Volume 3. No 3
Information Technology News of the University of California, Davis Spring 1995
Information Technology News of the University of California, Davis Spring 1995
If your work causes you physical pain or leaves you wiped out by the end of the day, a few simple adjustments in your workstation or work habits may be all that's needed to solve the problem. But don't neglect the bigger picture. What you eat, whether you get enough exercise, whether you smoke, all contribute to how your body handles work and to how you feel by five o'clock.
That's the message from Janet Ford of Environmental Health and Safety whose job it is to advise UCD departments and individual employees on how to avoid the aches and pains and fatigue that result from not observing sound ergonomic principles.
For those of us who work at computers, Ford offers one piece of comforting news - that the dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome so often suspected as the culprit in computer-related injuries actually turns up infrequently and is most often linked to other risk factors: women are much more prone to carpel tunnel syndrome than men, for example, with hormones, thyroid problems, smoking, and genetics all playing a role.
Usually pain in the hand and wrist that develops after prolonged work at the computer results from simple tendonitis, says Ford. Tendonitis, meaning simply an inflamed tendon, is caused by activities that strain the tendon beyond capacity, such as strong exertion, unnatural positioning, or repetitive movement. A tendon works like a bike cable, moving back and forth inside a sheath, says Ford, who is a Physical Therapist and who also holds a Master's degree in Biomechanics.
"If a small injury develops and you ignore it, the inflammation can spread along the length of the sheath. The lesson is, back off the activity and get treatment right away, not two months later. Your body can handle most of these injuries if you address the problem early, " says Ford.
"The bottom line is, it's not just how you sit at your computer, it's your whole attitude toward health and well being that's going to make or break the situation. "
For departments wanting to know how to set up or adjust workstations ergonomically, or for individuals having problems, Ford will come out and give a 45-minute presentation or offer specific problem-solving advice. Often simple adjustments can make a big difference. A few years ago several of the employees of one campus department began complaining of aches and fatigue soon after receiving new computer furniture. They called Ford, who came out and discovered that the furniture company had installed all of the furniture at the same height.
These days a big problem among campus computer users is mice - that is, increased use of the mouse as more and more people switch over to Microsoft Windows. The difficulty is that existing workstations often have no room to accommodate a mouse next to the keyboard where it belongs, so workers end up improvising a spot farther away. That's bad for two reasons, says Ford. "If you have to reach for the mouse, that can cause you to manipulate the mouse mainly from the wrist instead of distributing the movement over the whole arm, and reaching out causes "the shoulder to round forward, leading to soreness and fatigue of the arm and shoulder.
All of that can be solved by just moving the mouse to a new location, " says Ford.
And scoot in close to the keyboard -- 50 percent of people reach out too far, says Ford. "Figure out why you want to sit so far back. Maybe the monitor is too close. Try moving the monitor back, but sit closer to the keyboard. Your elbows should be at your side, along your seamline. "
As Ford points out, it is the university's responsibility is to provide proper equipment and a proper work environment and training. "But it's the responsibility of the person to keep themselves healthy, to utilize equipment properly, and take breaks. People forget about that part, " Ford says.
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