| Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is now a major | | | | Options. |
| industrial disease affecting millions of people | | | | 4. In Folder Options, hold down the Alt key, and |
| around the world. RSI includes conditions such as | | | | press "S". This will select the option Single-click to |
| carpel tunnel syndrome, tenosynovitis and | | | | open an item. |
| tendinitis - often collectively referred to as upper | | | | 5. Press Enter or Return to close the Folder |
| limb disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, | | | | Options dialog. |
| occupational overuse syndrome (OOS), computer | | | | Windows Help provides extensive help on using |
| related injuries or cumulative trauma disorders, or | | | | keyboard shortcuts with Windows. Individual |
| CTD. Often the posotion of workstations and the | | | | applications such as Microsoft Office also have |
| design of the PC and accessories can affect how | | | | their own keyboard shortcuts - with the |
| our health and safety. | | | | appropriate help. Learning keyboard shortcuts can |
| 1. Workstation Ergonomics | | | | take some time, but once learnt, using them |
| A well designed workstation is essential to | | | | tends to be faster than using the mouse, and |
| maintaining good posture and reducing the risk of | | | | avoids much of the discomfort associated with |
| lower back pain and other computer related | | | | the mouse. |
| injuries. | | | | 4. Rest Breaks |
| 2. Ergonomic Keyboards and Mice | | | | All ergonomic experts agree that taking frequent |
| There are quite a few ergonomically designed | | | | rest breaks is essential to avoid the risk of |
| keyboards and mice available. The Microsoft | | | | computer related injuries. |
| Natural Keyboard is one example. This keyboard | | | | You should take frequent "eye breaks" - staring |
| splits the keys into two panels - one for each | | | | at a computer monitor for long periods causes |
| hand, and angles each panel so that the hands sit | | | | you to blink less often - resulting in dryer eyes. |
| naturally on the keyboard, rather than requiring | | | | Every 10 to 15 minutes you should look away |
| them to be twisted into an unnatural position | | | | from your monitor and blink your eyes rapidly for |
| which is the case with normal keyboards. Many | | | | a few seconds. This will refresh the tear film and |
| mice are now designed to fit neatly into either | | | | clear any dust from the surface of the eyes. |
| hand, and can often have a scrolling wheel, which | | | | Additionally you should focus on something at a |
| can make scrolling through documents easier and | | | | distance - preferably 20 feet or more away - |
| less stressful than using scroll bars. | | | | look out of the window if you can - this will relax |
| These ergonomic devices are generally more | | | | the muscles inside the eye. |
| expensive than standard designs, but can be well | | | | You should take frequent short pauses or "micro |
| worth the investment. | | | | pauses" - for 10 seconds or so up to a minute - |
| 3. Ergonomic Use of Keyboards and Mice | | | | every 10 minutes or thereabouts. You should take |
| The computer mouse was originally designed to | | | | regular short breaks - for 5 minutes or more - |
| make using a computer easier - it is much easier | | | | every hour or so - maybe go for a coffee or a |
| to point at a picture and click than to learn a | | | | short walk around the office, and you should take |
| relatively complicated series of keystrokes. | | | | a long break every two or three hours - for at |
| However, research has shown that using a mouse | | | | least 15 minutes, or preferably 30 minutes to an |
| is a significant cause of repetitive strain injury. | | | | hour. Exactly how long and how frequent your |
| Especially if the mouse is located at the same | | | | breaks are depends on your own personal |
| level and to the side of the keyboard - it's usual | | | | preferences and working environment. |
| location. This requires extending your arm which | | | | 5. Stretching Exercises |
| introduces significant tensions and stresses in your | | | | Regular stretching is an essential part of RSI |
| arm, shoulder and neck. | | | | prevention and recovery, remember that your |
| The best position for your mouse is on a raised | | | | body is not designed to be sat at a desk for 8 |
| platform slightly above the numeric keypad on | | | | hours a day clicking a mouse. Respect your body |
| your computer. Also, if you reduce the speed of | | | | and give it the movement and range of motion it |
| the mouse and the number of clicks you have to | | | | normally expects. |
| make you can greatly reduce the muscle tension | | | | 6. Posture |
| in your arm and hand. Additionally, you can swap | | | | Good posture is essential to avoid repetitive strain |
| the primary and secondary mouse buttons (the | | | | injury and other computer related injuries. Well |
| left and right buttons), to change the mouse from | | | | designed workstation ergonomics can help in |
| being right handed to left handed. Using your left | | | | maintaining a good posture. |
| hand - or right hand if you are left handed - can | | | | * Make sure that you can reach the keyboard |
| take some getting used to, but can be very | | | | with your wrists as flat as possible (not twisted |
| helpful if you are suffering from any aches and | | | | up or down) and straight (not twisted left or |
| pains in one hand. Regularly alternating between | | | | right). An ergonomic keyboard can help to keep |
| left and right hands can also give your arms and | | | | your wrists straight. |
| hands a rest, thus minimizing the risk of | | | | * Make sure that your elbow angle is 90 degrees |
| developing any RSI condition. You can swap the | | | | or more to avoid nerve compression at the |
| mouse buttons using the Mouse applet in the | | | | elbow. |
| Windows Control Panel - or directly from the | | | | * Make sure that your upper arm and elbow are |
| Stress Buster context menu - with fewer mouse | | | | as close to the body and as relaxed as possible |
| clicks and/or key strokes. | | | | for mouse use - avoid overreaching. Also make |
| To reduce the mouse speed, open the Mouse | | | | sure that your wrist is as straight as possible |
| applet in the Windows Control Panel, select the | | | | when the mouse is being used. |
| tab Pointer Options and move the pointer speed | | | | * Make sure that you sit back in the chair and |
| slider to the left to slow. Click OK. | | | | that you have good back support - especially |
| To reduce the number of clicks you have to | | | | lumber support. |
| make, open the My Computer icon, then select | | | | * Make sure that your feet are flat on the floor. |
| Tools, Folder Options, and then under Click Items | | | | Use a foot rest if necessary. |
| As Follows, choose Single-click to open an item. | | | | * Make sure that your head and neck are as |
| If you can you should avoid using the mouse as | | | | straight as possible. |
| much as possible. Most actions and commands | | | | * Make sure that you are relaxed. Forcing |
| can be carried out using keyboard shortcuts | | | | yourself to sit up straight can sometimes |
| instead of the mouse. For example, to reduce the | | | | introduce unhealthy tensions in the back muscles. |
| number of clicks you have to make with your | | | | 7. Alternative Input Devices |
| mouse - as described above, you could use the | | | | There are a number of alternative input devices |
| following keyboard shortcuts: | | | | you can use, instead of the mouse and keyboard, |
| 1. Press the button on your keyboard to open the | | | | which you might find helpful. Examples are the |
| Windows Start Menu. | | | | trackball, a graphics table and pen, a touchpad, |
| 2. Use the arrow keys to select My Computer (or | | | | and even voice control. |
| the alternative name you may have given to | | | | RSI is a very serious health risk, especially with |
| your computer), and then press Enter or Return. | | | | the young people who are coming to any industry |
| This will open an explorer window for your | | | | sector that has continuous use of a PC. You need |
| computer. | | | | to take all the actions and preventions necessary |
| 3. Hold down the Alt key and press "T" to open | | | | to help minimize that risk. |
| the Tools menu, then press "O" to open Folder | | | | |