IT Management News

No pain, no strain!

Tags:
RSI

Jonathan Bennett ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 23 Feb 2004 14:50 GMT

Good workstation layout is important both in the office and at home. Your employer has an obligation to ensure your workstation area is suitable for the work you're doing, but you can take some responsibility yourself. It's also not just work that can cause RSI -- playing PC games is just as much of a risk activity. RSI is preventable though, providing you're sensible about your working environment. Here are just a few tips on minimising your risk.

First, remember to take regular breaks from typing and using the mouse. Some experts suggest 30 seconds every 10 minutes should be enough, although some others recommend a five-minute break every half hour. You should also remember to look away from your monitor while taking a break. While this isn't related to RSI directly, it can help avoid eye problems caused by monitor use. Don't average this out over the day -- having a meeting all morning doesn't mean you don't need to take breaks during the afternoon.

Vary your work patterns, so that you're not doing the same type of work for long periods. This could involve switching between typing and doing research where you're mostly reading documents. If you have a few meetings during the day, try to schedule them so they're spread out, rather than all being in the morning, for instance.

Drink plenty of water -- while this may not seem directly relevant, dehydration reduces blood flow which could make inflammation worse.

Good posture is important to remember when using a PC:

• Your chair should provide adequate support, and you should sit with your back straight.
• Your monitor should just be at eye level or just below, which usually means using a monitor stand to raise it. Some newer LCD monitors have a height adjustment.
• Your feet should be flat on the floor -- if not, get a foot rest.
• When typing your wrists should be straight. The tendency for most people is to rest the wrists in front of the keyboard, and indeed many keyboards incorporate "wrist rests". Unfortunately these don't solve the problem, and can actually make it worse. The position of least strain is with the back of the hand in a straight line with the arm.