-
Correct typing technique
and posture, the right equipment setup, and good work habits are much more
important for prevention than ergonomic gadgets like split keyboards or
wrist rests.
Figure
1 shows proper posture at the computer. (
Emerging
research suggests that a monitor position lower and farther away may
be better. See these
illustrated guidelines which are significantly different from Figure
1.) Note that the chair and keyboard are set so that the thighs and
forearms are level (or sloping slightly down away from the body), and that
the wrists are straight and level - not bent far down or way back. If
the table is too high to permit this, you may do better to put the keyboard
in your lap. Also note that the typist is sitting straight, not slouching,
and does not have to stretch forward to reach the keys or read the screen.
Anything that creates awkward reaches or angles in the body will create
problems. Please note that even a "perfect" posture may result in problems
if it is held rigidly for long periods of time: relax, MOVE and
shift positions frequently. - Here are some GIF animations of some stretches you can do, courtesy of David Brown(1)& the New Zealand Occupational Safety and Health Service. -> #1 , #2 , #3 , #4 , #5 , #6 , #7 , #8 , #9 , #10 . (Don't do these at the speed displayed. Easy does it.) Notice that several stretches involve the neck & shoulders, which have more involvement with typing injuries than you might imagine. From the same source, here's some still pictures of exercises/stretches to do. #1 , #2 , #3 , #4 , #5 . Better yet, see photos of stretches at the University of Virginia, or download a desk stretch poster in PDF formatfrom Shelter Publications, who have an excellent new book of stretches for computer/desk workers. From the same authors are these on-line stretches. Text files discussing stretches are here and here .
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Hold the mouse lightly, don't
grip it hard or squeeze it. Place the pointing device where you don't have
to reach up or over very far to use it; close to the keyboard is best.
Better yet: learn and use keyboard equivalent commands
- Keep your arms & hands warm. Cold muscles & tendons are at much greater risk for overuse injuries, and many offices are over-air-conditioned.
- Eliminate unnecessary computer usage. No amount of ergonomic changes, fancy keyboards, or exercises are going to help if you are simply typing more than your body can handle. Don't try to be the fastest, most powerful hacker around - the cost is too high. Also: is there recreational computer use you can reduce? Can some of your electronic mail messages be replaced by telephone calls or conversations in person? And lose the computer/video games . . . which often involve long, unbroken sessions of very tense keyboard or controller use. If nothing else, PAUSE the game every 3 - 4 minutes. Don't sacrifice your hands to a game! For more on games, read "Do Video Games Screw you up?"
- Consider voice recognition. Software that allows computer control or full voice dictation is becoming more powerful and less expensive. A good place to check into this is Susan Fulton's Computing Out Loud page. However, it's also possible to seriously injure your voice through overuse/misuse just as quickly as your hands, so don't consider this a "magic fix". Some tips for healthy voice computing from Berkeley Voice Solutions, and Susan Fulton advises being a slack jaw . . . The mother of all computer speech sites is the comp.speech FAQ Web site, and you can access the Voice-Users mailing list info here.
- Evaluate other activities. Problems may be caused or aggravated by other things you do frequently. Sports, carrying children, hobbies requiring intense small work (like knitting), and excess effort/tension in other daily things may have enormous impact too.
- DON'T TUCK THE TELEPHONE BETWEEN YOUR SHOULDER AND EAR so that you can type and talk on the phone at the same time. This common procedure is very aggravating for your neck, shoulders, and arms.
- TAKE CARE OF YOUR EYES. "Computer Vision Syndrome" is also a related, widespread problem that should be addressed at the same time you are setting up your computer for healthier use. See these articles from The Mayo Clinic , CV Consulting, and Lutron.
- PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY. Pain is your body yelling that it's in big trouble, but learning what is comfortable or awkward for your body before you're in pain may prevent injury. "Physical re-education" through The Feldenkrais Method®, T'ai Chi, yoga, The Alexander Technique , stretching, or dance classes all may be helpful.
Text content of this page is Copyright © 1996 Paul Marxhausen