your cabinets are too high for you, use a stepstool or some type of grabbing tool to get things down without stretching too much.

Design: Ergonomic principles apply to kitchen design as well, with the “triangle” principle being the most important. This means the three most-used parts of the kitchen are closely and comfortably related. These are the sink (cleaning/preparation), stove/oven (cooking), and refrigerator (storage). Well-designed placement of these sites assures maximum efficiency with minimal traffic. This allows for smooth workflow and reduces possible injury. If these sites are too close, you can be cramped and have nowhere to work. If too far apart, you waste many steps getting from one point to another.

The same “triangle” principle applies to a galley kitchen. The three key worksites are close, in an equilateral triangle if possible. One worksite on one wall should be centred roughly between the two worksites on the opposite wall. The hinges of the refrigerator should be on the outside of the triangle, allowing the door to open from the centre of the triangle.

Living Spaces
Furniture should be proportionate to the room, and each piece should be proportionate to another. This is aesthetically appealing, but more importantly, you want to reduce the possibility of tripping, hitting your hip, or having to awkwardly navigate through rooms.

There should be a clear path for walking. In a den or living room, there should be about 18 inches between a coffee table and sofa/chairs.

Sofa seats are 16 to 18 inches from the floor, a standard height that is relatively easy to sit down in and get out of. Dining chairs are a bit higher, with the seat at 18-20 inches, for the same reasons. Take time when you are shopping for chairs and sofas. A comfy low sofa may actually be difficult to sit in and rise from. A handsome chair may not give you the back support you need. Think about how you will live with and in furniture, not just how it will look in your home.

Around the Home
In general, the business of running a home is complex. Many tasks have to be done that involve weightlifting (laundry), moving heavy objects (furniture), bending and stretching, twisting, even wrestling (getting slippery kids in and out of the tub). There are things you can do to ease your “chores”.

  • Have furniture and counters that are at comfortable heights for you. Simple things like food preparation, folding laundry, or washing in the washroom can become straining if not the right “fit”.
  • Make sure there is appropriate space between stations in the kitchen, home office or workshop so that you can move and work comfortably and with ease.
  • Have cabinetry and shelving built and arranged so you can store and retrieve oft-used items with ease.
  • If your laundry room is on a different floor than the bedrooms, consider installing a laundry chute. You won’t have to lug heavy baskets downstairs; clean clothes can be brought up in small piles.
  • Tools and gadgets you use regularly, everything from the vacuum to a can opener, should make your tasks easier, not harder. Shop around for items that work well, will little effort from you, and are the right size for you.

You’d be surprised at how small changes in the home can make a big difference in your health. Take time to evaluate your home’s living spaces and work spaces. If you notice that you are straining or having to move awkwardly to accomplish anything, it’s time to make improvements. In an ideal world, people should not be experiencing a bulging or herniated disc, or sciatica because they pivoted wrong or reached too far to get something.

If you have been suffering with back pain or neck pain, schedule your free consultation at Back Clinics of Canada. You may be a candidate for non-surgical Spinal Decompression. This is a non-invasive, non-surgical, drug-free treatment that is providing relief to thousands of back pain sufferers.

You deserve a pain-free life!