Everything You Need to Build an Ergonomic Desk Setup

Highlights

• Avoid lifelong pain by adjusting your workstation ergonomically to prevent complications like hunchback posture and carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Choose an ergonomic chair with lumbar support and adjustable height to promote better posture and prevent neck, back, and shoulder pain.
• Keep your monitor at eye level to avoid straining your eyes and hunching over, utilize monitor arms or risers for better height adjustability.

Hunchback posture, back and neck pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome are some of the complications associated with a poorly designed workstation or gaming setup. Spending hours on end hunching over your monitor or stressing your hands and wrists can cause lifelong pain. The good news is that you can avoid most of these complications with a few adjustments to your setup.

Setting up a desk setup ergonomically is not only about buying the most expensive ergonomic chair, but also about understanding how to use it effectively. This includes making necessary adjustments like chair height, spacing, and more and incorporating healthy work habits to maximize comfort and prevent strain. Ideally, your desk setup should position your monitor at eye level, keep your shoulders relaxed and wrists in a neutral position, and offer enough back support to promote a better posture.

The following is everything you need to design an ergonomically correct setup:

An Adjustable Chair With Lumbar Support

Spending all day slouching or craning can lead to pain in the neck, back, and shoulders. You’ll want a chair that provides proper support for your lower back. Ideally, the chair should fit the natural curve of your mid and lower back when sitting in your most comfortable position. This will help promote a better posture and discourage you from slouching.

Next, you should be able to adjust the chair’s height so that your elbows are parallel to the floor with your shoulders completely rested to keep your arms in a neutral position. Getting a height-adjustable chair is important, as many desks have a fixed height. Combining an adjustable chair with a sit-to-stand desk makes it easy to find the correct and ideal sitting position.

If you find your feet hanging on the floor after raising the chair’s height, use a footrest to keep your feet on the floor. A footrest offers additional support to the legs and feet and helps avoid issues like knee pain and swollen ankles. The Secretlab Titan Evo is one of the best ergonomic gaming chairs and one of our favorites here at Game Rant. If your desk sits too high, the ComfiLife Foot Rest will offer additional support for your legs with its comfortable and soft cushions.

• 

  Secretlab Titan Evo

  The Secretlab Titan Evo is one of the most comfortable gaming chairs. It offers solid support for your spine with its L-ADAPT Lumbar System and can be adjusted to fit just about anyone.

• 

  ComfiLife Foot Rest

  The ComfiLife Foot Rest is a soft, comfy underdesk footrest that can help alleviate swollen ankle, knee, and back pain. It offers excellent support for your feet and can fit various desk setups with its adjustable design.

A Monitor Arm or Riser to Keep Your Monitor at a Comfortable Height

If you want to avoid the dreaded hunchback posture, you should adjust your monitor to the correct height so you can read and use your monitor without straining your eyes or crouching over it. Place the monitor within arm’s reach, and adjust its height until the top of the screen is at eye level. You can also add a monitor light bar to protect your eyes when gaming or working at night.

For monitors that don’t have a height-adjustable stand, we recommend picking up a monitor arm or monitor riser to bring your display to eye level. Monitor arms provide a wider range of adjustments, allowing you to raise the height or bring your monitor closer or further away. The North Bayou Desk Mount F80 is a good option. It’s inexpensive, highly adjustable, and supports up to 32-inch monitors. If you’re using a laptop, a height-adjustable laptop stand like the BoYata Laptop Stand will do the trick.

• 

  North Bayou F80 Monitor Arm

  $30 $50 Save $20

  The North Bayou F80 Monitor Arm is a fully articulating monitor arm that lets you adjust your monitor in just about any direction. It’s compatible with monitors up to 32 inches in size and includes both C-clamp or grommet mounts.

• 

  Aothia Large Dual Monitor Stand Riser

  $60 $75 Save $15

  If you want something that will blend in nicely with your desk, this stand riser from Aothia is a perfect option. It can raise your monitor by about four inches from the desk and comes in oak and walnut finishes to match your desk.

• 

  BoYata Laptop Stand

  $27 $40 Save $13

  This adjustable laptop stand from BoYata is perfect for setting a laptop to the ideal viewing and typing position. It has a good range of adjustments and can support heavier gaming laptops with its sturdy metal construction.

An Ergonomic Keyboard and Mouse to Protect Your Wrists

When typing or using a mouse, your forearm and wrist should be in a neutral position to prevent complications like wrist pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. Lifting your wrist or forearm to type or move the mouse can fatigue your muscles and eventually cause prolonged pain. You can make several adjustments to improve your current setup, such as adding a wrist rest for your keyboard and mouse. Additionally, adjusting your chair to the correct height can help maintain a natural hand position.

However, if you want a more permanent and comfortable solution, we recommend investing in a good ergonomic keyboard, like the Logitech Ergo K860. Ergonomic keyboards are designed to promote a comfortable and natural typing posture at all times. The Ergo K860 is one of the best ergonomic keyboards for everyday use and includes a wrist rest for additional forearm support. If you’re a gamer, the Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB is a good alternative. It’s fully split, allowing you to keep your arms shoulder-width apart for the most comfortable gaming experience.

• 

  Logitech Ergo K860

  $120 $130 Save $10

  The Logitech Ergo K860 has a split, raised design to keep your wrist in a natural position when typing. It doesn’t have a long learning curve like fully split keyboards and includes a memory foam wrist rest for additional forearm support.

• 

  Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB

  $199 $219 Save $20

  The Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB is a mechanical keyboard with a fully split design. You can postion your hands as close or far as you like, and has built-in wrist rest for additional comfort.

Building the most ergonomic setup doesn’t end with getting the right equipment. Your behavior matters a lot too. Take a few breaks to stretch your body, take a walk, and practice basic movements that will help keep you fit.

FAQ

Q: What are top 5 ergonomic accessories?

There are different ergonomic equipment you can add to your setup, but the top five include a comfortable chair, height-adjustable desk, ergonomic keyboard, vertical mouse, and monitor stand.

Q: What is the 20/20/20 rule in ergonomics?

The 20/20/20 rule was designed to help prevent screens from stairing at your screen for long periods. It involves taking 20-minute breaks from your screen to stare at an object that’s at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.