Kitchen Ergonomics

Bend...Stretch...Twist...Turn...Duck...Reach...

This is you, making dinner.

The kitchen is typically the most used room in any house. And an efficient kitchen is typically a key point in having a happy life. If you do not believe me, try living with a poorly laid out kitchen and watch your quality of life plummet.

How to make Your Kitchen Efficient?

Kitchen Work Triangle: The 3 points of the kitchen work triangle are: Refrigerator, Sink & Stove. The sink, is located either adjacent to or across from the cooking surface & refrigerator.

Counter Design & Layout:

• Make sure that your kitchen includes a working counter near the stove for dishes waiting to be cooked or those fresh out of the oven.
• Provide for counter space close to the sink.
• Proper counter height reduces excessive forward bending & shoulder elevation. For most activities, the work surface should be slightly below elbow height. Work requiring force, such as kneading bread, rolling dough, or cutting bones, should be done on a surface that is below elbow height.

Floors:

• A cushioned floor surface such as cork or linoleum is best, and it minimizes breakage when things are dropped.
• If the floor is hard, such as tile, use anti-fatigue mats or cushioned rugs.

Lighting: Every work surface should be well illuminated.

Reaching:

• Minimize reaching by organizing your kitchen so that most cooking processes can be completed while keeping your elbows close to your body.
• Place most commonly used tools within easy reach.
• Assemble all ingredients and utensils needed before cooking near the work center, similar to preparing a lab for an experiment.
• Hang pots and pans on racks on walls. Use accessories such as corner shelves or racks which can be hung on rods. Another economical way is to use ‘S’ hooks to hang pans & other utensils.
• Use a step stool to avoid reaching above shoulder height.

Storage: 

• For floor-level storage space, opt for drawers rather than cupboards. This way, you won’t need to bend over to look for whatever is stuck at the back of a cupboard. Whatever drawer units you select, go for the ones with self-closing glides.
• Opt for "Flip" Over Cabinets as the door flips up, rather than to the side, avoiding twisting & double maneuvers.
• Store frequently used accessories in the top drawers just beneath the counter or on the bottom shelf of the cupboards just above the counter. The remaining accessories can then be stored based on how often they’re used, with those used least often on the highest or lowest levels.
• Make sure the range hood is at least 60 centimetres high so that you won’t bump your head.

Electrical Outlets: You can run a channel of outlets below your upper cabinets. This way anytime you need to plug something in, you just reach up and plug it in, from wherever you are standing — no need to lug appliances around.

Working in your Kitchen:

Consider keeping items at waist level or maximum till shoulder height to avoid excessive bending, stooping or reaching. 

• It is more comfortable to sit to perform some tasks than to spend hours standing in the kitchen. W have observed that when most people sit on a stool, they sit balanced, & practice better posture.
• Washing Dishes: There are three things you can do. First, renovate your kitchen and make the sink higher. Two, wash up in a bowl on top of the platform, or three, stand with your feet well apart on a non-slip mat, so you become shorter. 
• When accessing storage below the platform, bend down using your knees instead of the back.
• If you must use a step stool, get one with a bar to hold on to. Never use a chair as a step stool.

Note:

• If you're buying a standard refrigerator, designs with the freezer on the bottom are best, with most commonly used foods on the top shelf for easy access.
• Think carefully about whether or not to buy a dishwasher. Packing and unpacking them can cause back pain too.

The kitchen is full of potential sources of strains, repetitive motion, force, and awkward posture, especially if you are a “non-standard” sized person or if you have already overworked certain body parts during the day at work. By coupling ergonomically designed appliances and fixtures with careful planning, working in your kitchen can become a pleasure.


If you have any tips which have helped in the kitchen, we would love to hear them!