Repetitive Stress Injuries Often Easy To Avoid

Our physiology is designed for movement, not today’s sedentary lifestyle, says Sharon Taylor, an Edmonton-based ergonomics expert (www.ergosum.ca). “We’re not designed to be sitting in a cubicle.”

Repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) — which include a number of conditions, including carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow — can result from a workspace that doesn’t work with the body. These injuries are hard to shake, but easy to prevent, she says.

There are a couple of easy solutions to this problem. First of all, make sure your mouse pad has a palm rest positioned underneath the palm (not the wrist, as is commonly assumed) and use your mouse with your non-dominant hand for periods of time.

Other elements of a workstation are also important. Desks should have keyboard trays positioned in a way that allows you to type with your shoulders relaxed, forearms parallel to the floor, and wrist straight and flat.

All equipment at your workspace should ultimately suit both your size and skill, says Taylor. Those who can type very efficiently can use a keyboard that corrects wrist alignment, like a split-wrist keyboard.

Source: The Vancouver Sun