Notes

Ergonomic Principles
The term ergonomics comes from two Greek words ergon and nomoi. Ergon means work. Nomoi means natural laws. Ergonomics is a branch of science that considers human abilities and limitations for designing products fit for work. Its aim is to provide products and systems. It also provides an environment through which humans can improve productivity and reduce injuries.

Ergonomics looks at the physical stress in a job. These physical stresses are given below.

moving or working arms and/or legs continuously

working using awkward posture

using too much force while working

Ergonomics also considers the environmental factors given below.

excessive noise
poor air quality in work area
improper lighting

Ergonomic Principles
The practice of adopting ergonomics in the work environment points to certain principles known as ergonomic principles. You need to use these principles to improve productivity and efficiency at work. Let’s discuss some common principles.

Maintain good posture: Maintain the spine’s natural S curve instead of bending for long periods. You should keep the neck straight or aligned to your spine. While working on your computer, keep elbows at your sides and relax your shoulders. You should also keep your hand and forearm in the same plane to prevent pressure on your wrists.

Minimize pressure points: Use cushioning while sitting to minimize pressure on your back and knees. Use special insoles for your shoes to avoid hurting your heels and feet while standing on a hard surface.

Arrange your work area: Keep things within reach. This helps you to avoid stretching and straining while fetching objects. You also need to work at the right height. Your elbows should be straight, not bent, when using a computer. Set up your work area in a way that you can move about easily and not bump into things. Use proper lighting to avoid glare and insufficient lighting.

Reduce excessive force: Sometimes, you may feel pain or fatigue when you pull or lift heavy objects like books or folders. You can avoid this situation by keeping these objects in a box. When lifting the objects, you can reduce the strain using the handles on the box.

Avoid static load: Staying at the same position, such as sitting or standing for extended periods causes static load. To avoid foot pain, you can use a footrest to reposition your legs. You can also change your position while sitting to avoid back pain.

Exercise your muscles: You need to exercise regularly to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you spend a lot of time at your desk, make sure you shift posture, stretch, and take breaks.

Computer Vision Syndrome is a condition resulting from focusing the eyes on a computer or other display device for protracted, uninterrupted periods of time.

Eyestrain.
Headaches.
Blurred vision.
Dry eyes.
Neck and shoulder pain.
Here are 10 easy steps you can take to reduce your risk of computer eye strain and other common symptoms of computer vision syndrome (CVS):
Get a comprehensive eye exam. ...
Use proper lighting. ...
Minimize glare. ...
Upgrade your display. ...
Adjust your computer display settings. ...
Blink more often. ...
Exercise your eyes.

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is a condition of the muscles and nerves that results from repetitive hand movement on a computer. For example, typing or clicking a mouse repeatedly for long hours can cause RSI. The overuse of hand movements on a computer causes strain or injury in the upper part of your body. These parts are the wrist, elbow, forearm, hands, neck, and shoulders. RSI is also known as cumulative trauma disorder. The symptoms of RSI can be pain, tenderness, numbness, tingling, fatigue, or weakness.

Certain people have a higher risk of developing RSI than others. People who type for long hours have a higher risk of developing RSI. When you type for long hours, you repeat many movements with your hands and fingers. Since the human body is not suited to long repetitive tasks, it experiences fatigue and stress. Continuous typing can hurt your hands and wrists. You might develop a wrist injury called Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. This injury makes your index and middle fingers numb and painful. Your thumb also becomes weak. Some causes of fatigue are:

poor posture and techniques while typing
lack of rest or sleep
lack of breaks and exercise at work

Use keys correctly to type. Rest left hand fingers on the A,S, D, and F keys. Keep right hand fingers on the J, K, L, and ; keys. Place your thumbs in the air or lightly on the space bar.
Keep your back straight and feet flat, while sitting. Position your knees slightly lower than your hips.
While typing, curve your fingers gently over the keys. Keep wrists in a flat position. Do not rest your arms, wrists, or hands while keying on the keyboard.
Keep the mouse or trackball within reach and at the same height as the keyboard.
Adjust the height of the keyboard so that it lies flat or slopes away from you. To make it slope away from you, raise the front of keyboard about 3/4 inches using a door strip or box.
Sit at a hand’s length from the keyboard and center your body on the J key.
Keep your head straight. Do not strain backward or forward. Relax your neck and shoulders.
Place the screen at an arm’s distance. The screen should be at eye level so that you look down 10 degree.
With an adjustable chair, place the chair and keyboard in a way that your elbows bend at right angles.
Take regular breaks and stretch.

Poor posture and lack of breaks at work cause RSI.

Physical Exercises for Relieving Stress
Physical exercise is an important activity to maintain physical fitness and overall health. It not only strengthens muscles, but also enables you to do regular typing with ease. When you spend hours every day in front of a computer, you are at risk of developing fatigue, strain, or even RSI. There are a number of physical exercises you can follow to relieve stress or pain when working long hours on keyboards. Let’s look into these physical exercises.

Exercises for the neck: Typing continuously for long hours can cause stiffness or pain in your neck. To exercise your neck, move your head back and forward slowly keeping your shoulders straight. Repeat this action a number of times. Then move your neck from left to right slowly with straight shoulders. Repeat for some time. While sitting, you can turn your body to the left by holding your chair’s left armrest. Turn your head to the left, and hold the position for a few seconds. Repeat the same with your right side.

Exercises for the back: Back pain is common for people working on keyboards continuously. To keep your back free from pain, bend slightly and stretch your right hand up. Hold for some time, and repeat with the left arm. You can also sit on a chair and put your hands on the edges of the chair. Move forward slightly. Get up slowly, keeping yourself straight, and raise your chest out. Hold for some time and then sit back.

Exercises for hands and wrists: To exercise your hands, make a fist in both hands and hold. Then, stretch your fingers as far as possible in both hands and hold. You can repeat this a few times to relax your hands. To exercise your wrists, place your palms together with fingers pointed upwards. Then try to push the heels of your hands downwards. Hold this position for some time. Then, place your palms together with fingers pointed downwards. Try to push the heels of your hands upwards. Hold this position for some time. You will realize that your wrists feel better with this exercise.

Physical Activities in the Workplace
Apart from the exercises discussed so far, physical activities in the workplace can reduce stress and pain. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Stretch your back for ten to fifteen seconds.
Exercise your hands and wrists for about ten seconds.
Exercise your neck for about ten seconds.
Keep breathing while stretching.
Get up from your seat and take a walk every three hours.
Blink your eyes often, and wash them with cold water.
Look away from the monitor regularly to rest your eyes to avoid a headache.
Try meditating or yoga to relax your body and mind.

Continuous keyboard typing can cause Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. It can make your index and middle fingers numb and painful. Your thumb also becomes weak.