There are many things that we readily recognize as having a high risk of physical damage, such as skiing, mountain biking, or white water rafting. Unfortunately most people still do not recognize the physical risks of having a poorly set-up computer workstation. So in this month’s tech article, we are going to take a look at something called ergonomics and office safety, to help avoid these risks.

The definition of ergonomics is the practice of setting up equipment in such a way as to minimize the fatigue of the operator. This may seem unimportant, but when you use a computer regularly (as many do in an online school) an improper set-up can cause severe injuries over time. These include Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Astigmatism, Computer Vision Syndrome, Ulnar Neuropathy at the Elbow, wrist tendonitis, low back pain, Lateral or Medial Epicondylitis, and Trapezius Myalgia. I have no idea what that last one is, but it sounds scary, right? So let's find out how to avoid it.

Workspace Set-up

The key to a good workspace is to reduce the amount of strain on your body, and to minimize the amount of time spent in awkward positions. I will go through the various basic pieces of computer equipment and provide some advice for the configuration of each. The logical place to start is with the one item that you use all the time, your chair.

Chair
You should be able to sit comfortably in the chair, using as much of the chair back as possible for support. The lumbar support should fit comfortably into the small of your back, and your feet should be flat on the ground. The seat should support your legs without applying pressure to the back of your knees.

Tips for seating:

• Make sure your head is balanced. If it is off-center for extended periods of time it will cause neck strain and headaches
• Wrists should be level with forearms
• Make sure your feet rest flat on the floor, and ahead of your knees
• Your body should be slightly reclined, as your back is well supported in this position and there is minimal pressure on your lumbar disc

Monitor
Your monitor should be horizontally centered in front of you, as this is where you will be looking most of the time. If is off-center you will find your neck becoming strained from staying twisted for extended periods of time, and the top of the screen should be level with your eyes. Again, this is to keep your head properly balanced. The brightness of your monitor should always match the brightness of the area behind it to avoid eye strain. This is why working on a computer in the dark is not a good idea, as your eyes will very quickly become fatigued causing discomfort and headaches.

Desk
A normal desk top is a comfortable height for writing, but not for keyboard and mouse use. The best is to have a pull out tray for your mouse and keyboard at a comfortable height. As a general guide your wrists should be about as high as your elbows.

Keyboard
The keyboard should be just above the level of your lap, so that your elbows stay open at a 90 degree angle or more. This prevents nerve compression which leads to sore wrists and arms. Also you should make sure that your wrists stay in line with your arms and aren't bent up or down.

Tips for Typing:

• Use light touch when typing. Don't hit the keys any harder than you have to. The tendons from your fingers connect near your elbow and if you put to much stress on them it can cause pain and inflammation.
• Keep your shoulders relaxed and elbows at your side

With a properly configured workspace you are well on your way to healthier computing, but there are a number of ergonomically friendly products you may be interested in. The most common are ergonomic keyboards, which have a split down the middle so that each half points out slightly to reduce the angle that your wrists have to turn. These are available at any computer or office store. You can also find almost any ergonomic product in existence at this website: www.ergopro.com

Mark Larratt
Tech Support
mlarratt@onlineschool.ca