If two heads are better than one, then what's better than that? A sweater with two necks? Actually, three heads is probably the answer, although I can't imagine how you'd get through the door. Three heads, or at least three sciences, are what have been put together to make the science of ergonomics.

By examining each of these specialties you can see how seamlessly they fit together to create the school of evidence and thought which tells us the best ways to sit, play, and work. Ergonomics is Greek for the "laws of work", so it makes sense why these understandings have combined to change the way we do things in our employment and beyond.

The Body As A Whole

Anatomy is the science of the body and all its hundreds of parts. From organs and tissue to muscles and tendons, anatomy is the science we look to help us know where things are and how they function. Anatomy is used in ergonomics to show how the posture and way we do things affects our individual muscles and bones. The anatomy of the spine shows what happens when incorrect pressure is put on it, and the muscles of the neck reveal how their tension can lead to headaches, eye strain and cranial-facial tingling and nerve damage. Anatomy is where ergonomic designers begin when they look for a better chair or way to sit.

The Body In Motion

Physiology, often the dancing partner of anatomy, is the science of the body's most kinesthetic form, movement. It is a science that studies the effects of movement on the body and how bodies create energy to move and work. Repetitive motion injuries are often the focus of study in physiology which has developed an understanding of what happens to the body when the same movement is undertaking, and what can be done to prevent damage before it begins. Physiology also helps engineers design chairs desks and keyboard to work with the body's flow of energy and reduce the stress on the joints and muscles of the wrists and arms.

The Mind And The Body

Psychology also plays in important role in the collaborative theories of ergonomics. By understanding how human beings process information, make and change habits and the mindset they use as they work, psychology helps designers and occupational therapists develop methods and instructions to get workers to use their body more correctly. Organization psychology, which studies how people function together as a group with a common goal, is often used in ergonomic development to predict how workers can respond and adapt to changes in the physical and physiological work environment. The hardest part of getting a work place to work with ergonomic efficiency is getting the people to change how they do things. Psychologists help with that process in invaluable ways.

Ergonomics did not just burst on the scene when people started complaining of sore wrists. Design engineers have been using this unique science for decades to assist them in making the work place better for all of us.