With so many of us gearing up for the April A-Z Blog Challenge I thought today's wellness post should get us ready for the hours and hours of typing ahead of us. As much as the idea of injuring myself while I'm sitting on my spreading butt makes me giggle, Repetitive Strain Injuries are actually pretty serious.According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, "repetitive strain injuries are the nation's most common and costly occupational health problem, affecting hundreds of thousands of American workers, and costing more than $20 billion a year in workers compensation." In case you're not keeping up, that's a 20 with nine big fat zeroes behind it.
Worse, they are so common and misunderstood that many people end up with carpal tunnel or tendonitis and have no idea that A) they've been causing their own pain, or B) they can put a stop to it.
So to help get us through April without ending up like the spray bottle lady below, check out these 10 Simple Tips from RSIPrevention.com . This list includes:
- Keyboard/Hand Positions
- Posture Advice
- Checklists to Ensure the Comfort of Your Work Area, and
- When to Call a Doctor.
Now... who wants to talk about what people are starting to call "scrolling thumb?"
Remember - keep those keyboards straight and your wrists flexing! I'd personally suggest lifting as many glasses of wine between now and your next long computer session just to make sure your wrists are in shape ;-)
i was excited about this when i saw it in the queue!! (great q word!)
ReplyDeleteoh my aching wrists!!!
thank for the tips =)
Haha! I'm all about wine and beer curls if it's for my health ;-)
DeleteI have to top periodically and give the wrists a shake. I'm not sure what that does, but it helps a bit. I'll have to try the wine curls. That's a much tastier fix.
ReplyDeleteAs typos go, that one was pretty safe :-) I have to flex like crazy and I have a brace, but I'll go numb and tingly from my elbow to my pinky if I'm not in a properly ergonomic position. Having to sit on the computer all day at work and then again in the evenings isn't good for the butt OR the wrists!
DeleteA very good author friend of mine from Oz. ended up buying a voice activated programme because she was having so much problem with strain injuries. She now dictates all her books and as a side benefit, she used to tell us some of the hilarious errors it came up with at times. They do have to get accustomed to your voice. Word used to have voice activation, I tried it for a while, but being a trained typist I found I preferred typing and I certainly don't do so much as people writing books.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to endorse the cure by wine suggestion.
DeleteI have mild carpal tunnel and tendinitis, so thanks for the simple tips link! I've downloaded their mouse guide so I can find more ways to use the mouse less.
ReplyDelete