Ergonomics is a huge field potentially incorporating many sciences, a huge number of processes, and nearly every tool and object used by humans. The basis idea is simple, although biotechnologists might have you believe otherwise.

Ergonomics is simply the application of science to the tools we use and the systems within which we work. The goals are the same across the board: to make our physical environment more comfortable and less stressful on the body, to improve efficiency, and to produce a high level of quality.

While ergonomics seems like a recent buzzword, the concept is anything but-there is evidence that the Greeks were working on streamlining their work spaces as early as the 5th century BC.

The word itself first appeared in the mid-19th century and was applied to certain jobs such as coal mining and bricklaying in order to find what tools allowed a job to be done quickly and most productively, and to determine which steps of a task might possibly be eliminated or rearranged.

Today, we are more likely to hear the word applied to office spaces, as so many humans have been relegated to that type of environment. There have been many studies done to determine the proper angle at which your hands should align when typing on a computer keyboard, the best height for the armrests, and how to sit to avoid back and neck strain. A lot of it is common sense, but it has resulted in some pretty cool office chairs and work stations!

If you spend a lot of time at home or at work planted in front of a computer, an ergonomic office chair is an investment you might wish to consider. Whether you realize it or not, a chair that is wrong for your body can be causing you fatigue and putting undue stress on your back, neck, and circulatory system. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that you have more energy, feel better, and are more productive in the long run.