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Be
Careful at Work
By Jordan Clothier
Injuries suffered in the workplace are common
occurrences in many professions, but workers who spend their days
inside offices may not think they are at risk. The U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics reports that repetitive strain causes more
days away from work than any other injury — with carpal
tunnel syndrome the most common of work-related injuries. Many
of these injuries are the result of bad posture resulting in back
and joint pain and are preventable, according to a University
of Missouri-Columbia researcher.
“The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) puts people who sit at computers for more than four hours
a day in the same high risk category as truck drivers and farmers,” said Diana Baldwin, occupational therapist in the MU School
of Health Professions. “It is a major issue and can lead
to problems such as shoulder pain and carpel tunnel.”
Baldwin suggests that workers take the following
steps to improve their workplace posture and reduce their risk
of injury:
Step 1: Sit in the chair and push the hips
back so that they are against the chair back.
Step 2: Adjust the seat height so that hands
and arms maintain a neutral position. Forearms should be at the
sides with the elbows at 90 degrees. Wrists should not be bent
when using the keyboard or mouse to prevent stretching of the
tendons and muscles leading to more rapid fatigue and strain.
Step 3: Adjust the seat height so that the
feet are flat on the floor. If not possible, a foot rest is recommended.
This will assist in keeping the spine in a healthy “S”
position.
Step 4: Check the pressure on the back of
the knees. There should be two to three fingers of space between
the back of the knees and the edge of the chair to provide adequate
support and not decrease blood circulation.
Step 5: Adjust the chair back so it is placed
in a position that puts firm pressure on the lower back and supports
the natural “S” curve. If this is not possible, consider
a rolled towel or commercial back rest to provide support to the
lower back.
Step 6: Arrange the keyboard and mouse and
other primary work tasks within a semi-circle to decrease repetitive
overreaching leading to shoulder and neck stiffness and pain.
The computer monitor should be centered, at eye level and within
arm's reach to avoid bending and twisting the neck.
Step 7: When using the keyboard, the armrests
should not interfere with the forearm being in the neutral position,
nor should they press into the forearm, which causes contact stress.
For a resting position, adjust the armrests to fully support the
arms and relieve pressure from the neck and shoulder area without
elevating the shoulders. The armrests should not interfere with
the ability to maneuver between the work spaces and should allow
free rotational movement. If not, remove the armrests from the
chair.
It is important to remember that correct posture
alone will not completely eliminate the risk of injury, Baldwin
said. She suggests incorporating breaks into the work time by
changing positions. Stretching all of the muscle groups every
20 to 30 minutes will increase blood circulation, rejuvenate muscle
nutrition, prevent muscle fatigue and give the eyes a break.
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Copyright © 2008 — Curators of the University of Missouri
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Published by the Mizzou Alumni Association
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Last Update:
September 3, 2008
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