The report, mandated by the healthcare overhaul law, estimates that chronic pain costs between $560 billion and $635 billion each year in medical expenses and lost productivity.
I guess that's job security for me.
From the LA Times.
The report, mandated by the healthcare overhaul law, estimates that chronic pain costs between $560 billion and $635 billion each year in medical expenses and lost productivity.
My pseudo-carpal tunnel is coming back. :( I do these all the time, though, and they've been helping keep the extreme pain away.
ReplyDeleteOh no! I actually had some mild discomfort in my left forearm as well after a few days of heavy computer usage.
ReplyDeleteMy best advice to you would be:
1. avoid using the computer when you're not at work,
2. stop using the freaking touchpad -- it's SO bad for you -- and get a wireless mouse you can use with your laptop
3. stop using the laptop on your lap -- always have it on your desk
4. use a desktop instead of a laptop whenever possible, and
5. do these exercises as well
I use it on my lap instead of the desk because the desk is too high and my shoulders get extremely tense. The chair won't move up or down. Should I use the desk anyway?
ReplyDeleteAnything is better than putting a laptop on your lap. The lap position forces your arms, shoulders, and neck into a position that is exquisitely efficient at causing repetitive stress injury (RSI).
ReplyDeleteI would place some phone books on the chair, plus a cushion, or something like that. Or find another chair you can bring in.
Also, when you're typing, think about supinating your wrists as much as possible. Imagine that the keyboard is shaped like a tent instead of a flat plain, and that your index finger has to be higher than your pinky. Better yet, go buy a keyboard that is shaped like this and plug it into your laptop.
Periodically take breaks to supinate your wrists (flip your palm up, thumbs facing out). The pronated position (palm down, thumbs in) is partly what causes RSI.
Another component of RSI is wrist abduction or radial deviation. The lap position makes this very hard to avoid. When you put the laptop on the desk, as your hands approach the keyboard, think about letting your elbows drift out at an angle, instead of being perpendicular to the keyboard. Imagine that the keyboard is shaped like \/ (as you look down on it like a map) instead of --. The goal is to keep your wrist in neutral position, side-to-side.
The ideal keyboard would not be horizontal and flat. It would be vertical, so your hand would be in an anatomically neutral position. It's hard to manage this with a laptop, but you can buy a better keyboard. If you can't buy a keyboard or are not willing to, just using the tips above can make a difference.
I have been turning my laptop OFF at home in the last three days whenever I am not actively doing something useful on it. My productivity has skyrocketed. Whenever I want to browse reddit or check email, I can turn it on, but just having to wait 45 seconds has short-circuited the reward mechanism that makes me sit in front of my computer for 5 hours after having sat down to read one email. I've read three books in the last three days and my wrists feel great. =)
I would highly recommend buying one of the Evoluent Mice or a trackball. These can dramatically reduce wrist strain in the mouse hand.
As for keyboards, I bought a Goldtouch Adjustable Ergonomic Split Keyboard a while back and have been very happy with it. It's expensive, though, and bulky, so you might not want to get one until you're settled down. It takes a while to get used to, but it's the best solution I've found at a reasonable(ish) price.
I have an ergonomic mouse AND keyboard in storage in Chicago. Sigh. I guess I could get Mom and Dad to ship them to me, but I don't know how I feel about bringing them both to work. I don't think I'd want to leave them there for long periods because they're expensive and Brockton is shady. But they're bulky so I don't think I'd have the patience to carry them back and forth.
ReplyDeleteI'll look for a new chair on Monday. And I tend not to use my computer at home, either. Only if I'm trying to write a blogpost, really. I get enough of the screen at work.