Date: Thu, 6 Oct 1994 08:25:29 -0500 From: "Mark C. Sheehan" Subject: Pointing Device Discomfort Summary Document [Origin: petej@GARNET .BERKELEY.EDU] To: Multiple recipients of list C+HEALTH =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= POINTING DEVICE SUMMARY DOCUMENT Version 2.01 Last Revised September 5, 1994 Pete W. Johnson University of California Berkeley and San Francisco Ergonomics Laboratory 1302 South 46th Street, Bldg. 112 Richmond, CA 94804 (510) 231-9405 petej@garnet.berkeley.edu Copyright 1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ INTRODUCTION As promised here is my regular monthly posting containing a compilation of the information I have collected thus far pertaining to discomfort and injuries related to pointing device use. It is not an extensive or exhaustive report but it should give the reader a good working knowledge about issues surrounding pointing devices injuries/discomfort. What follows are recommendations and not absolutes or laws and principles written in stone. The information contained in this summary is a compilation of what I know about pointing devices. Read this document with discretion and adapt the information to fit your own specific needs. I will post this document monthly and try to update it every few months based on current information and feedback I get from you. To all of you who have responded to my posting - thank you for taking the time out to supply me with information pertaining to your pointing device injury. If you are experiencing discomfort or have an injury which you feel may be related to pointing device use, and have not filled out my questionnaire in my basenote titled "DISCOMFORT/INJURED USING A POINTING DEVICE: READ THIS?" -- please do so. It should be the basenote just above this one. If there are any additions, changes or corrections you would like to see in this document, please e-mail them to me at petej@garnet.berkeley.edu or call me at 510/231-9405. New information not included in previous versions of this document will be preceeded by vertical bars "|". |This is an example of lines of text which would contain new |information not in previous versions of this summary. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are basically 6 sections to this document, a table of contents is listed below: Table of Contents ----------------- I. How to Determine if your Discomfort/Injury is Related to Pointing Device Use II. What to do at the First Signs of Pain III. How to go about Getting Treatment IV. Making Changes to your Workarea V. Discomfort/Injuries and Alternative Pointing Devices A. Soreness in the Shoulder B. Soreness in the Fingers, Tendons, and Muscles used to Activate Buttons C Soreness in the Ring and/or Little Finger D. Soreness in the Tendons and Muscles in the Vicinity of the Elbow VI. Computer Workstation Self-Audit Checklist ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABOUT THE AUTHOR For those of you wondering who I am, I'm working on my Ph.D. in Bioengineering at the University of California - Berkeley and San Francisco. I'm doing research on biomechanical, physiological, and ergonomic factors surrounding computer pointing device design. My goal is to develop an understanding of pointing device operation so pointing devices can be designed to minimize the physical and cognitive (primarily physical) stresses computer operators are subjected to, and thereby reduce the chances for injury. Prior to pursuing my Ph.D., I worked for 3 years at Hewlett- Packard investigating and testing (in an applied fashion) the use of alternative input devices to mitigate injuries associated with computer use. Presently, besides being a student, I am a researcher at the University of California Ergonomics Lab. My present work surrounds physically quantifying mouse usage and operation. I am very interested in most issues surrounding pointing device operation. If you have opinions or ideas for improving pointing device design, are experiencing discomfort or an injury, I would be interested in hearing from or talking with you. I can be reached via e-mail at petej@garnet.berkeley.edu or by phone at 510/231-9405. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= I. HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOUR DISCOMFORT/INJURY IS RELATED TO POINTING DEVICE USE If you are experiencing discomfort or have an injury to your upper extremities, sometimes it's obvious the discomfort/injury may be related to pointing device use and other times it isn't. Discomfort/Injuries to the upper extremities are often multi- factorial in nature; meaning your discomfort/injury may be the result of performing several different unrelated activities. Before you decide your pointing device may be the primary source for your discomfort/injury, look at outside of work activities as well. It is often helpful to note the time your discomfort/injury first appeared, and what significant changes occurred in your regimen at about the same time. Did you get a new pointing device? Did you just move to a new workstation? Did you start a home improvement project at that time? Did you take up a new hobby? All of these factors singly or together could have contributed to your present condition. Also, look closely at your present office space and the tasks you regularly perform. Could your discomfort/injury be from using the keyboard?, the cursor keys?, the numeric keypad?, constantly dialing on the phone?, or repeated use of a calculator? One indicator that an injury may be related to pointing device use is if it's a unilateral injury. A unilateral injury is an injury affecting one limb instead of two. In the context of pointing device operation, it would be pain, discomfort, or soreness to the hand operating the pointing device. Bilateral injuries (injuries to both hands) are often related to activities both hands are engaging in, such as typing. If you have pain in just one hand (unilateral) look at tasks that the injured hand is doing that the non-injured hand is not. In the context of computer operation, unilateral tasks include the use of the numeric keypad, the cursor arrow keys, the pointing device, the function keys, the escape or other editing keys, etc. Outside of work, look at the activities you predominantly perform with one hand. Simple tasks such as driving your car or performing routine home activities (cleaning, ironing, etc.) can contribute to your discomfort/injury. Some people may be more predisposed to discomfort/injury than others. Frequently cited personal risk factors that may predispose a person to discomfort/injury include: pregnancy, obesity, diabetes millitus, gout, the use of oral contraceptives, or previous trauma to the area of interest. Psychosocial factors such as an increased stress level at home or work have also been cited as factors that may increase a persons susceptibility to discomfort/injury. Finding the origin of the injury is not always straight forward, it can often be the accumulation of both work and non-work related events. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= II. WHAT TO DO AT THE FIRST SIGNS OF PAIN Ignoring pain, symptoms or warning signals may complicate the treatment of an injury and/or dramatically lengthen the time for recovery. Computer-related injuries are much easier for health care professionals to treat when the patient sees their care provider in the early phases of an injury. Seek treatment early!! If you are experiencing pain or discomfort, monitor your situation closely. Pain or discomfort that goes away overnight and does not reoccur frequently is more likely fatigue. Pain or discomfort that occurs frequently and/or does not go away is a sign of something more serious. See you doctor!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= III. HOW TO GO ABOUT GETTING TREATMENT I am not a doctor so I am not capable or qualified to give medical advice, however, I can provide some information on the type of doctor you may want to see. When going to see a doctor make sure s/he is a qualified physician and has experience treating work- related repetitive motion injuries. Family doctors or general physicians may not have the proper training and experience in treating people with pointing device injuries effectively. If you can, talk to people in your company or the company nurse (if you have one) and find out which doctors these people have had success with. A group of physicians that should have had relevant training are doctors that are board certified occupational health practitioners. Their training is based on treating people with work-related injuries. Hand surgeons are the other obvious choice. However, it may not be best to see a hand surgeon first off. Some hand surgeons are more likely to recommend surgery as opposed to trying more conservative modalities first. If you see physician and s/he can't help you or conservative treatment fails, then you will most likely be recommended to a hand surgeon. Your doctor may recommend you see a physical therapist. If s/he does, again check around to find out with which therapists people in your area have had success with. Physical therapy may consist of massage, stretching exercise, work hardening, strengthening exercises, and education on body biomechanics. The goal of physical therapy is to treat your symptoms, rehabilitate you, teach you how to do therapy on your own, educate you on how to work properly, and help you get back to work. Physical therapy may take a few weeks to several months depending on the severity of the injury and flare ups. Treatment for pointing device related discomfort/injuries may not always be straight forward and take a fair amount of time for recovery. Try not to get frustrated if you do not see results from your doctor or physical therapist right away. It is not uncommon to have 100% of the pain to go away. Injuries to the soft tissues (tendons, nerves, and ligaments) can be persistent and take a long time to recover. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= IV. MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR WORK AREA Please proceed with caution if you make changes to your workstation based on the contents of this document. What is right for one person may not be appropriate for another. Anytime you make changes to your workstation listen to you body. If you make changes and some or all of the discomfort or soreness goes away, good!.....your probably on the right track. However, if you make changes to your set-up and your condition gets worse, the adjustment you made may not be appropriate. Listen to your body!! As I mentioned earlier, read this document with discretion and adapt the information to fit your own specific needs. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= V. INJURIES AND ALTERNATIVE POINTING DEVICES I can't overstress that most often the best remedy for a pointing device injury is rest to the affected limb or area. However, in the working world this may not be possible, often one has to make the best of their present situation. What follows are short discussions, grouped by body location, on what can be done to help mitigate pain or discomfort associated with pointing device use. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A. SORENESS IN THE SHOULDER Shoulder soreness may be related to posture, movement and use of the arm, or other factors. If you are experiencing shoulder pain or discomfort, your workstation set-up may be a factor. Your workstation may be too high, too low, or not oriented correctly. See the "COMPUTER WORKSTATION SELF-AUDIT FORM" at the end of this document for guidance on workstation set-up. Another potential contributor to shoulder pain or discomfort is the repetitive movement of the upper arm associated with pointing device movement. Persons who suspect their shoulder injury is related repetitive upper arm movement may benefit from the use of a trackball (e.g. Kensington or Microspeed). A trackball has the benefit of neutralizing the upper arm during movement by utilizing the smaller finger and forearm muscles to roll the ball. This may reduce the aggravation to the shoulder area due to the reduction of upper arm movement. Three warnings however: First, the trackball uses smaller forearm muscles to produce the movement. Don't just jump right in and use a trackball full-time. You have to gradually work those smaller muscles into shape. You should treat using a new pointing device like preparing for a race; gradually build up your endurance and strength through training. Second, most trackballs (by their design) promote wrist extension. This may or may not be detrimental to you. If you notice some wrist/forearm/elbow soreness, a 3/4" high x 4" wide x 6" long firm foam pad placed in front of the trackball may help to reduce wrist extension. Third, some trackball use the thumb more than a mouse. The thumb is the most important digit on the hand, it should not be overused. Pay particular attention to your thumb and make sure it does not become sore through overuse. Avoid trackballs that use the thumb to roll the ball. The continual switching of the hands between the keyboard and pointing device may also aggravate the shoulder. One unique solution for PC users is the Key Tronic TrakMate. This device is an adjustable wrist rest with a built in trackball (like in MAC Powerbooks). Another factor that can affect arm movement is screen size. People who use large screen monitors may want to increase the speed of their mouse to reduce upper arm movement and the potential for shoulder aggravation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ B. SORENESS IN THE FINGERS, TENDONS, AND MUSCLES USED TO ACTIVATE BUTTONS Soreness in the fingers, associated tendons, and muscles may be due to button use, posture, size of the pointing device, or other factors. Some applications that require extensive dragging (operations where the mouse and button are under a sustained pinch) can cause finger problems as well as applications that require repeated clicking of buttons. If you think the repeated button clicking is the culprit, there are two alternatives: trackballs with foot pedals or devices which require less force to activate the buttons. In the trackball with foot pedals category (this option is for PC and MAC users only), there is one alternative: The Kraft Trackball (619/724- 7146). The foot pedal on Kraft Trackball can be used to take some of the workload associated with repeated button clicking off the fingers. I would recommend you try this device before you buy it. Kraft's trackball design is less than optimal and their foot pedal design is O.K. As far as devices that have low button activation forces, the Microsoft Mouse is one alternative (this option is for PC users only). This 2-buttoned mouse is smaller in size, and to my knowledge has one of the lightest button activation force of the all the commercially available mice. NOTE FOR MAC USERS There are many alternative keyboards, mice, and trackballs for made exclusively for PC's. This use to be a frustration for MAC owners that wanted to use PC-based devices; this is no longer the case. There is a product called the Keystone made by Silicon Valley Bus Company, 475 Brown Road, San Juan Bautista, CA 95045, (408) 623- 2300 that makes a PC to MAC converter for using PC Keyboards and Microsoft and Logitech compatible serial Mice with MAC's. Price is $99 plus $6 shipping. Now MAC users can use most PC-based devices. A word of warning: the hardware will work but you can't use the PC- based driver software that comes with the device. For example, if the PC mouse software supports drag lock you can't use it on the MAC. You would have to find some MAC-based software that supports drag lock. Keyboards should work fine. NOTE FOR HP WORKSTATION USERS Many HP workstation owners were frustrated by the fact that they were limited to using HP input devices (possessing the HP-HIL interface) and could not take advantage of third party devices; this is no longer the case. There is a product made by Modular Industrial Computers, Inc.; 6025 Lee Highway, Suite 340; Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421; (615) 499-0700 called the HIL-PS/2 Converter. The device costs $410. This device lets you connect any PS/2 compatible keyboard or pointing device to your HP workstation. A word of warning: the hardware will work but you can't use the functionality of the PC-based driver software that comes with the device. NOTE FOR SUN WORKSTATION USERS Many Sun workstation owners were frustrated by the fact that they were limited to using Sun input devices and could not take advantage of third party devices; this is no longer the case. With a little effort, the interested Sun Workatation user can buy a converter box, add a software driver to their operating system, and plug in PC protocol devices into their Sun Workstation. A word of warning: the hardware will work but you can't use the functionality of the PC-based driver software that comes with the device. The software driver you need is "a2x-RawPC-1". It can be obtained via anonymous FTP from the typing injury archives at ftp.csua.berkeley.edu in pub/typing-injury/software/a2x-RawPC- 1.2.tar.Z A2x-RawPC takes input from a device such as the Genovation or Kinesis Serial Box (which converts a PC keyboard into a normal RS232 serial device) and converts the signal into Sun compatible codes. The converter boxes are made by Genovation; 17741 Mitchell North; Irvine, CA 92714; Voice: 714-833-3355; Fax: 714-833-0322. Their minimum order is 10 boxes. Apparently, you order the Genovation boxes singly for $94+shipping from a mail order company called "United Computer Express", at 800-448-3738S Single units can also be obtained from Kinesis; 22232 17th Avenue SE; Bothell, WA 98021-7425; Phone: 800-454-6374 or 206-402-8100; Fax: 206-402-8181. They are reselling the Genovation boxes under their own label. If you think engaging in repeated continual dragging operations are the culprit, then a device with a drag-lock feature may be of benefit to you. Drag-lock is a feature where when you click on an object, the pointing device or the computer software holds the object for you without requiring the operator to keep the button depressed. The object being held or manipulated is then released when a second click is executed. Most trackballs have a drag-lock button. Be sure your trackball has a drag-lock button before you order. The same warnings apply to trackballs as mentioned in the previous section. Presently only a few mice have drag-lock capability, the only ones I'm aware of are made by Logitech. Two caveats: First, Logitech mice have 3-buttons and may seem too wide for certain users. Second, the buttons on the older Logitech mice may have higher activation forces than your present device. For some, one or both of these factors may make the Logitech mouse difficult to use. If you use a PC with a Microsoft compatible mouse, you could install the Kensington Trackball Expert Mouse 4.0 software driver. This will allow you to program one of the buttons on your existing mouse to have drag-lock. Call Josh Seiden at Kensington (800-535-4242) and he will send you the drivers free! Programs to reduce dragging which are exclusive to MAC users are Power Clicks and Automenu II. Power Clicks is a $3 MAC Shareware program that allows you to remap your mouse button to the keyboard with the ability to program an additional key to perform drag-lock operations. This program is available via anonymous FTP from sumex-aim.stanford.edu under the filename info-mac/cfg/power- clicks-102.hqx. The second program a $13 shareware program called Automenu II. What this program does is eliminate the dragging associated with the pull-down menus in the Apple operating system. Instead of having to drag down a menu, the Automenu II program changes the operating environment so once the cursor goes to the menu area, it automatically displays and locks the menu down. A demo copy is available using the Veronica file searching utility within TurboGopher. To purchase a copy outright, send $13 to Michael Conrad; ATTN: AutoMenus; 377 E. Eaglewood Ave.; Sunnyvale, CA 94086. If you are not familiar with performing anonymous FTP operations or TurboGopher, then see your site administrator for assistance. Easy access, which is a standard MAC control panel item also has some interesting features. Finally, one last alternative for relieving finger discomfort is to switch hands. Be careful here, based on a fair number of responses from my pointing device discomfort/injury posting, a fair number of people who have switched hands have developed the same or similar injury in the other hand. Switching hands is good, but don't do it cold turkey, gradually build up the strength and endurance in the new hand. If you develop pain in the new hand you may want to switch back to the regular hand, the choice is yours. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ C. SORENESS IN THE RING AND/OR LITTLE FINGERS Soreness in the ring and/or little finger may have to do with the size of the pointing device or some other factors. If you have pain in one or both of these fingers, your pointing device may be too large or too small depending on your hand size and the size of the pointing device you are using. For some females and smaller handed individuals, wide pointing devices (greater than 2 1/4" wide) or 3-buttoned pointing devices may be too large to hold comfortably. Switching to a narrower profile mouse like the Original (not new) Microsoft Mouse may help out. For large handed individuals the converse may be true. You may have too small of a pointing device and your hand feels cramped. Here switching to a wider 3-buttoned device may help out. One other alternative is switching to a trackball to eliminate the sustained pinching of the pointing device all together. Also, you may want to look at your mouse acceleration. If you crank up your acceleration and use a wrist-based movement style where you move the mouse using sweeping motions with the hand, you may be holding the mouse with more force because you are constantly lifting the mouse. You may want to slow down the acceleration and move the mouse with your whole arm about the shoulder to reduce the amount of lifting. Pay attention to you shoulder though, you don't want to aggravate it because of the new style. Finally, try and break your habit of always holding the pointing device when you aren't using it. If you are not using the pointing device, let it go. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ D. SORENESS IN THE TENDONS AND MUSCLES IN THE VICINITY OF THE ELBOW Elbow soreness may be related to posture, movement and use of the forearm and fingers, or other factors. If you are experiencing elbow pain or discomfort, your workstation set-up may be a factor. Your workstation may be too high, too low, or not oriented correctly. See the "COMPUTER WORKSTATION SELF-AUDIT FORM" at the end of this document for guidance on workstation set-up. Another potential contributor to elbow pain or discomfort is the repetitive movement of the fingers or constantly holding your hand and fingers fixed in one position. Repeated extension of the fingers or constantly holding the fingers suspended over your pointing device may aggravate the tendons at the elbow. If you float your fingers over the device, try to rest them gently on the device surface, this may take some of the load of your tendons. If your wrist is always in extension, then some sort of device to keep your wrist in a straight and neutral position may be of benefit. For trackball users this could be a foam pad in front of the trackball. If you use a foam pad make sure that it is made out of a firm foam and that the pad height matches the toe (front) height of your device. For most people, a 3/4" high x 4" wide x 6" long pad will work. The goal is to have your wrist and forearms in line with each other (straight) so that they lie in one plane. For mouse users, there is a device called the Mouse Shadow (800/329-6944). This device is a wrist pad with wheels so it will move your wrists as you and your mouse move. This is not a product endorsement, I have had no experience with this device. It may work just fine or could be detrimental (due to putting constant compression over the wrist area). If you think your aggravation is due to using a pen stylus, you may benefit by switching to a puck stylus. This will use some different muscles and may give the aggravated muscles a break. Switching periodically between two different classes of devices like from a pen to a puck or vise versa may also help out the situation. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= VI COMPUTER WORKSTATION SELF-AUDIT CHECKLIST INSTRUCTIONS: Circle the correct YES/NO answer for each of the questions. ****************************************************************** * NOTE: The questions you answered NO to are areas you may want * * to change or seek improvements on * ****************************************************************** ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Chair Adjustment ------------------------------------------------------------------- YES NO ...... Is your chair height adjustable? YES NO ...... Is your chair back adjustable up and down? YES NO ...... Is your chair back contoured to support the lower back? YES NO ...... Is there room (1"- 4") between the front edge of the seat pan and the back of your knees? YES NO ...... Do your chair arms interfere with you getting close to your work? YES NO ...... Do your chair arms allow you to sit with your shoulders relaxed and not elevated? YES NO ...... Do your feet rest flat on the floor or are they supported by a foot rest? YES NO ...... Are your knees bent forming approximately a 90 degree or greater angle? To be seated properly in your chair your feet must rest flat on the floor. You should use a foot rest if your chair does not adjust low enough or if your worksurface is too high. The key is to not only have your feet flat on the floor (or supported by a foot rest) but also to have your thighs parallel with the seat pan so your legs form approximately a 90 degree (or greater) angle at the knees. If your chair has an adjustable back up and down with an outward contouring in the lower back of the chair (the lumbar support), adjust the back of your chair so the lumbar support fits in the small of your back. If the chair back is adjustable forward and backward, adjust the angle to what is comfortable for you. The angle you prefer is rather subjective; you should adjust the back angle of your chair so your trunk and upper legs form an angle somewhere between 94 -115 degrees. If your chair has arms they should not interfere with you getting close to your work. In addition, when you assume the typing position with your arms resting comfortably at your side, the chair arms should be at a height where they just barely contact your elbows. The chair arms should not noticeably elevate your shoulders or force you to wing your arms out to use them. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Worksurface/Keyboard/Pointing Device Adjustment ------------------------------------------------------------------- YES NO ...... With your chair adjusted properly is your worksurface at approximately elbow level? YES NO ...... Are your shoulders relaxed and not elevated when you work at your worksurface? YES NO ...... When you address your worksurface to type or write is there approximately a 90 degree angle between your forearms and upper arms and are your elbows close to your body? YES NO ...... When you address your worksurface to type are your wrists in line with your forearms and not bent upwards, downwards, or side-to-side? For the proper worksurface/keyboard height do the following: if your worksurface is adjustable, first adjust your chair as mentioned in the chair adjustment section above, then with your arms resting comfortably at your side, raise your forearms to form a 90 degree angle with your upper arms. Adjust your worksurface so the home row of your keyboard (the row which has the letters a,s,d.....) is at approximately elbow level. If your worksurface is too high and not adjustable, adjust your chair to bring your elbows to the home row level of the keyboard. If you raise your chair make sure your feet are properly supported. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Monitor Adjustment ------------------------------------------------------------------- YES NO ...... Is the viewing distance to your computer monitor somewhere between 18"- 30"? YES NO ...... Is the top of your computer screen at or just below eye level? YES NO ...... If your wear bifocals or trifocals, can you see the computer monitor without having to tilt your head back to read the screen or other items in your workarea? YES NO ...... Is your computer monitor free of glare or reflections? Once you have your chair and worksurface height adjusted, adjust your computer monitor so the top of the screen is at or just below eye level. Bifocal and trifocal wearers have to pay particular attention to the placement of their monitor. Wearers of bifocals and trifocals often unknowingly tilt their heads backwards so they can read the screen through the lower portion of their glasses. This can sometimes lead to neck, shoulder, and back discomfort. Potential solutions include either lowering your computer monitor or purchasing glasses designed specifically for working at the computer. If glare is a problem either reorient your monitor or purchase a glare screen. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. WORKSTATION ACCESSORY ARRANGEMENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------- YES NO ...... Is your input device (mouse, trackball, digitizing tablet) at the same level as your keyboard? YES NO ...... Do you have enough room on your worksurface for all your computer accessories? YES NO ...... Are your most frequently accessed items (e.g. phone, manuals, etc.) easy to reach? YES NO ...... Do you have an adjustable document holder to hold paper for prolonged computer inputting? YES NO ...... Do you have a wrist rest to support your wrists in a straight and neutral position? YES NO ...... Do your arms rest on, or contact any sharp or square edges on your worksurfaces? YES NO ...... If a large percentage of your time involves using a phone do you use a phone headset? If you use an input device (mouse, trackball, digitizing tablet, etc.) make sure it is at the same level and at approximately the same distance as your keyboard. Try to keep your pointing device as close to the centerline of your body as possible. Reaching for your input device or having it at a higher level than your keyboard can cause problems. Keyboard drawers or other types of keyboard support devices can increase the amount of desk space but can cause other problems. One problem with keyboard drawers and other types of keyboard supports is that they force you further away from your primary worksurface, put your mouse at a higher level, and force you to reach to use your mouse and other accessories. Another problem with these type of devices is that they often interfere with the thigh clearance under your worksurface. Keep your most frequently accessed items close to you to minimize the amount of reaching you have to do. If you type and reference material from paper you should consider using a document holder or slant board. Place the document holder at the same distance and height as your computer monitor. The document holder will help in keeping your head over your spine and can prevent or relieve neck, shoulder, and back discomfort. A padded wrist rest made out of firm foam will take some of the load off your neck, shoulder, and back muscles; keep your wrist in a straight and neutral position while typing; and keep your arms off the sharp edges of the worksurface. Ideally the wrist rest should be made of a firm foam and constructed so the pad height matches the front (toe) height of your keyboard. Talking on the phone with your neck bent to hold the receiver can cause neck, shoulder, and back discomfort. If you're on the phone a fair amount of time, a phone headset can prevent you from bending your neck and prevent or relieve neck, shoulder, and back discomfort. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. WORK HABITS ------------------------------------------------------------------- YES NO ...... Do you take short and frequent breaks every 20 - 40 minutes? YES NO ...... Do you frequently change body positions while working? YES NO ...... Do you provide your eyes with vision breaks every half hour? YES NO ...... Is overtime work uncommon? YES NO ...... Are you free from deadline situations or experiencing deadline stress? YES NO ...... Are you free from experiencing any pain or discomfort while working? It's very important to take a break from working at your computer every 20 - 40 minutes. Repetitious static work (working at a computer) is very fatiguing on your upper extremities as well as your eyes. Your body needs periodic breaks to rest and recover. Taking a break does not mean you have to stop working, you could make a trip to the copier, talk to a colleague, make some phone calls, etc. It is also very important to change positions periodically. Sitting in one position or leaning on your arms for an extended period of time can interfere with circulation. Moving around can help with circulation and prevent you from putting pressure on one location for an extended period of time. It is often working overtime and the stress of deadline situations that force people to ignore and work through their pain and discomfort. It is very important that once you start to notice some pain or discomfort to be very careful. Pain that goes away over night is usually a sign of fatigue, pain that is continuous and does not go away over night is more serious and should be attended to immediately. Once you detect any pain or discomfort while working see the Health Services people at your site as soon as possible. It is much easier for them to treat you and for you to recover from a pain episode the earlier you are treated. Ignoring pain can lead to serious injury. Finally be careful with what you do outside of work. Repetitive stressful activities outside of work (e.g. home improvement projects, hobbies that require repetitive motion, etc.) can sometimes lead to repetitive motion injuries as well. When working on a new task you should treat it just like preparing for a race. Whenever you engage in a new task gradually build up your strength and endurance, don't just jump right in. -- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Pete Johnson | e-mail: petej@garnet.berkeley.edu UCSF-UCB Ergonomics Lab | phone: (510) 231-9405 (Work) | (510) 524-0654 (Home) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=