Now we all know that computers can not cause injury on their
own. Well unless your fingers slip and you drop it on your
toes, but that is another column for another time. There
are many serious injuries though that can be rooted in the
use of your computer. Many of these illnesses are caused
over a long period of time as well. Just because you feel
good now sitting two inches away from the monitor on a bar
stool, does not mean you will not be paying for it in the
future. Yes my friends, it’s time to talk about Ergonomics.
By definition, ergonomics is “the study of the efficiency
of persons in their working environment.” The small
things you probably take for granted, such as slouching
over when you sit, or not taking breaks between long periods
of computer use could and probably will haunt you in years
to come. For some of you it might already be too late, but
for others you can be broken of these bad habits.
Now I’m a guy who spends a lot of time in front of
his monitor for extended amounts of time. Now we all know
we have seen the instruction booklet that comes with a new
monitor, but only about a tenth of us actually flip through
the pages of that booklet, and about two percent of us actually
read it. Falling into the two percent category as of today,
it tells you that the top of your computer screen should
be at a level line directly to your eyes. This keeps you
from having to move your head up and down during the day
that would make even a bobble-head toy envious of your actions.
Another important rule to remember about monitors is you
should also be around fifteen to eighteen inches away from
it. The brightness and contrast can also have a lot to do
with how you should be using your monitor. Always make sure
that it’s not too bright or too dim of a picture you’re
looking at. Most monitors these days have controls right
on their face for you to adjust this to get the best picture
in your opinion.
Your chair also falls under one of the most important categories
in ergonomics. Coming up second behind your monitor habits,
you have to make sure you’re using the correct type
of chair. No, this doesn’t mean you have to go to
the mall and purchase that ugly pink chair. You know the
one that looks as if it was designed by Andy Warhol and
promises you twenty-first century sitting comfort.
What you do need to look for is one that has a padded seat
and backrest. Find something that is firm, yet comfortable.
Don’t purchase a chair if you feel like your sinking
in it, or you’d be more comfortable sitting on a rock.
Make sure that it has a rounded edge at the front, and make
sure that when you are sitting comfortably your seat pan
matches the site of your thigh without pinching the back
of your knees. Also, if you’re looking at office chairs,
make sure you purchase one with five legs. Most of us would
think, what’s that helping? Well in all reality it’s
for stability. Translation? It keeps you from making a fool
out of yourself when you decide to lean back and then fall
in the floor.
Let us not forget about your keyboard use. Using your keyboard
incorrectly could and often does cause tendon inflammation
and tendonitis in your wrist and forearm. You have two choices
by the way I see things. Either use the generic old keyboard
correctly, or shell out some money for one of those ergonomically
safe keyboards.
To use your standard old flat keyboard correctly your hands
should be elevated off of your desk when you type. Putting
your wrists in any odd positions causes stress to those
joints and might cut your computer use in your golden years
to a screeching halt. Another important reminder is that
you might want to learn how to touch type, instead of having
to look down every few seconds to see that your fingers
are hitting the correct keys. This will reduce the strain
on your neck. If you find it too hard to remember to hold
your hands at an elevated level when typing, most computer
stores carry padded, gel-like pads that you can put in front
of your keyboard to hold your hands at the correct angle
for typing.
The mouse or trackball also comes into play with ergonomics.
When using either make, like with the keyboard, make sure
your wrist is not in any odd positions. Also make sure that
the mouse fits comfortably in your hand, fitting it like
a glove.
Keep in mind that not every rule for ergonomics works for
every person. If you follow the basic guidelines though
you should be on the right track to an long and illustrious
life sitting in front of your personal computer.
Your navigation also plays a key roll in your page organization.
Make sure that your navigation is easy to read, easy to
read, and easy to understand. Hiding your navigational links
make it hard for people to figure out where to go next.
There's no reason to try to keep up with the latest and
greatest tricks in web design, because in doing so you're
cutting out a lot of your visitors. Be careful while using
tables, and use them because you need to, not because of
style. Un-logical locations can make things harder to figure
out if somebody is using a text browser or have a disability.
If you feel like you have to use frames with your site,
be sure to provide a "NOFRAMES" tag that will
give your visitors who ca not use frames an alternative
way of navigating your site. These are only a few ways to
keep your site organized and accessible, but should be a
good start. So what are you waiting for? It's time to get
to work!
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