Is your home comfortable? Are the furniture of the house comfortable for each member of the family? Are the materials the most appropriate? Below, we bring you some tips that Healthy Housing has shared to improve the ergonomics of the house and take care of the health of our loved ones(I.e.

HOW TO IMPROVE THE ERGONOMICS OF THE HOUSE?

First, what is ergonomics? ¿ how can affect our health? When we select a piece of furniture, we usually think about design, comfort or price, without looking at whether that furniture is the most suitable for rest and if it will not generate long-term health problems. This is what ergonomics works for!

Ergonomics, according to the Spanish Association of Ergonomics, is the series of multidisciplinary knowledge that take into account the adequacy of artificial systems, products and environments for the limitations, needs and characteristics of users; thus optimizing the security, efficiency and well-being of the person.

The adaptation of the furniture of a home to the personal conditions of each of the family members is a very important issue, mainly because it allows us to gain health and quality of life.

What happens if the furniture in our home does not ensure our well-being and safety? It can bring consequences to our health. That is why it is so important to take into account Healthy Housing guidelines to choose our furniture.

THE ERGONOMIC FURNITURE

It is very common to run into homes where there are certain designations of chairs and armchairs specific to each family member … And this, although many think it makes no sense, has its logic, as the physiognomy of each member makes the design ideal for each resting place is completely different.

ERGONOMICS AND MATERIALS

The coupling and permanent deformations of mattresses and sofas to the person who uses them the most, or those of greater weight, occur due to a poor selection of the filling materials. In numerous occasions we try to avoid this deformity by selecting hard materials, which prevents the adaptation to the body of the individual at the time of use, causing damages to the health of the user. And we have the other end in the example discussed above, where the original state of the furniture cannot be recovered after use.

What is the most advisable material for mattresses and sofas? For all this, the most recommended material, although a little more expensive, are feather fillings, or a combination of these with other materials.

Why feather fillings? Mainly because they can adapt perfectly to the user who uses it and the ability to fully recover its original state.

ERGONOMICS AND SIZES, HEIGHTS AND DISTANCES

Another problem that we face during a search for furniture is found when selecting heights, sizes and distances. This happens because we can find a family unit in which the components have very different anthropometric characteristics.

If we know that on the sofa the kidneys have to be protected by the backrest, that an individual’s hip should not be lower than the knees and that the armrest should be located at the elbow height, it is true that we will not be able to meet these characteristics for all family members. That is why ideally they have adjustable structures or individualize at least rest or reading chairs.

ERGONOMICS IN KITCHEN FURNITURE

The same goes for kitchen furniture. Working standing with a very high or very low worktop, forces us to assume wrong postures that, in the long run, can greatly affect our health. Therefore, to improve ergonomics it is recommended that the height of the kitchen counter is modified according to the characteristics and requirements of the user.

Are you thinking of changing the furniture in your home? Do not forget aspects as important as ergonomics. We recommend that you take into account the guidelines of Healthy Housing to improve the ergonomics of the house, your rest and health depend on it!