hm, timely post. I've been considering a keyboard tray. How is it mounted to the desk? I have pretty thin Ikea desk and I'm not sure how deep a screw could go into it.
What model is that? It's often hard to figure out why I should go with one or another.
Re: Humanscale I've only have good experiences. They make very nice chairs and I used to use a monitor arm of theirs which was one of the nicer pieces of hardware that I think it's ever owned.
MsKeyboard has an equivalent product for less at Fentek.
The HumanScale platform appears to be very similar to the 3M AKT180LE Tray
http://www.fentek-ind.com/keyboardtrey.htm (http://www.fentek-ind.com/keyboardtrey.htm)
I got mine from a local ergo store and I love it. It has a sit to stand feature that lets me raise the keyboard to a height so I can type while standing if my back starts getting stiff.
Just be aware that I think they actually have the photo for the AKT180LE and AKT150LE models reversed. I have the AKT180LE and it looks almost the same as your HumanScale platform, except the mousing platform isn't round and the tray is wide enough to very comfortably fit a 104-key.
But I think we need to approach ergonomics a bit differently. There are times when we want to relax, have our butts and backs supported, etc, but if we sit at the computers most of the day in the most supportive/ergonomic stuff, our muscles atrophy very quickly and this leads to it's own set of discomforts (and weight gain). (I also don't like arch supports for this reason).
If you raise your desk a few inches and perch on a Humanscale Freedom Saddle stool (backless), it's actually pretty good for your back. The raised height of the stool allows the thigh to torso angle to open up a bit and makes it a lot easier to balance upright without back support (but still takes a week or two to get used to using the stabilizer muscles which have atrophied from sitting in chairs). You could get a kneeling chair and not have to raise your desk, but your knees will suffer and you lose some mobility. I think the Humanscale mentioned is probably best with the medium height cylinder (slight upcharge).These are good chairs under the right circumstances, but the problem with seating that's designed to shift weight bearing to your legs is that they aren't very flexible in that you can only sit in them one or two ways properly. Most people fatigue and need many ways of using their chairs to relieve pressure points and shift postural load to other muscle groups.
If I had to choose only 1 position, I'd definitely stand all day, but switching it up is even better.
Raise your desks, and think Diffriently!
I should have put a smiley after the raise your desks bit.It's not a bad idea though. It's just that there's no solution to the problems caused by prolonged static postures whether they're from sitting or standing.
I didn't mean that we shouldn't use good supportive chairs, just that we should give our muscles a bit of use too. Nor did I mean that you should never slouch, just that sitting up is much easier on a higher stool of some kind than at typical chair height.Yep, not using your muscles is a huge no-no, but properly designed ergonomic chairs should actually encourage you to use your muscles when you can. Most ergnomic chairs these days are designed to allow you to sit at different points depending on how much support you want.
I don't have the article handy, but I recall a study in which it was found that even people who exercised regularly with reasonable intensity where still more likely to carry some extra body weight if they sat down for long stretches of the day, presumably having to do with a metabolic depression caused by (relative) inactivity. This seems to match my personal experience.And I could be exhibit B on that myself. ;)
Forcing yourself to maintain "proper" posture is, IMO, often more harmful than slouching a bit, and I totally agree about switching it up.It shouldn't be, but in practical application you're probably close to the truth because very few people understand what proper posture is. To most people, sitting up straight means to keep your back arched as much as possible, which is bad.
Nice keyboard tray by the way!
No brand. I'm cheap.
I don't know about the trays buddy, but I want their chairs.
Well, if you REALLY want to think differently I have a custom leather Soundseat (http://www.soundseat.com/aboutsoundseat.html) for guitar.
Not quite this Country.Show Image(http://www.soundseat.com/slides/2-001.jpg)
Awesome drum thrones. Although I liked it better when they were all printed with Wideass like on the bottom of this one.
I use a Steelcase Leap for the computer though.Show Image(http://www.my-officechairs.com/_images/ergonomic_office_chairs/steelcase_leap_office_chairs.jpg)
I should have put a smiley after the raise your desks bit.
I didn't mean that we shouldn't use good supportive chairs, just that we should give our muscles a bit of use too. Nor did I mean that you should never slouch, just that sitting up is much easier on a higher stool of some kind than at typical chair height.
When I stand, I shift my legs around, prop one up, bop and dance around (when no one's looking), am more inclined to walk around and do non-computer related things than if I had been sitting, and generally feel more alert. I very much enjoy taking perching or sitting breaks also.
I don't have the article handy, but I recall a study in which it was found that even people who exercised regularly with reasonable intensity where still more likely to carry some extra body weight if they sat down for long stretches of the day, presumably having to do with a metabolic depression caused by (relative) inactivity. This seems to match my personal experience.
Forcing yourself to maintain "proper" posture is, IMO, often more harmful than slouching a bit, and I totally agree about switching it up.
Nice keyboard tray by the way!
I use mesh chairs:Show Image(http://www.officechairsforless.com/images/P/3716.jpg)
They're so nice; especially allowing your spine to poke through the back.. ahhhhh...
That's not a bad chair and I looked at the widely popular Herman Miller Aeron lineup. But I found that I would feel the junction btwn the mesh and the border......especially under my legs and that it would become uncomfortable after a while.
I think the umbrella is so birds CAN'T **** on you while you try to blow them out of the air...
http://somaergo.com/content/chairs/somaform.shtml
Originally thinking this was going to have split keyboard mounted to the armrests. They have a chair order form where you build you entire chair. EVERYTHING is customizable. Every part has a choice.
It is true that it is far better (at least for men) to sit on a lightly padded hard surface as opposed to a super soft cushy seat for many hours at a time.
Citation?Show Image(http://www.techmynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/ultarageek.jpg)
[Also posted to the Computer Setup thread]
Sorry for the delay hyperlinked....
OK, here's my sit-stand desk. I only got this a few weeks ago, so it's a bit of a work in progress.... The table base is a Mayline Varitask (craigslist find), the top is from an office table I already had, and I added the casters to add some height (though I've found the mobility quite convenient).Show Image(http://neuron0.net/varitask/desk-low.jpg)Show Image(http://neuron0.net/varitask/desk-high.jpg)
With casters it goes from 28"-42.5" (26-40.5 without).
I've been meaning to write an article about standing and sit-stand workstations, alternative seating, etc, in which I'll explain in a bit better detail why I think higher seating (when backless) really does make a difference, and a bunch of other stuff. It'll probably be several weeks before I get around to it.
I still think you would benefit from an adjustable keyboard tray/rotating mouse setup. Much less stress on the neck/shoulders.
If the desk adjusts, it really makes the keyboard tray less of a necessity unless he needs a writing surface at the same time as he needs a typing surface. He has the monitor on a "riser" so that the screen is at a better height even after accounting for the need to slightly shorten the table height for typing.
Well, yeah, but right now the edge of the table acts as a wrist pad. Or a forearm pad. I'd much rather have the keyboard in my lap and my shoulders in a completely relaxed position with my elbows supported.
Much of this came from my work under a microscope for extended periods of time. And not everyone can move from sitting to standing back to sitting.
Frankly, a lot of what I do for ergonomics has to do with fighting my own bad habits. For example, until very recently I would rest my wrists on the table *while* typing. I now have the keyboard near the front to force myself to "hover" while typing. I don't use the table as a pad at all....
I don't think I'll personally do the keyboard tray thing for the time being
I just put it back in the tower (and raised the monitor stand)
You guys have definitely made me consider getter a better *sit-down* chair (I have an old low-end Steelcase now) sometime....
FWIW, when I used to have very bad back problems, I found that bicycling (in a tucked, racing position) *really* strengthened my back muscles and helped in very short time.