How many hours a day do you spend at a computer? How
many days a year? How many years of your life? For someone
starting work at twenty years old & retiring at sixty,
that’s over 60,000 hours sitting at desk, that's not
including time sitting in the car or at home .
We can see how important it is to ensure that we are sitting
with the least strain on our body and this means ensuring
that our workstation is set up as ergonomically as possible.
The goal of ergonomics is to make work more comfortable
and to improve both health and productivity. Many ergonomic
problems can be fixed by rearranging, adjusting or modifying
existing furniture and tools.
One of the easiest to follow guidelines for any office set
up is
Officewise - A guide to health and safety in the office
Developed by the Ergonomics Unit Victorian WorkCover Authority.
Officewise is available as a download from www.ergonomicsnow.com.au/ergonomics/Officewise_v2.pdf
Most computer users remain unaware of the problems caused
by poor posture or workstation design. Generally, people
don't exercise or take breaks, which puts extra strain on
the musculoskeletal system, making them candidates for computer
related injury.
Working
in ergonomically designed workplaces or using ergonomically
designed products can reduce the stress and excessive physical
demands we place on our body, thereby reducing the likelihood
of computer related soft tissue injuries.
Ideal computer workstations should include appropriate lighting,
a 90-degree angle at the elbows with the wrists naturally
extended from the forearm when using the keyboard and mouse,
height-adjustable chairs providing firm lower back support,
an appropriate mouse pad placed adjacent to the keyboard
to prevent the need for reaching and a document holder attached
to the side of the monitor to prevent neck strain.
Even when everything is set up correctly, sitting at a desk
for most of the day can still take a toll on our body, especially
if we do not get up
regularly.
Ideally getting up from our seat approximately once an hour
for filing,
getting a glass of water, discussing projects with colleagues
etc and then refreshing our posture when we sit down again
is a good practice to help avoid strain. There are software
packages available that remind us to take breaks & even
show some basic stretches, such as RSIGuard, available from
www.stretchnow.com.au.
To help avoid soft tissue strains we can actively take mini
breaks to
stretch, these can easily be incorporated into our day,
helping to keep us flexible and pain free.
The following are some creative examples. They need to be
practiced
regularly to have a lasting effect.
When making a Phone call
For
example after each phone call, do one of the neck exercises
on our Neck
Exercises Page each exercise takes
only a few seconds to complete. You could try standing up
to answer the phone to give your back a break from sitting.
Stand up straight shoulders back, roll your shoulders back
after the call see the Shoulder
Exercises page.
The exercises have no effect if we just read about them,
they only become useful and effective when we actually do
them.
The Photocopy Machine
Here's another great opportunity,
place your hands shoulder width apart on the photocopier,
walk your feet back until your body is parallel to the floor,
arms fully extended, with your feet directly under your
hips, creating a right angle between your body and legs.
Draw your thighs up, reach back with your sitting bones
and stretch your arms.
As with all exercise, you need to listen to your body, keep
the back of the neck and spine lengthened and the rib cage
lifted.
The
Tea Room
Here
you have the opportunity to stretch that bit more while
the tea is brewing or the water boiling. Stand up straight
put your hands by your side and raise your arms out to the
side till they are at shoulder height, palms down. Now keeping
the arms straight turn the palms so they are facing upwards.
Alternate a few times with palms facing down then facing
up.
Driving to and from Work
Many of us spend 30 minutes plus driving to work each day
and our car seat can have a negative effect on our posture
by not supporting our lower back.
Try an experiment, sit up straight in the car, do you need
any postural
support? Does the car seat fully support you? A small pillow
may be all that is necessary to give your back the support
it needs and to make a world of difference to how your back
and shoulders feel.
Happy stretching!!
Stretch
Now - Yoga & wellness training in the workplace
Ergonomics
Now - Ergonomic training & assessment in the workplace
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