What A Pain!
Ergonomics 101
Did you know your office can be hazardous to your health? Whilesitting at adesk staring at a computer for eight hours straight maynot be as dangerous as,say, cleaning up toxic waste, poorlydesigned office space can still leave youhurting at the end of theday. And, in addition to the pain, computer-relatedinjuries canseriously decrease your productivity at a critical time inthedevelopment of your business. We asked Chris Grant, whose F-1Ergonomics in AnnArbor, Michigan, provides ergonomics consulting tobusinesses, about the fourmost common office-related injuries,their causes and what you can do toprevent them.
Eye, eye: Eyestrain symptoms include burning, tightness,sharp pains,watering, blurring, headaches and even double vision.There are many causes,including the flickering of old or dying CRT(cathode-ray tube) monitors andolder, single-tube fluorescentlights, as well as the reflected glare fromcomputer screens. Butmost eyestrain comes from focusing closely on CRT screensor printedmaterials for long periods of time. To give your eyes a rest,Grantsuggests following the "20/20 rule"--every 20minutes, look 20 feet away for 20seconds.
Pain in the neck: "The muscles in your upper backand neck can handlelooking down for long periods of time, buteventually, your muscles have towork harder and harder to hold yourhead up," Grant says. "[At some point,]just lookingstraight ahead from a seated position can cause neck pain."Ifyou're having neck pain, try lowering your monitor; youshould be lookingslightly downward.
Talk back: Contrary to what ergonomic chair makers say,Grant contends,it's not where you sit but for how long thatcauses back pain. "Sitting putsyour hips at a right angle,which can stretch muscles and ligaments in theback." Accordingto Grant, preventing back pain doesn't require a fancyexerciseregimen. Simply get up and move around frequently. One tip: Putyourphone across the room so you'll have to get up to answerit.
Wristy business: Painful, tingling, numb or cold handscould be warningsigns of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), which occurswhen swollen tissue in thewrist pinches nerves. In an officesetting, CTS is usually caused by too muchtyping, mousing orhandwriting without a break, but Grant warns nerves can alsobecomeinflamed by habitually resting your wrist on something hardorsharp--even the edge of a foam mouse pad. The key to CTSprevention isawareness: Take frequent breaks, and consult with ahealth professional if youshow any CTS symptoms, Grant advises.Ergonomic mice and keyboards thatencourage natural typing andclicking positions can also help.
