| It's a basic truth that the human body
| |
| | for them. These statistics can be very
|
| wasn't made to sit still for too long. We
| |
| | frightening - especially for those of us
|
| spent tens of thousands of years evolving
| |
| | who work with computers on a daily basis,
|
| in an environment that required us to
| |
| | and could lose our livelihoods if we
|
| move - to find shelter, to catch food,
| |
| | became unable to use them.
|
| and to keep ourselves safe from
| |
| | HOW CAN WE AVOID BECOMING A STATISTIC?
|
| predators. We've only been living
| |
| | Research has identified three things we
|
| lifestyles that allow us to stay
| |
| | can do to help ensure we don't become one
|
| sedentary for the lesser part of a
| |
| | of those statistics: posture, breaks and
|
| hundred years - not nearly enough time
| |
| | stretching:
|
| for our bodies to adapt to this new way
| |
| | Proper Posture
|
| of living.
| |
| | If you don't already know how to sit
|
| Not all of us make our livings sitting in
| |
| | properly at your computer, it's critical
|
| front of a computer, of course. It is,
| |
| | that you learn quickly. Most companies
|
| however, becoming more and more common -
| |
| | have someone in their Human Resources or
|
| and many of us then go home and use our
| |
| | Training departments who's been trained
|
| home computers to stay in contact with
| |
| | to set up workstations correctly, and
|
| friends and family, study, or play games
| |
| | ensure you're sitting properly - ask them
|
| - all of which adds up to a lot of
| |
| | for a workstation assessment. If you
|
| sitting still!
| |
| | work from home, you can find an excellent
|
| SO WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM?
| |
| | article on the subject at and a diagram
|
| Our bodies, as mentioned above, were
| |
| | at or contact your local Occupational
|
| built for movement. Movement encourages
| |
| | Health & Safety office for more
|
| bloodflow - ensuring our cells are
| |
| | information.
|
| supplied with oxygen and nutrients, and
| |
| | Regular Breaks
|
| ensuring waste products are collected and
| |
| | Most of us know how important it is to
|
| transported to where they can be
| |
| | take regular breaks. Simply stopping and
|
| eliminated. Lack of movement leads to
| |
| | relaxing for a few moments every 20
|
| cells being both starved of needed
| |
| | minutes can make a huge difference.
|
| nutrients and left to wallow in waste
| |
| | Actually standing up and walking around
|
| products. When this is then combined
| |
| | once an hour will do even more. It
|
| with stress-induced muscle tension (which
| |
| | doesn't have to be far - just enough to
|
| further constricts bloodflow) - or lots
| |
| | get you to move, and get your blood
|
| of repetitive small movements - well, I'm
| |
| | flowing a little more freely. Set an
|
| sure you can see where problems might
| |
| | alarm on your computer to go off
|
| lie.
| |
| | regularly to remind you when you should
|
| These dangers aren't news to us. We've
| |
| | be taking a break.
|
| all heard of Repetitive Strain Injury
| |
| | Stretching
|
| (RSI), Occupational Overuse Syndrome
| |
| | The final thing you can do to protect
|
| (OOS) or WRULD (Work Related Upper Limb
| |
| | yourself is to stretch out all the
|
| Disorder). These are different terms for
| |
| | muscles and joints that end up cramped up
|
| what is essentially the same problem -
| |
| | when you're sitting at a computer.
|
| constant repetition of small movements
| |
| | Stretching helps relax muscles that have
|
| (like keyboarding, or using a computer
| |
| | a tendency to tense up, and is probably
|
| mouse) in a context of very few larger
| |
| | the singlemost important part of helping
|
| movements. Left for too long, this can
| |
| | you avoid OOS. For a short list of some
|
| cause tingling, numbness,
| |
| | of the stretches that will be helpful to
|
| pins-and-needles, and gradual weakening
| |
| | perform regularly, please click on
|
| of the affected area. And let's not
| |
| | NEED HELP PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE?
|
| forget that it can also cause intense,
| |
| | Just as the dangers of OOS aren't news to
|
| debilitating pain, and prevent us from
| |
| | many of us, neither are the things we can
|
| working. OOS is *not* a fun condition to
| |
| | do to avoid it. However, it's easy to get
|
| develop.
| |
| | caught up in our work - in the pressures
|
| A 2002 Australian study (quoted on
| |
| | of looming deadlines. All too often, we
|
| found that these work-related muscle and
| |
| | sit down with the best of intentions for
|
| soft tissue injuries made up more than
| |
| | working safely, then look up and discover
|
| 60% of all workplace injuries. Another
| |
| | three hours have gone past since we last
|
| study (quoted on showed that out of just
| |
| | took a stretch break. And then, of
|
| over 1,000 questionnaire respondents,
| |
| | course, there's the question of exactly
|
| over 130 had actually put in compensation
| |
| | which stretches we should be doing, and
|
| claims for OOS and well over 600 others
| |
| | making sure we're doing them right.
|
| reported symptoms of OOS without claiming
| |
| |
|
