Computers

An Athletic Event

Ever consider running a marathon every day? That would take 55,000 strides daily, and your body couldn’t do it. But when you type 60 words a minute, your fingers pound out 21,600 strokes an hour. For your fingers, that’s like running a marathon every two and a half hours! No wonder computer users get some aches and pains.

The Problem

When you work at your computer, small repetitive motions cause minor trauma to delicate muscles and tendons. With prolonged computer use, nerve damage may gradually accumulate. Then you’ve got a problem: a repetitive strain injury (RSI). Even simple activities can become painful. Symptoms may include pain, aching, tingling, fatigue and/or numbness in fingers, hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, back; eyestrain; headache.

What to Do

  • Immediately stop the painful activity (don’t try to “work through it” )
  • Try icing the painful areas, and rest
  • If symptoms persist, see your medical practitioner (prompt treatment often results in full recovery )

Prevention Tips

RSIs are easier to prevent than to cure, so:

  • Use relaxed good posture (don’t hunch your shoulders or sit rigidly – that cramps muscles and knots your neck)
  • Stretch often to relax tight muscles and improve blood flow
  • Take breaks;move around at least every 30 minutes
  • Relax hands, and keep wrists in a neutral position
  • Hold the mouse lightly
  • Alternate thumbs on spacebar
  • Type gently; use as little force as possible
  • Rest your eyes often, and get them checked regularly
  • For a more resilient body, pay attention to your diet, exercise, and keep yourself well hydrated

Your Workstation

You can get important benefits by making some small, low-cost changes. Here’s how:

Your Chair

  • The seat should allow your hips to be level with (or slightly above) your knees; padded, but not too soft
  • Full lower back support is best (if needed, use a pillow or rolled towel)
  • Rest both feet flat on floor (or use a footrest or a stack of telephone books)
  • Don’t rest arms on armrests while typing

Keyboard

  • Position at lap level, or slightly higher
  • Relax shoulders (don’t shrug)
  • Keep upper arms straight down, elbows at 90 degrees, and wrists straight
  • Don’t strain fingers or bend wrists sideways to reach keys (move entire arm along keyboard instead)
  • Use wrist pad only while resting; do not use while typing

Mouse

  • Should be close to keyboard, and fit comfortably in cupped, relaxed hand

Monitor

  • Place between 16” and 28” from your eyes; top of screen should be level with your forehead; eyes looking slightly downward
  • Make sure the monitor is bright enough to match ambient light; avoid reflection, glare, and screen flicker
  • Keep your work at eye level (invest in a page holder)

Laptops

Try to avoid prolonged use, and switch to a full-size monitor and a docking station (or a properly positioned external keyboard connected to your laptop so the laptop monitor can be at eye level whenever possible).

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