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Ergonomics
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HELP!
My {wrist/thumb/arm/neck/back...} hurts!
ERGONOMICS:
- The applied science of equipment design, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort. Also called biotechnology, human engineering, human factors engineering.
- The study of the design and arrangement of equipment so that
people will interact with the equipment in healthy, comfortable, and efficient manner. As related to computer equipment, ergonomics is concerned with such factors as the physical design of the keyboard, screens, and related hardware, and the manner in which people interact with these hardware devices.
From www.dictionary.com
It's important to realize that everybody is unique -- especially when
it comes to ergonomics -- and what works for one person may be
completely wrong for another. Also, any adjustment you make for
one problem will probably have a downside in some other area, and
you'll need to understand the trade-offs, and continue to address them
until you arrive at a workable solution. Below is information, advice, and links that will help you understand the issues involved, and to apply the right solutions for your particular situation.
General Advice
From
RSI Information by Cassidy Curtis
- Act quickly. If you are experiencing any pain that seems
to be related to working at a desk or computer, you should
immediately seek advice from your doctor or a
professional trained in diagnosing and treating these types of
problems. The sooner you correct any problems, the better
chance you'll have of avoiding serious injury. It's very hard
to come back, once you've pushed yourself too far.
- Maintain good posture. Consult the references below for
pictures and descriptions of good typing posture.
- Stretch and exercise your fingers, wrists, arms,
shoulders, and back. Do this as often as humanly possible.
Again, see the references for exercises and stretches to try.
- Take frequent breaks. Every five minutes, look away from
the screen, take your hands off the keyboard, and stretch or
just relax for a moment. Every twenty minutes or so, get up and
walk around.
- Don't work through pain. If you do something that causes
pain, just stop what you're doing, and don't start again until
the pain is gone. If this happens so often that you are not
getting your work done, take time off and go see a doctor
immediately. Pain is one of the later signs of RSI,
which means that some damage has already been done.
- Waste no effort. It's amazing how much energy you can
spend scrolling up and down to read a document. Be creative--
try to minimize the amount of typing and mousing you need to do
to accomplish a task. You could even print out a hard copy and
read that instead.
- Reduce stress. RSI is all about having too much strain on
a particular muscle or tendon. Reducing your overall stress
level can literally reduce the strain on every part of your
body.
- Be patient. RSI is usually the result of years of
constant abuse, and it does not go away overnight. It can take
many months to recover from such damage. Be persistent, and
give your treatment time to work.
- Educate yourself about this very complex topic. This is
probably the most important thing you can do. EH&S
is a good place to start. The web is also a tremendous
source of information on the topic.
Starting Your Quest for Relief
There are, of course, many, many resources available on the web. Here
are just a few to get you started...
Simple Steps
There are number of very simple things you can do to adjust your
environment. But be very careful about opting for fancy
hardware; some may be helpful, but many devices can be very harmful.
- Check the height of your monitor: The top of your screen should be at or slightly below eye-level.
- Use a wrist rest: Your wrists should "drape" slightly, not bend upwards. If you need a wrist rest, stop by the CSE reception desk and ask to have one ordered for you.
- Remember to take frequent breaks; stretch; take a short walk.
Please don't delay! These problems are MUCH easier to deal with early!
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Computer Science & Engineering
University of Washington
Box 352350
Seattle, WA 98195-2350
(206) 543-1695 voice, (206) 543-2969 FAX
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