In this position the arms, shoulders, neck and back can relax, especially
during brief rest pauses. Also, in this slightly reclined sitting position the
low back rests against the lumbar support of the chair, the elbow angle is
opened to promote circulation to the lower arm and hand, the abdominal angle,
and the popliteal angle (behind the knees) are opened to promote blood
circulation. The feet rest firmly upon the floor. Looking-Monitor Optical glass
glare filters on computer monitors can reduce health and vision problems related
to computer glare and help boost productivity in computer users, according to a
new Cornell University study. After using a glass anti-glare filter, the
percentage of problems related to tiredness, trouble focusing eyes,
itching/watery eyes and dry eyes was half what they were before filter use. This
was true for people, who use computer monitors all day at work, said ergonomist
Alan Hedge, who is the professor of design and environmental analysis and
director of the Human Factors Laboratory at Cornell University. Also, 80 percent
of users reported that the filters made it easier to read their screens, and
more than half said that the filters helped their productivity. We can now
conclude that anti glare filters are a must in a safe workstation.
Scrolling-Mouse The following tips should avoid a mouse-related injury.
The same posture principles apply to other input devices (e.g. trackball,
pen, etc.). Mouse Grip - don't throttle your mouse, hold the mouse gently to
move it over a surface. Mouse from the Elbow - don't skate or flick the mouse
with your wrist. Make controlled movements using your elbow as the pivot point
and keep your wrist straight. Optimal Mouse position- sit back in your chair,
relax your arms then lift your hand up, pivoting at the elbow, until your hand
is just above elbow level. Your mouse should be positioned somewhere around this
point. With a flat mouse platform, position this above the keyboard and over the
numeric keypad if you are right handed - you can easily move it out of the way
if you need to access these keys. Protect your wrist - if you look at the wrist
it is curved away from any contact surface. The forearm is shaped liked this for
the wrist to remain free of surface pressure. Avoid restricting circulation -
For many people there are exposed blood vessels near the skin at the wrist,
which is where the pulse is often taken. Any pressure in this region will
disrupt circulation into the hand and this will increase the risks of injury.
Avoid Restricting Arm Movement - with a softly padded wrist rest, especially one
that is rounded, or a soft chair arm rest the forearm becomes locked into
position and this encourages people to make mouse movements by flicking the
wrist, which also increases pressure. Mouse shape - choose a mouse design that
fits your hand but is as flat as possible to reduce wrist extension. Don't use a
curved mouse. Use a symmetrically shaped mouse. Consider a larger mouse, such as
the Whale mouse, that encourage arm rather than wrist movements. Load sharing -
if you want to load share between your right and left hands, that is using the
mouse for some of the time with each hand. For this you need to choose a mouse
platform that can easily be configured to the left or/and right, and a
symmetrical shaped mouse that can be used by either hand. Stretching and Breaks
The body was designed to perform a variety of tasks while actively using
muscles. Sustained muscle activity robs the muscles of life giving blood flow.
It is very important to actively stretch during breaks to flush out toxins that
build up in the muscles that were used for sustained posture. The following body
areas typically need stretching or relaxation exercises after computer use:
Neck Hands and Wrists Upper Back and Shoulders Lower Back Eyes Legs
Stretching should always be performed gently using controlled movements! If you
experience any pain or discomfort, discontinue the exercise and consult a
qualified health professional immediately! http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/
http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/ergonomics/index.html http://members.aol.com/rdergo2/wsetup.htm
http://www.safetyoffice.uwaterloo.ca/hspm/documents/office_ergo/ergo/vdt.html
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