Author, Physical Therapy and Ergonomic Consultation
Prevent injuries in 15 minutes a day Cornell University research has found that keying for 8 hours is, for your fingers, equivalent to walking 10 miles for your feet. If you are keyboarding every day, you need to prepare like an athlete to prevent injury: Stretch. Drink water. Take breaks. By "stretching", I mean taking… Continue reading Stretching for the Computer Athlete
How can attorneys and paralegals counteract the effects of long hours and temporary work spaces? Of all the professions, computer–related injuries seem most common among attorneys and paralegals. As I visit law firms to assist with office layout and equipment choices, I see a high proportion of attorneys in pain. Even third-year law students seem… Continue reading Law, the Painful Profession
Is convenience on–the–road making your thumbs hurt? Have you seen the comic strip about a teenager who sends hundreds of text messages? By the last panel, she holds aloft a throbbing, bandaged thumb, six times normal size. The joke: She has "carpal thumb–el" syndrome. While people smile at the idea of what is often called… Continue reading PDA’s and the Price of Convenience
How to light your home office Despite the long-ago invention of the electric light bulb, many of us work in the dark. Do your eyes feel dry? Do they ache? Do you constantly need to change the prescription of your eyeglasses? If so, look carefully at the lighting in your home office or workplace. You… Continue reading Working at Home: Shed Some Light on the Subject
How to work productively and protect your vision Computer users know that it's important to change position in order to avoid overuse injuries to hands, shoulders, back and neck. In the same way, repetitive strain can harm the small muscles around your eyes, making it difficult to work comfortably – and even harming your vision.… Continue reading Eyes On The Prize
Like tennis elbow, mouse shoulder is painful and preventable Stretch. . . s t r e t c h . . . s t r e t c h . . . s t r e t c h . . . snap! Overstretched or overused, your tendons can react like a worn out elastic… Continue reading Mousing Around
Is your little finger numb? Many computer users worry about hand problems. People with hand pain or numbness often assume they have carpal tunnel syndrome (CT). But a less known problem could be the source of the pain. Thoracic outlet syndrome hurts just as intensely as CT. It is caused by poor posture as you… Continue reading The Computer Injury That Is Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Not a permanent injury The words "carpal tunnel syndrome" strike fear into the hearts of knowledge workers. What is the carpal tunnel? All the tendons that make your fingers work the keyboard go through a tunnel in your wrist made up of eight carpal bones and a thick band of ligament. Nine tendons and one nerve… Continue reading Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Small changes that can make a big difference in comfort Last week, I visited a major law firm. One IT staff member had piled extra shoes under her workstation, tangling the cords so she couldn't pull her keyboard forward. Piles of cord spaghetti were everywhere. Before long, I was sitting on the floor, untwisting cables.… Continue reading IT: First Line of Defense Against Computer Injuries
Simple strategies to relieve that pain in your neck When I visit businesses to talk about workplace safety, people want to talk about their necks. Computer workers tell me, "I've been to the doctor" or "I've had x–rays" or "I'm starting physical therapy next week". There's a reason for all this pain. On my visits… Continue reading Crack! Twinge! Ouch! Time to adjust your workspace