Everybody's Got an Angle

Ergonomics - the applied science of equipment design. There are many misconceptions  about this word and the science that supports it. Well I have been working with or on computers for almost 40 years. In that time I have learned that ergonomics makes a huge difference in your ability to work and still feel good.

Ergonomics Can Really Help

All of you out there blogging away for years typically spend several hours a day sitting at a desk and working on your computer.  Did you ever stop and  look at how you are sitting at your computer? The angle of your arms? The angle of your neck? How moving the mouse may impact your shoulder? Where are your feet? Are your forearms parallel to the ground? There are many different parts of the body that are impacted based on how you sit at your computer station. 

Laptops have not helped the situation. Many people now use laptops at their desk without any changes and work on them for many hours at a time. Look at how your wrists are bent when you are trying to type. Does that look or feel natural? Do your arms or wrists hurt after a session on your computer? 

Take  Care of Yourself 

Isn't it time for you to take on the responsibility to take care of yourself? There are many things you can do this year that will make a tremendous difference in making you feel better and protecting yourself from self inflicted pains ranging from headaches and body aches to surgery. While still debated, one of the concerns with all this computer use is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS.) There is a debate whether there is a link or not but there is some great information out there that supports the link.  In the USA, carpal tunnel syndrome results in an average of $30,000 in lifetime costs. This simply reflects the financial impact and not the physical one.  

My suggestions for helping yourself this year in an ergonomic way is to first read this blog by Chris Adams. My investments this year are to upgrade my lighting and chair. I would also add to this a trackball rather than a mouse. The reason for this is personal but my be beneficial for others to be aware. The constant moving utilizing my shoulder when I use a mouse really left me with shoulder pain. When I switched begrudgingly to a trackball (it took about 1-2 days to get comfortable with using) my shoulder pain disappeared. Now my thumb hurts (just kidding my thumbs are  fine.) The trackball made a huge difference for me and i have never looked back.

Take the time to read the Chris Adam's blog and see what you can afford to upgrade over the next year if it makes sense for you. When you make these changes and work for at least one full week in these upgraded conditions, you will start to wonder why you didn't do this years ago. Remember the the arm you save could be your own.