 It's surprising how the time mounts up when you're working
at a computer - whether you're surfing the net, hammering
out a proposal or conquering the latest & greatest
game. If you spend hours sitting at your computer and
your environment isn't set-up properly you can find yourself
with an aching neck, back or shoulders or worse yet a
repetitive stress injury. Constant repetition of
almost any movement can ultimately cause pain or discomfort.
Unless you take steps to avoid it, almost anyone, from
factory workers to musicians, can find themselves with
some form of repetitive strain injury. It is well
established that long periods of intensive keyboarding
can cause severe, and sometimes even permanent, damage
to the shoulders, arms or hands. This is particularly
likely perhaps for data entry operators, transcription
typists, etc. but it's also known for academics and computer
professionals. Symptoms can include:
- Tightness, discomfort,
stiffness, or pain in the hands, wrists, fingers,
forearms, or elbows.
- Tingling, coldness, or
numbness in the hands.
- Clumsiness or loss of
strength and coordination in the hands.
- Pain that wakes you up
at night.
- Feeling a need to massage
your hands, wrists, and arms.
If you have any of these
symptoms see a doctor, who may refer you to a specialist.
You should also, of course, check out your workplace
set-up.
Ergonomics is defined as the study of the human body
at work. These types of time and motion studies
are used to improve people's productivity and health.
One of the key elements of ergonomics is environmental
factors. Office ergonomics shows us that how we
design our computing environment and how we interface
with it has an immediate impact on productivity and
health. With a few guidelines regarding the do's
and don'ts you can design an appropriate workspace.
A comfortable and efficient posture along with a balance
of movements is the answer.
The first step in designing your own ergonomic computing
space begins with your posture. Once you have
established a comfortable and efficient posture, you
can begin to consider balancing your movements and breaking
up the lengths of time you spend at your computer.
Correct posture means sitting up straight and adjusting
your chair so that your feet rest flat on the floor.
The backrest should support the arch of your back.
With your chair adjusted, check your desk height by
placing your hands on the keyboard. Your upper
arms and forearms should form a 90-degree angle, with
your hands in alignment with your forearms. Your
eyes should be level with the top of the screen.
Arrange your workspace into zones to minimize the distance
and frequency with which you need to reach for things.
Consider the position of your desk tools so repetitive
tasks do not require awkward positions or forceful exertions.
When you are not typing use a palm or wrist rest rather
than rest your arms along the hard desk edge.
The most serious repetitive strain injuries to the upper
body (arms, hands, shoulders, and neck) are often the
result of keyboards and mice. These injuries are
far easier to prevent than cure. Here are some
suggestions to further reduce your risks:
- Use a light touch when
pressing the keys or holding the mouse.
- Don't restrict the positioning
of your keyboard, monitor or mouse because of their
cable lengths. Cable extensions are inexpensive
and will allow you to position your equipment where
you need it.
- Position your mouse close
to the keyboard to reduce reaching from the shoulder.
- Learn the keystrokes for
repetitive program commands, this is faster than the
mouse.
- If you use the mouse more
than the keyboard (for example, graphical programs),
position the mouse in front of you with the keyboard
slightly to one side.
- Place your monitor 18-24
inches away from your eyes.
- You should also learn
to break up the time you spend working at your computer.
Be sure to take a 10-minute exercise break once an
hour, repeating each of these exercises five to 10
times:
- Relax your neck by turning
your head slowly from side to side.
- Alternate tucking in your
chin and releasing it.
- Open your chest by stretching
your arms out to the side and then raising and lowering
them.
- Lace your fingers behind
your head and pull your shoulder blades together;
hold for a few seconds, and release.
- Stretch and flex your
fingers at the joints and knuckles.
- Simply get up and walk
around.
There are also various ergonomically
designed input devices (mice, keyboards, trackballs,
etc.) on the market to help you increase your comfort
level. Some devices that you may want to consider
are:
Fixed-angle, split keyboard designs are actually split
or spaced with a separate section for the left and right
hands, created in an effort to reduce musculoskeletal
strain for some users.
Wireless keyboards and keyboards with built-in pointing
devices (trackballs).
Wireless mice (whether desktop or handheld) and mice
of varying shapes and sizes.
Trackballs are an alternative-pointing device manipulated
with your fingers rather than your palm.
Touch pad systems are yet another method for moving
the pointer by sliding a stylus or finger over a flat
pressure sensitive pad.
Hardware manufacturers disclaim any health benefits
from the use of these modified devices, often saying
only that the product is designed for comfort.
Most importantly, what may work ergonomically for you,
may not work for another person. So, with these
ideas in mind, think about designing your own ergonomic
computing space.
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