Avoiding Repetitive-Stress Injuries: A Writer’s Guide By: Geoff Hart

1. Avoiding Repetitive-Stress Injuries: A Writer’s GuideBy: Geoff Hart Presented by: Hope Dunbar 6/23/09

2. Introduction • This article explains way you can avoid repetitive stress injuries • There are three categories that falls under repetitive stress injuries • Aches and pains • Hand problems • Eye strain • So what is Repetitive Stress Injuries? • Any injury that results from overuse of the body part without giving it time to recover.

3. Aches and Pains • The issue: • Sitting in front of your computers for hours can cause problems of your blood flow to your legs which results in the compressing the tissues of your buttocks and upper thighs • Improperly positioned backs and seats on chairs can encourage a slumped posture that misaligns your spine and places additional stress on muscles, bones, and connective tissues (ligaments and tendons).

4. Aches and Pains • Solution • Investing in a high-quality desk and chair that meet your body's needs and provide the necessary support will greatly improve your comfort and reduce the aches and pains you'll accumulate by the end of the day. • The seat and back cushions must comfortably distribute and support your weight, thereby minimizing the pressure on any one part of your body. • Layout of your work area, while seated at your computer, your arms should hang straight down from your shoulders, with your forearms angled slightly in front of your body and no hunching of your shoulders or twisting of your spine. • Many computer users find relief by replacing their mouse with a different pointing device. Alternatives include: • trackballs • track pads • graphics tablets • keyboards with integrated pointers • keyboards that replace mousing with gestures (e.g., http://www.fingerworks.com)

5. Hand Problems • The Issue • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)- CTS results from compression of the nerve that runs through the "carpal tunnel" in your wrist. Over time, the abused nerve tissues swell, causing excruciating pain, loss of grip strength, and decreased ability to manipulate objects. • Many hand problems, including CTS, arise from flexing your wrist too sharply outwards, with your little finger pointing further towards your elbow than it does at rest. Bending your wrists at awkward angles can compress various parts of your wrist, leading to CTS and other problems. • Resting your palms and wrists on a hard surface such as a desk while you type compresses the tissues, bruising them and reducing circulation to your hands.

6. Hand Problems • The Solution • Your hands should float above the keyboard rather than resting on it -- assuming that this posture keeps your wrists largely unbent and doesn't create additional strain on your shoulders, arms, hands, or fingers. Occasionally resting your palms on a firm (not hard) support can indeed prove helpful, but only if done in moderation. Moreover, although the advice to avoid wrist wrests may be valid for many computer users, it may not apply equally to everyone.

7. Eye Strain • The Issue: • Human eyes aren't designed to stare at nearby objects at an unvarying distance for most of a day, so it's obvious that spending a day in front of a computer monitor will stress your eyes. • Staring at fuzzy text all day seriously fatigues your eyes by making them work harder to focus. • There's evidence that people blink less often while staring at TV screens and computer monitors. This is probably the cause of the commonly reported complaint of "dry eyes" at the end of a day of computer use.

8. Eye Strain • The Solution • Laptop and desktop LCD screens offer excellent alternatives to CRTs, particularly if you're experiencing eye strain with a CRT. • Compact fluorescent lights offer a good solution, since they flicker much less noticeably. • Whatever lighting you use, arrange the lights and computer to eliminate reflections from the light or nearby windows on the screen. This glare leads to squinting that fatigues your eyes.

9. Conclusion • Overall Solution • The good news about most overuse injuries is that you can do a lot to protect yourself. • Invest in good tools,your computer equipment and workspace can contribute greatly to RSI. • Stay in shape, a balanced exercise program will strengthen the muscles that support your neck, arms, wrists, and fingers, and help ward off injuries. • Let technology help, consider letting technology help. (http://www-306.ibm.com/software/voice/viavoice/) or (http://www.nuance.com/) • Listen to your body, Learn to listen to your body, because nobody will ever know better than you do how you're feeling. Listening to your body's complaints is still the best way to spot and fix problems early.

10. Questions