Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: ergonomic, health, technology | Themes: Desktop Computers
6. All Things in Moderation
How much is too much? If you’re still reading this article, I’m guessing that you log in a lot of hours in front of a computer—and probably multiple computers. We have them at home, in the office, and on the road. Depending on how you want to define “computer,” you might argue that we even have them in our pockets now. All entail staring at a screen and keeping our hands and several body parts in a somewhat fixed orientation, whether or not that orientation is relaxed and healthy. In short sessions, computer use is obviously harmless, but when exactly does it cross over into being a risk? When does much become too much?
“I don't think there is a general rule for that, since the pain acceptance is different for everyone,” Sylvain Sauvage, ergonomic and usability specialist at Logitech, said. “What experts recommend is to stop, take a break, get up, and walk around a couple times every hour or as soon as a stress, numbness, or weakness is felt in the body—arm, wrist, hand, neck, or back. Recent studies have shown such a pause can significantly reduce stress and therefore improve productivity. ‘Too much’ would be as soon as you feel this strain on the body.”
“That's a bit of a tricky question,” Microsoft’s in-house ergonomist, Dr. Dan Odell, said. “Because a lot of it depends on the particulars of you, your workstation, and how you measure time spent on the computer. But, given all of that, one large epidemiological study run in Denmark suggested keeping mouse and keyboard use below 20 to 25 hours per week. They found an increased risk of new forearm pain associated with use of a keyboard more than 15 hours per week and a mouse device more than 30 hours per week. They also emphasized the mouse use is more important than keyboard use in developing pain, which is one of the reasons that we emphasized designing our Natural mouse to compliment our Natural keyboard line.”
All right, we’ve beat around the back long enough, and that’s a fair segue. You now know enough to target a proper chair and desk. You know the warning signs to watch for in excessive use. Let’s get into talking about some PC peripherals, shall we?
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I've been using an ergonomic keyboard and mouse pretty much as long as I've been using computers and have never had hand pains, so ergonomic things do work... if you let them. Changing equipment alone often isn't enough to completely offset RSIs. You need to relax your grip on the mouse a bit and improve your posture as well. Keeping your wrists off the desk is a small thing and an easy habit to get into - but it goes a long way.
Great read, lots of good stuff that I've been pondering recently. One interesting point is that while the ideal method of keeping your body in check when long-term computing is to get up every our and stretch. But who really does that, especially on a crunch? Heck, I don't even do that for gaming!
One other thing: for the guitar, I never found my hands hurt from the constant simultaneous movement, and I can play just about every song on Expert level. If anything, that exercise strengthened my left hand significantly, to where it's more adept at certain things than my right hand. My finger movements are even different, and I'm right handed!
That said, just this last week I was diagnosed with overused muscles in my right wrist due to too much gaming and computer time. My right hand is in constant pain from it, and while I have games to review and articles to write (one of which I should be doing now for TG), even pinching hurts because of this overuse. My doctor said I should have my hand in a splinter and my arm in a sling, but there's no typing or gaming in such conditions.
And with the holidays around the corner...well, sometime this week my health will become a bigger priority than my work. And I'm not the only one with such predicaments.
I've also used an MS natural keyboard ever since I bought my first computer. 20 years ago I took a computer class and was using the straight normal keyboard and right away felt my wrists lock up. 5 years after, I buy my first computer and the natural keyboard with it. Good bye pain.
I have Carpol Tunnel Syndrome and pinched nerves in my neck. Definately a good idea to be precautious and take care of yourself. Though I find the prescriptions interesting.
would like to share with you a very unique keyboard from A4Tech
they have some special keyboards with the keys cut into an "A" shape.
It really gives a relaxing feeling when typing, can't describe it.
would be nice to see some of em' in one of tom's reviews.
"Then your body replaces that with stronger, more flexible tissue."
Are you serious?!? That's why atheletes who snap tendons come back and play better than ever (SARCASM!)
I appreciate the section on ergonomics - they're very important and basic measures go a long way to decrease injuries - but I draw the line with chiropractors.
The good "doctor" on his website believes his back manipulation will fix your bacterial ear infection or that back manipulation will fix your asthma. Some of my favourites:
http://www.quackwatch.com/search/w [...] iropractor
Hope that the author got a decent back-rub for linking Brian Rueben's website.
Correction: Leonie Smith and the University of Stellenbosch is in South Africa, not New Zealand. This is also clearly visible from the thesis PDF.
I've got some pretty nasty nerve damage from playing games in terrible positions. Mostly, I use to lean on my elbows. Unfortunately my ulnar nerve has been damaged from years of incorrect resting. Now my fingers don't work so well, I get a lot of strange pains and I can't play computers games or play the guitar anymore.
My advice: Don't rest on your elbows anymore! Armchairs with elbow rest are evil, terrible things. Be careful.
A very good summary of RSI and the dangers of technology. As a long term RSI sufferer (13+ years now) I can vouch for the pain that this condition causes. I literally had to give up my career in CAD/engineering because of an RSI condition. We are literally going to see (are seeing?) an epidemic of RSI conditions break out unless we get the message about the dangers of RSI out there. This article is a step in the right direction. Its about time that the general public is made aware of the dangers of not just computer use, but all high tech gadgetry use/overuse. With the younger generation having been brought up with technology as part of their lives from a very early stage, we could be looking at a wide variety of injuries at a much younger age in the future.
With regards to wrist angle at a keyboard, please refer to my articles on the subject on my RSI website -
Forearm extensors and wrist angle -
http://www.ergomatters.co.uk/blog/ [...] n-and-rsi/
Lateral wrist deviation and RSI -
http://www.ergomatters.co.uk/blog/ [...] e-and-rsi/
Correction: Leonie Smith and the University of Stellenbosch is in South Africa, not New Zealand. This is also clearly visible from the thesis PDF.
Fixed. Thanks for the heads-up!
I've been using all manner of keyboards, from the Acorn Electron all the way up to a standard laptop keyboard and mouse. No problem. No RSI.
I'm in I.T. so do use them ALL the darn time
Try not to give people something to moan about.
I agree with "Anonymous 11/03/2009 2:49 AM"
The section on ergonomics is good and it is important to look at your work environment and its potential affect on your body, but I too draw the line with chiropractors. You can do your own research, but a reasonable summary is the Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiro [...] ence_basis
It is far from a proven science and not something I would glibly recommend as a solution to the ergonomics problem...
I've been using all manner of keyboards, from the Acorn Electron all the way up to a standard laptop keyboard and mouse. No problem. No RSI.I'm in I.T. so do use them ALL the darn timeTry not to give people something to moan about.
I've known a lot of people with cancer. Never had it myself, though...yet.
I've known a lot of people with cancer. Never had it myself, though...yet.
Just because we've been lucky enough not to have had an ailment outselves doesn't mean it isn't real for others or that we can't take prudent action to avoid contracting the problem in the future.