Quick question before you read on: how are you sitting right now? Are you slouched on the bed with a phone close to your face? Leaning forward with your neck bent? Freeze, and take a look at yourself. We will come back to that picture in a minute.
In this post:
- What “ergonomics” means
- How to sit at a computer, from your head down to your feet
- Why breaks matter
- An activity, a posture check with a partner and a short quiz
What is ergonomics?
Ergonomics is about setting up the things we use (chairs, desks, screens, keyboards) so that they fit our bodies, and not the other way around. When your computer area is set up well, you can work for longer without aches and pains.
Posture just means the position you hold your body in. Good posture at the computer keeps your back, neck, wrists and eyes happy.
Sit right: head to toe
Look at the drawing below. Can you find each of the points in the list?
Image source: File:Computer Workstation Variables cleanup.png (Wikimedia Commons)
- Eyes and screen: the top of the screen should be at about eye level, and the screen roughly an arm’s length away. You should not have to tilt your head up or down to see it.
- Neck and shoulders: keep your head balanced over your shoulders, not poking forward. Let your shoulders relax.
- Elbows: keep them close to your sides and bent at about a right angle (90°).
- Wrists: keep them straight and floating over the keyboard, not bent up or down.
- Back: sit all the way back in the chair so it supports your lower back. No slouching!
- Knees: bent at about 90°, roughly level with your hips.
- Feet: flat on the floor. If your feet do not reach (common in Form 1!), rest them on a footrest, a box or a thick book.
Using a laptop, tablet or phone? The same ideas apply. Try not to bend your neck down for a long time. Hold the device up a bit higher, prop a tablet on a stand, or use a laptop on a table rather than on your lap.
Watch: setting up a desk for young people
In this short video, a physical therapist shows how to set up a desk and chair for a young person. As you watch, count how many of the points from our list she mentions.
Video: Ergonomics for Kids – Hospital for Special Surgery – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9cLANZypok
Take breaks!
Even perfect posture gets tiring if you never move. Get into these habits:
- The 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (6 metres) away for 20 seconds. Your eyes will thank you.
- Move about: stand up, stretch and walk around for a few minutes at least once an hour.
- Blink: we blink less when staring at screens, so remind yourself to blink.
Activity: Sit right or ouch?
Try it: Sit right or ouch?
Drag each card into the correct box. On a phone or tablet, tap a card and then tap the box. Click “Check my sorting” when you are done.
Sit right ✔
Ouch! ✘
Class activity: posture partners
Work in pairs at the computers. One person sits at a workstation while the partner uses the checklist below to check them, then you swap. Be kind: tell your partner one thing they did well and one thing to fix.
| Check | Yes / Not yet |
|---|---|
| Feet flat on the floor (or on a footrest) | |
| Knees at about 90° | |
| Back supported by the chair | |
| Elbows at about 90°, shoulders relaxed | |
| Wrists straight | |
| Screen at eye level, about an arm’s length away |
Posture photo hunt (optional homework): with permission, take a photo of someone in your family using a computer or phone (or draw one). Use the checklist to mark what is good and what could be better, and bring it to class.
Self-check quiz
Self-check quiz
Click the best answer. You get feedback straight away; only your first click counts towards your score.
1. What does “ergonomics” mean?
2. Where should the top of your screen be?
3. Your feet do not reach the floor when you sit at the computer. What should you do?
4. How should your wrists be while you type?
5. What is the 20-20-20 rule?
Related posts on islandclass.org
- Ergonomics – fuller notes with a numbered diagram of correct sitting posture
- Ergonomics – Accessing Content on 21st Century ICT – how to find the ergonomics lesson in the 21st Century ICT app
- Introduction, Ergonomics (live class) 2025-09-11_11-28-23 – recording of our Form 1 class on ergonomics
Next: Computer Hazards: How Screens and Devices Can Hurt You.
Syllabus link: Forms 1–3 ICT curriculum, Module 1, Objective 1.1 – demonstrate correct body posture when using computers.
Attributions to media used in this post:
- Computer Workstation Variables cleanup.png – Yamavu – CC0 1.0 (via Wikimedia Commons), a cleaned-up version of a public-domain drawing
- Video: Ergonomics for Kids – Hospital for Special Surgery (YouTube)
Updates
2026/10/21
– Fixed the activity code so its buttons keep working.
© 2026 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved.