Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Ergonomic Tips

At the Office
Rest your hands frequently, especially when any tingling, numbness, pain, cramping, etc. occurs.
Try and control your mouse with the lightest possible grip.
Rest your palms, not your wrist, on a wrist-rest or the desktop.
When using a keyboard/mouse, your hands should be even or slightly lower than your elbows. An adjustable keyboard tray mounted under the desktop may be necessary.
Keep your hands in-line with your forearms as much as possible, not bent in/out or up/down at the wrist.
Rest your elbows on your chair's armrests and adjust them so the weight of your arms is supported by the armrests, not supported by your shoulders.
Use a foot rest if your feet aren't flat on the floor.
The top of your monitor should be about eye level so you aren't bending your neck up or too far down.
Sit upright so your head is above your shoulders. Don't slouch forward.
Take frequent breaks and do stretching exercises to replenish blood flow which is restricted by continuous muscle use, especially involving your hands.
Alter your posture from time to time but keep within the guidelines of correct sitting most of the time.
Sit so the natural hollow stays in your lower back. A good adjustable chair should allow this.
Position your monitor and keyboard in front of you, not to the side.
Use larger barreled pens (1/2"+ diameter) to make them easier to grasp.
Don't wear wrist splints for extended periods during the day. Some muscles may atrophy.
Don't type with long fingernails.
Cut back or discontinue the use of tobacco products.
source-thehelpinghand.com

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