Thursday, August 16, 2012

Thursday Techie Tip: Is Good Posture at the Computer REALLY Important??

YES! It surely is! "One of the key elements in ensuring that people can work comfortably and effectively is good posture." --Celine Mckeown.

From the first day of Kindergarten onward, I stress the importance of good posture while at the computer keyboard. By not sitting in the correct position,it is easy to end up with back, neck or knee pain. Over the years, this could easily turn into Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Here are a few tips to remember:


**Push your hips as far back as they can go in the chair. Adjust the seat height so that your feet are flat on the floor and your knees equal to, or slightly lower than, your hips.

**Your keyboard should be situated directly in front of you, and be centered with your body.

**Adjust the keyboard height so that your shoulders are relaxed, your elbows are in a slightly open position, and your wrists and hands are straight.

**The wrist rest should only be used to rest the palms of the hands between keystrokes and not while typing.

**Adjust the monitor and source documents so that your neck is in a neutral, relaxed position. Center the monitor directly in front of you, above your keyboard.

**Sit at least an arm's length away from the screen.

**Keep your fingers relaxed while typing and using a mouse.

**Use a soft touch on the keyboard instead of pounding keys with unnecessary force.

**Avoid holding a pen or anything else in your hands while you type or use the mouse.

**Exercise your hand by pushing on top of your fingers, and using backward resistance movements. This simple exercise will prevent you from developing carpal tunnel finger problems in the future. Even if you don’t have any problems right now, you may prevent pain later in life by doing a few good exercises

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