Office workers rarely view their workplace as a health hazard. After all, we’re not climbing roofs on a construction site, fighting fires, or doing anything
we consider remotely dangerous to our physical health. Yet constant computer
work can cause health hazards and repetitive strain injuries—carpal tunnel, tendonitis, and chronic back pain among them—and these conditions affect more than our office lives.
When it comes to your computer, position your monitor at or slightly below eye
level and directly in front of you, not in an odd corner. Pushing your computer
into the corner causes unnecessary rotation of your head, says Kramer. Next,
place your keyboard and mouse at a height that allows your arms to form a
slightly greater than ninety degree angle at the elbows and keeps your wrists
straight and parallel to the floor. You can accomplish this step by adjusting
your chair height or installing an articulating keyboard tray.
Finally, invest in a headset or use your speakerphone. Constantly cradling the
phone between your head and shoulder prevents you from keeping an upright
position and eventually leads to neck pain.
Stop Reaching
“Everything you do should be front and center and within your personal space,” says Abrams. “That goes for the computer, the telephone, and even the suitcase you are putting
into the car.” To avoid back, neck, and elbow pain—now known as mouser’s elbow—place your keyboard and mouse in a position that lets you type and use the mouse
with your elbows placed at your sides. A good rule is to situate frequently
used items within eighteen to twenty-eight inches of your eyes, says Kramer.
Take Care of Your Eyes
Spending long hours staring at a computer screen or cash register can strain and
fatigue your eyes.
Improve your lighting conditions by investing in a task light for any
non-computer work; there’s no need to read reports using the light cast from your screen or a dull
overhead bulb. Also, orient your workstation to reduce daytime glare or make
use of your window blinds. Finally, you can reduce eye fatigue by taking
frequent breaks and by looking away from your computer to a distant object
every twenty minutes or so.
Get Moving
By nature, humans are not sedentary creatures, and yet many of us sit in one
position all day. You can drastically improve your workplace health by changing
positions and moving whenever possible. Sit, stand, walk, or pace while you
work when possible. And always take time to stretch.
Plentiful online videos and Web sites outline appropriate stretches for office
workers, but you can also make do on your own. Simply remember Abrams’s rule about stretching: “When you stretch, you should do the opposite of what you were doing,” she says. “So, if you were sitting with your hips flexed, you should be doing something with your hips extended. If
you’ve been sitting hunched over, you need to stretch back. That is the basic
premise of a stretch.” Written by Ashley Gartland.
