Four out of five Americans have back pain. Many others suffer from migraines, sore fingers, wrists and stiff necks. The price tag for not addressing the problem is staggering: according to government statistics, the cost to employers is $15-20 billion, and the cost to employees and entrepreneurs is paid in pain, discomfort and lost productivity. The problem is so severe that in mid-February the Clinton administration announced plans to draft ergonomic standards.

Poor ergonomics is the cause of all this pain and lowered performance but it isn't a necessary part of office life. There are many simple steps you can take to change the ergonomics of your office and greatly improve health and productivity for you and your staff.

Ergonomics is the science of adapting work and working conditions to suit the worker, rather than forcing workers to adapt to the design of machines and office furniture. It makes sense, right? But it isn't as easy as you might think.

Why not use whatever office furniture is available? We are all of varying heights and weights, with varying leg and arm lengths and different hand sizes. Using one-size-fits-all office furniture is like having everyone do the same exercise program without taking into consideration individual health histories, past injuries, current condition or goals. Yet, that is often what we do. No wonder so many of us end up stiff, sore and achy!

You can implement small changes in your office environment that will make a big difference, reducing distraction and pain and increasing energy and effectiveness. To start, examine your workplace environment. Evaluate the layout of your desk and materials. Do you have an uncomfortable or awkward reach for frequently used items? How is your lighting, noise and temperature?

Before you make any changes to your environment, you should know these fundamentals of good posture at a sitting workstation with a video display terminal:

1. Elbows bent at a 90° angle while using keyboard or writing, upper arm and elbow pointing toward floor.

2. Hips as far back on chair as possible and bent at a 90° angle.

3. Ears, shoulders and hips line up vertically

4. Wrists are straight (most of us work with our wrists deviated).

5. Knees bent at a 90° angle.

6. Feet are supported (with your knees at the same height as your hips).

7. Video display terminal at a proper viewing distance. (Jutting your head forward to see the screen better is a definite sign of trouble.)

8. Adequate thigh and leg clearance.

9. Your reach for frequently used resources should be easy and comfortable. (No awkward stretching required.)

Your chair is the most important piece of furniture in your workspace. Various seated postures and activities can double the disk pressure you experience when you're standing. Most of the injuries related to office furniture and environment occur to the upper and lower back. Repetitive strain injuries (RSI) develop over a long period of time and are the result of repetitive stress on the soft tissues of the body The lower back undergoes continued pressure from sitting. If you experience nagging back pain, your chair may be one of the significantly contributing factors.

Your lighting is also very important. Ensure you have enough light to perform your tasks, that there is no glare on your monitor and your resources are placed close enough to view/read easily If there are windows in your office, control the amount of light that shines in through your peripheral or direct vision. (I get migraines from even short periods of bright light shining in the comer of my eyes while I'm working.)

Other important questions to ask are:

· Do you have headsets for the phones so no one is cocking and twisting their necks into awkward positions?

· Can you and do you control the temperature in your work environment?

· Do you hear loud or nagging low-volume noises throughout the day, but ignore them?

· Do you eat smart, exercise regularly for short amounts of time, stretch throughout the day, drink plenty of water and get adequate sleep?

I have taken ergonomics seriously enough to finally invest in something I have wanted for years--a hydraulic desk. I can now sit or stand while working, listening to my body and energy level. It’s so freeing.

Leo Tolstoy wrote all 1,400 pages of War and Peace standing up! He must have instinctively known that the least amount of pressure is exerted on our backs while we stand.

There are so many factors we can’t control in our daily lives. It’s important to take charge of those things we can. Don’t ignore the problem until you or your staff members are in the doctor’s office!

For more information on improving your office ergonomics, see the book, Creating an Ergonomically .Sound Workeplace by Lee T. Ostrom. It provides checklists, guidelines, assessment forms and specific recommendations for making those small choices that will make a big difference for you or your staff.

CyberStretch by Jazzercise is an innovative ergonomic computer program designed to reduce the risk of repetitive stress injuries. In the form of a screen saver, it guides you through stretch breaks that are designed to reduce muscle tension, stress and the risk of RSIs. Call (888) 79-STRETCH.

For phone headsets: Headset Discounters (800) 450-7686 or Hello Direct: www. hellodirect.com

CALL US: 888.LIF.WALK

Kate is a senior partner with CLC, Inc.