Minimizing office injuries and fatigue.

• Position: Ergonomic tips for arranging work areas

Is your work area ergonomically correct? It is if it is arranged in a way that maximizes good body mechanics and minimizes risk of fatigue or injury, indicates Rob Streeck, director of the Musculoskeletal Exercise therapy and Ergonomics Programs, Ochsner Center for Occupational Health, New Orleans, La. Proper arrangement of your work station is the key to avoiding injuries. Begin with a visual assessment of the area and make changes that are tailored to your needs.

* Start with a 90[degrees] angle rule. "This means your chair's height allows for your thighs and knees to be flexed at a 90[degrees] angle. That can be accomplished by raising or lowering your chair or using a foot rest." Improper knee height causes you to slump over. Knees positioned too low results in the weight of your legs pulling forward and also a tendency to pull your hips forward.

* Provide lumbar support. The chair's back should have a slight roll where the lumbar spine is, to help maintain that curve while you are sitting. "When you sit with correct posture, your back goes in at the base of the spine. Without the support, after sitting for long periods of time, your back tends to curve into a C shape and your shoulders roll forward."

* Many computer users are guilty of incorrect positioning of equipment. Proper keyboard height means that your upper arms and forearms...