Do you remember the old saw about how computers would change our lives for the better? We'd have more time to ourselves and lead healthier, happier lives. The truth is computers do make processing information lightening fast. It's just that today, we have so much more information to process and so many more distractions that the computer, via the Internet, has brought into our lives.
The bottom line? Today we spend more time operating a computer (for fun and for profit) than on any other single pastime save for maybe sleeping. And if you're a heavy computer user like me, even sleep takes a back seat to computer use every now and then.
There are health hazards to continual computer use. Personally I've suffered from back and shoulder pain, eye strain and numbness in my fingers. I've even had to deal with stiff joints and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. None of this was any fun.
But I did learn a few things important enough to pass along to you today. Here are some things you can do right now to reduce or eliminate stress on our body while operating your computer.
The Concept of Neutral Body Positioning
Consider a comfortable working posture with a natural alignment of all your joints from head to toe. This method of neutral positioning helps you reduce the stress and strain on your muscles, tendons, and skeletal system thus reducing the risks of developing a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD).
Some Quick Tips - Body Posture
Your hands, wrists, and forearms should all be in a row, straight, and almost parallel to the floor.
Your head and torso should be in-line with your head slightly bent forward, facing forward, and balanced.
Your shoulders should be at ease with your upper arms hanging normally at the sides of your body.
Your elbows should be close to your body and bent between 90 and 110 degrees.
Your feet should be either supported by a footrest or should be relaxing on the floor.
While leaning back or sitting in a vertical position, make sure your lower back is fully supported.
Your hips and thighs should be supported by a well-padded seat.
Your knees and hips should be at almost the same height as your feet and slightly forward.
More Tips - Your Work Environment
Readjust your chair and backrest at regular intervals.
Periodically stretch your fingers, hands, arms, and torso.
Your keyboard, monitor, and your posture should be on a straight line to avoid any positional discomforts.
Always adjust your chair so you're looking down at the screen, never up.
Your desktop should be at a convenient height with enough space for your equipment and the day's work.
Your chair should give good back support and allow for height adjustment.
Your keyboard and the mouse mat should have a good wrist-rest.
A document holder placed at the height of your monitor will eliminate neck strain.
Roger Williams is a Web designer and copywriter who spends endless hours on his computer. He has learned through much research how to eliminate the physical stress of heavy computer use.
If you want more health tips for computer users, visit http://www.meandmymouse.com/hc
affordable house cleaning Wilmette ..HTTP ProtocolThe web is run on port 80. You are... Read More
A computer needs a certain amount of information to operate;... Read More
Tip #1. Do a Google search. Don't be to general... Read More
Save money. Save 10-15% on utility bills per month. Work... Read More
Maintaining your computer is extremely important ? especially if you... Read More
Time is money. And when you constantly have to divide... Read More
All over the world, people carry with them walkmans and... Read More
Flash mp3 players come with an exciting array of features,... Read More
On 21 August 2003 Symantec Security Response upgraded the W32.SOBIG.F... Read More
MP3 players are Hot! Playing music has come a long... Read More
Tip #1 -- Rebates: A rebate is not always a... Read More
Each of the items in the checklist below is part... Read More
If you've been kicking around the idea of building your... Read More
The registry is where the computer stores information about the... Read More
With renting methods such as online DVD rental and pay-per-view,... Read More
Plenty! When we made the decision to be our own... Read More
Are you stymied by the vast offerings in cheap mp3... Read More
Those small USB drives have so many names, pocket drives,... Read More
The Internet can be a dangerous place.While you're enjoying the... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
I have always been interested in computers, but in the... Read More
I got my eyes set on a iPod mini, as... Read More
Most people think that all you have to do to... Read More
In this era of Internet, most people are frequent users... Read More
ASR (Automated System Recovery) is a feature available on the... Read More
quick home cleaning Northbrook ..So I'll start from the very beginning.One day I was... Read More
As the Web grows more crowded and just plain "noisy"... Read More
Tip #1 -- Rebates: A rebate is not always a... Read More
For six years, my Samsung PC 13.8 inch SyncMaster conventional... Read More
There are many sources of heat that can raise the... Read More
With a little tweaking and with proper tools, you can... Read More
Understanding digital camera prices makes finding the best camera value... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
Tip #1. Do a Google search. Don't be to general... Read More
Stop Getting LostOne of the greatest uses for a pocket... Read More
I do a holiday letter every year and send them... Read More
I've worked my way from the CCNA to the CCIE,... Read More
Not sure what Windows registry is or how it works?... Read More
Occupational Therapy Made EasierMedical downloads for the pda have improved... Read More
Computers are supposed to speed up our productivity?to help us... Read More
Enhanced Definition Television ? also known as EDTV ? is... Read More
It seems like fast never quite rates fast enough.No matter... Read More
Since the DOS days, batch files have been one of... Read More
The technological horizon has always got something new to offer,... Read More
I have always been interested in computers, but in the... Read More
So you've got some spyware, ad-ware, or viruses on your... Read More
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a protocol that is part... Read More
I have a p3 500MHz PC with 128MB RAM, 10.2... Read More
When you think of a help desk, what do you... Read More
Wouldn't you be shocked to find that your personal sensitive... Read More
Personal Technology |