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Many people would think of computing as an activity without risk. However, more and more of us
are becoming aware of cumulative trauma disorders or CTDs. CTDs for computer users include
carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, sore neck and sore backs. These injuries are not mere
nuisances. They can cause severe pain, lost workdays, and result in surgery.
Ergonomists stress proper posture as a way to avoid problems while working at your computer.
Easy steps to follow are:
- Make sure your forearm and wrist are parallel to the ground. The hand should be straight
in relation to the forearm, not flexed up or down. Keeping your hands in this position puts
less pressure on the nerves and tendons passing through your wrist, thus avoiding
irritation. You can accomplish this by adjusting the height of your chair until your forearms
and hands are in the right posture. A good wrist rest will insure that your hands will not flex. - Your eyes should be level with the top of the monitor. This will insure that your head and
neck are in a more natural position. Your head and neck should not be too far forward or
backward. Use phone books or reams of paper to make the adjustment. - Feet should be flat on the floor. If they do not touch the floor or if you tend to use the base
of the chair to rest your feet, a footrest should be used. A footrest also can be used to
push you back into the chair providing more back support. - Your body should be open. All joints should be greater than 90.
- Your monitor should be directly in front of you. You should not be twisting your body left or
right in order to work at your computer.
As stated above, wrist rests and footrests can be used to keep you in the right posture. Also,
adjustable keyboard trays can be used to give you more flexibility while positioning your arms
and hands. A document stand can hold papers so that you do not have to constantly twist your
neck to read from a document. The seat height, back, and arms of your chair should all adjust so
that you may achieve the proper posture.
For more information on computer injuries or more detailed information on setting up your
workstation, consult WorkSafe Products’ web site www.wsergo.com. Also, you may call us for that
information or a catalog of our products if you do not have a connection to the web.
1236 Dielman Industrial Ct.
St. Louis, MO 63132
(314) 872-9022 eengler@sbcglobal.net
(314) 872-3267 fax www.wsergo.com
