Important advice for computer users around the world

[Doctor Asmaa]

Important Advises for Computer User

Computer is used in many fields of our life and it introduce in different jobs as medicine, engineering, teaching and banks, so the proper designs related to the using of computer is used, and these designs are done by the application of ergonomic rules.

1-WORK AREA

The work area should be large enough to accommodate the person, allow the full range of motions involved in performing required tasks, and provide room for the equipment and materials that make up the workstation and,

- Use a headset for lengthy or frequent telephone work.

- Place the items you use most frequently directly in front of you.

- Avoid overcrowding computer work areas.

2-Desks for Computer:

The desks which designed for computer should be comfortable and not cause fatigue to hands and it should include:

- The desktop should be organized so that frequently used objects are close to the user to avoid excessive extended reaching.

- The work surface should have a matte finish to minimize glare or reflections.

- The area underneath the desk should always be clean/uncluttered to accommodate the user’s legs and allow for stretching.

- If a fixed-height desk is used, add a keyboard tray that adjusts vertically to provide added adjustability.

- A footrest should be used if, after adjusting the height of the chair, feet do not rest flat on the floor.

- Use a headset or speaker phone to avoid neck and shoulder discomfort if you use a phone frequently throughout the day.

- Place the phone on the side of your non-dominant hand (i.e., left side if right-handed, right side if left-handed)

- Position your desk lamp (if you use one) so that it illuminates source documents without causing either glare on the computer screen or direct illumination to your eyes.

- A document holder should be used if documents are referred to during keying. The document holder should:

- Be stable and adjustable (height, position, distance, and angle of view).

- Support your document on either side of the monitor.

- Be at the same distance from your eyes as the display screen to avoid frequent changes of focus and you should be able you to look from one to the other without moving your neck or back.

3-Chair Adjustments:

Sitting for long periods of time can cause increased pressure on the intervertebral discs ( the spongy discs between the vertebra). Sitting is also hard on the feet and legs. Gravity tends to pool blood in the legs and feet and create a sluggish return to the heart.

The following recommendations can help increase comfort for computer users:

- "Dynamic sitting", don’t stay in one static position for extended periods of time.

- When performing daily tasks, alternate between sitting and standing or take small walking breaks throughout the day.

- The chair back should have a lumbar support

- Adjust height of backrest to support the natural inward curve of the lower back.

- It may be useful to use a rolled towel, lumbar roll or cushion to support the low back.

- The angle of the back rest is subjective but the trunk and upper legs should form an angle between 90 to 115 degrees.

- Adjust height of chair so feet rest flat on floor

- Sit upright in the chair with the low back against the backrest and the shoulders touching the backrest.

- Thighs should be parallel to the floor and knees at about the same level as the hips.

- Back of knees should not come in direct contact with the edge of the seat pan.

- There should be 2-4 inches between the edge of the seat and the back of the knee

- Arm rests should be removable and the distance between the arm rests should be adjustable.

- Adjust height and/or width of armrests so they allow the user to rest arms at their sides and relax/drop their shoulders while keyboarding.

- Don’t use armrests to slouch. Also, chair arms should not noticeably elevate your shoulders or force you to move your arms away from your body to use them.

- Elbows and lower arms should rest lightly on armrests so as not to cause circulatory or nerve problems.

- Use a footrest when attempts to adjust your chair and the rest of the workstation fail to keep your feet on the ground.

- Ensure that you have some space (2-3") between the top of your thighs and the underside of your workstation.

- Have enough space under your work surface so that you can pull your self all the way up to the edge of the desk with room for your legs and knees to fit comfortably

 

4-MONITOR (screen):

Once the chair and work surface height are properly adjusted, the computer monitor should be placed so the top of the screen is at or just below eye level when seated in an upright position. The following suggestions can help prevent the development of eye strain, neck pain and shoulder fatigue while using your computer workstation:

- Make sure the surface of the viewing screen is clean.

- Adjust brightness and contrast to optimum comfort.

- Position the monitor directly in front of the user to avoid excessive twisting of the neck.

- User must position the monitor at a comfortable viewing distance, approximately 18-30 inches from the user.

- Position monitors at right angles from windows to reduce glare. Close window blinds as needed to reduce glare from sunlight.

- Position monitors away from direct lighting which creates excessive glare or use a glare filter over the monitor to reduce glare.

- Adjust the monitor tilt so that ceiling lights do not reflect on your screen.

- If a document holder is used, it should be placed at approximately the same height as the monitor and at the same distance from the eyes to prevent frequent eye shifts between the monitor screen and reference materials.

- Get regular eye check-ups.

- Adjust as needed for larger screens. You may need to sit farther away and increase the font size to take full advantage of the larger screen.

 

5-KEYBOARD

Many ergonomic problems associated with computer workstations occur in the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand. Continuous work on the computer may expose soft tissues in these areas to repetition, awkward postures, and forceful exertions, especially if the workstation is not set up properly.

The following adjustments should be made to your workstation to help prevent the development of an ergonomic problem in the upper extremities:

- First adjust your chair as mentioned above, then with your arms resting comfortably at your side, raise your forearms to form a 90 degree angle with your upper arms.

- Adjust keyboard height so shoulders can relax and allow arms to rest at sides. An articulating keyboard tray is often necessary to accommodate proper height and distance.

- Position the keyboard directly in front and be close to the user to avoid excessive extended reaching.

- Forearms parallel to the floor (approximately 90 degree angle at elbow).

- Mouse should be placed adjacent to keyboard and at the same height as the keyboard. Avoid extended and elevated reaching for keyboard and mouse. The back of the wrist should be kept flat (in a neutral position). Do not rest the hand on the mouse when your are not using it. Rest hands in your lap when not entering data.

- A padded wrist rest will help to keep your wrist in a straight and neutral position while typing and keep your arms off the sharp edges of the work surface.

- Do not rest your wrists or hands on a palm or wrist rest when you are keying. These rests are designed to provide support only during breaks from keying.

- The slope of the keyboard may need to be adjusted so that it is flat in order that your wrists are straight, and not bent back while you are typing.

- Press the keys gently; do not bang them or hold them down for long periods. Keep your shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers relaxed.

- If your work surface is too high and not adjustable, adjust your chair to bring your arms to the proper position. If you raise your chair make sure your feet are properly supported.

6-MOUSE, TRACKBALL, OR OTHER INPUT DEVICE

- The mouse is present in virtually every office environment. Handed versions of mouses are designed specifically to the contours of either the right or left hand.

- Placing the mouse, trackball, or other input device too far away, too low, or too much on one side can cause shoulder, wrist, elbow, and forearm discomfort. Placing the input device directly in your immediate reach zone offers natural comfort and maximum hand-to-eye coordination.

- Do not bend your wrist upward. Make sure you are sitting high enough for the workstation to be slightly below elbow height so that your hand rests naturally on the mouse.

- Mousing demands a certain level of surface stability; if used on a keyboard tray, the tray should not wobble or tip.

- A trackball has an exposed ball that you manipulate with your fingers. It requires the use of different muscle and tendon groups than does a mouse, and can add variety to your manipulation of computer information. Some trackball designs, however, may cause discomfort and possible injury to the area around your thumb, which stretches and reaches to maneuver the trackball.

- Test different models of mousing devices, trackball or other input devices. Consider the shape and size of the devices, how comfortably it fits into your hand, ease of operation, and any special features that might make your job easier.

- In addition to the mouse and trackball, a variety of other input devices are available. Consider your task requirements and physical limitations.

- Touch pads allow you to move the cursor on the computer screen by simply gliding your finger across a small pad. Unlike mouses, trackballs, and other pointing devices, touch pads have no moving parts to clog or breaks, so they never require disassembly for cleaning.

- Touch screens allow you to point directly at an object. They require little or no training, are faster than other pointing devices, and require no extra work surface. However, the disadvantages of touch screens include arm fatigue, smudges, optical interference, and increased glare.

- Voice input allows you to "talk" to your computer. Currently, such programs can understand and respond to natural speech delivered at rates of up to 160 words per minute.

- Pen-like devices use pressure, light, electromagnetic disruption, or radio frequencies to enter and manipulate information through contact with the computer screen or a horizontal pad. A pen pad requires about as much room on the work surface as does a mouse. If pen technology is used on a horizontal pad, a workstation must provide adequate non-glare lighting for both it and the computer screen.

[Doctor Asmaa]

I wish you could be in good health

please, follow up these advises to avoid many musculoskeletal system problems

 

Thanks

Doctor Asmaa

[admiral_ju00]

i'm just curious, and don't take it the wrong way, but what are you a doctor of?

MD or Ph.D?

 

from your profile i get a feeling you're a chiropractor?

 

but once again, this is just for my curiosity and not meant as an insult of any kind.

[Dave]

One thing: get a decent chair. I get horrible back pains from time to time because of it.

[Doctor Asmaa]

Hello, admiral ju00

Thanks for your reply

I'm in the field of physical therapy

I wish you understand and follow up advises

 

Thanks alot

With best regards

Doctor Asmaa

[Jugs Monthly]

Asmaa, the question was, what are you a doctor of? The reply "I'm in the field of physical therapy" could mean anything. It could mean you sell vibrators.

Regards A. voidthequestion

[Dave]

rofl

 

Vibrators with the right attachments can help relieve back pain, on a more scientific note.

[Doctor Asmaa]

Thanks to Jugs Monthly,

I want to say to you that I'm a physical Therapist ( A genious studient in the faculty of Physical Therapy Cairo University Egypt) and when you phone my faculty ask them about Doctor Asmaa and the dean of my faculty will reply and say to you my genious CV

 

Thanks

I'm ready for any question

[Dave]

What distinguishes you in your particular field?

[wolfson]

Another genious, oh they are just so common, so have you a MD or are you prentending due to crank on chair been firmly up ones backside?

[Jugs Monthly]

Asmaa, I see you are not actually a qualified doctor then.

But you are a student of physical therapy ( apparently a genius student, as you keep pointing out).

When and if you qualify as a doctor, be sure to tell your patients what a genius you are and all about your genius CV, just in case they didn't know.

Imagine how pleased they will be, especially if you give them a print out on how to safely use a computer.

[Rasori]

I feel bad for him. So he's a little arrogant. He probably wasn't trying to be, and, if he was, oh well. Let him do as he wants, he was just giving us some (to some of us) useful tips.

[dryan]

http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/Ergonomics/compergo.htm

Ctrl-C Ctrl-V strait from the Center for Disease Control.

Well, he probably had to do a little formatting, because the bullets probably wouldn't copy.

[Rasori]

Your point? I wouldn't have gone there on my own, and I'm sure many people wouldn't. Leave him be.

[Sayonara]

I'm with Rasori.

 

Too few people realise how much they can damage themselves just by sitting at a pc.

 

(Not that that's any excuse for failing to cite a source, Asmaa).

[Dave]

Indeed. I'm sure my back is going funny because of my chair.

[Glider]

They've started using those weird chairs with no backs at our place. You kind of half kneel on them. I tried one on Wednesday. They are surprisingly comfortable, and they make you sit in a better posture naturally (i.e. It didn't feel like I was being 'forced' into position).

 

Maybe you should try one of those. After half an hour on it, I felt I could quite easily sit at the computer for a long time without slouching over.

[Doctor Asmaa]

Thanks dr.Gilder

please send the picture of this wired chair to see it and give you my openion about its susceptibilty to use by computer users.

Thanks

[Sayonara]

Probably one of these things:

Here

[J'Dona]

We've got one of those at home; they are surprisingly comfortable. Sometimes you might want to lean back after a while if you're tired, but losing that luxury is worth helping your back out. Incidentally my sister has developed back problems requiring the use of painkillers to sleep because she's spent the better part of each day for the past 5 years or so kneeling in front of her computer, and her posture is messed up now, so a good chair is not to be underestimated.

[Dave]

I've tried those things, and I can't seem to get comfortable on them. Perhaps it's because I've used normal chairs for so long that my back needs to be sorted out.

[senexa]

That was good advice, no matter where it came from.

 

My husband is retired now but was a methods engineer. I spend at least 10 hours a day at my computer, and he employed much of the above information to make my workspace comfortable.

 

If you require glasses, you should consider having glasses made especially for computer work. He measured the distance from my eyes to the computer screen, and then my ophthalmologist used that measurement in assessing my vision, adding my regular bifocal prescription. A glare screen helps a great deal as well.

 

Isometric foot exercises relieve back strain better than a foot stool, although you should never sit for more than two hours at a time. I use a barley husk pillow and squinch it with my toes throughout the day, alternating with using a roller massager for the feet.