Nearly 2.8 million Americans report that they suffer from repetitive stress injuries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, upwards of 60% of all workplace illnesses are related to RSI related. Most of these injuries are due to improper posture, techniques, or improper work stations that cause you to strain or work muscles in a way that causes injuries. Fortunately, most repetitive stress injuries are preventable and require only minor alterations to your normal routine.
Instructions
1. Maintain proper posture by arranging your work station to fit your needs. Adjust your chair to allow you to sit with your feet flat on the floor with your hips level or slightly above the level of your knees. You should have support for your back. If your chair does not have support, use a towel roll for the lower back. Choose a firm chair that provides support for the pelvis. Avoid bucket seats as these allow the pelvis to roll.
2. Position the keyboard so that it is above the thighs. You should be able to reach the keyboard with your forearms parallel to the floor and your elbow bent at a 90 degree angle.
3. Place the monitor 15 to 20 inches from your face at a height that allows you to look straight ahead and rest your eyes on the top 20% of the screen. Avoid positioning monitors to the side or elevated.
4. Place the mouse slightly to the side of the keyboard at the same level as the keyboard. You should not have to stretch or reach to use the mouse.
5. Be sure you are using font size that is big enough to be read easily without hunching forward to read it.
6. Use proper typing techniques. Your hands should not rest on the keyboard. They should be held in a floating position above the keys. Keep your wrists straight and do not bend them while typing.
7. Resist the temptation to stretch for hard to reach keys. Move your entire hand instead. Use two hands for combination keystrokes.
8. Avoid sitting at the computer for prolonged periods. Do your work in sections, if possible. Even a short break to run an errand will provide relief for over worked muscles.
9. Take breaks whenever you feel strain or fatigue in your hands, shoulders, back or wrists. Use break time to shake out tired wrists or take a quick walk to relive muscle tension.
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