What are some of the health problems associated with over use of computers?
The use of computers has long been blamed for a variety of problems. In this document we will identify and look at several of these.
It is important for us to realize that working with computers, particularly for long periods of time, can be dangerous for our health. To create a safe working environment, the following factors shoul be considered.
1. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) in Wrists and Hands
This is a condition known as Repetitive Strain Injury and is caused when someone uses a tool (it does not just have to be a computer) too much. So, for example, an Educational Administrator may use a computer to enroll new students. At busy times this may be the only work that this person does. The repetitive motions involved means that the muscles in the arms and hands are kept tense for a long time. This causes pain – and here are some of the pains to watch out for if you fear you have RSI :
· Sore neck, back shoulders, hands or wrists
· A tingling sensation, and possibly the affected area can be numb or cold
· You may experience a weakening of your grip
· Uncomfortable sleep. A lot of RSI sufferers think, when in bed, that they are lying on their arms and that their circulation has been cut off.
It is also important to know that sometimes the area that is experiencing pain may NOT be the area that has been damaged. For example, the hand may be numb but this is often caused by a pinched nerve at the shoulder area.
One way of reducing the risk of RSI is to adopt good ergonomics. As we have previously seen ergonomics can reduce the likelihood of damage to the body in the office work space.
Reducing technostress is often key. Series of studies have shown that RSI can be connected to social factors. Workers who are stressed out are at double the risk of reporting pain. Other factors such as poor relationships with colleagues, being asked to do too much work and just being plain bored and dissatisfied are also factors in making RSI worse than it actually is. Many doctors believe that technostress is in fact the main cause of the pain symptoms that people usually associate with RSI.
Solutions – to reduce the risk of RSI :
a. Have our keyboard positioned correctly
b. Develop a good typing technique
c. Take regular breaks from using keyboard
e. Use ergonomically – designed keyboards where the keys are split.
f. Use a wrist-rest to support the wrists while typing and when using the mouse.
This is where an important nerve, the median nerve, is squashed in the wrist area – and this is painful! Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is more common in women than in men and it can happen to you at any age. However, research has shown that if you are around 42 years of age you are most at risk!
Treatments for this can vary – quite often your wrist will be put in to a brace so that it cannot be moved while the nerve heals. However, prevention is much better than cure and following an ergonomic system will drastically reduce the chance of CTS. As with RSI, the pain of CTS is often double if the person is suffering from technostress at the same time!
Both of these medical conditions can be described as new because they were only discovered in the last one hundred years or so. This coincides with the sharp increase in the amount of office workers and their use, first of all typewriters, and today of computers. Hardly a coincidence?
3. Eye Strain
Eye strain is an extremely common eye disorder, each person has different symptoms when they experience eye strain but it can broadly be defined as anything that causes discomfort or pain to your eyes while viewing something. Eye strain is caused by your eye muscles becoming fatigued due to the overuse of your eye muscles during intense tasks such as driving a car, working on the computer or even reading a book.
This sense of being fatigued is caused by your ciliary muscle (highlighted in red in fig 1.1 below) tightening as it strains during these visual intense tasks making your eyes feel sore, much like your biceps would feel after a big work out at the gym. Eye soreness is not the only symptom of eye strain, other common symptoms can include; dry or itchy eyes, blurred vision, spasms around the eyes, headaches and migraines. A full list of symptoms can be found here.
While the effects of eye strain can often leave people feeling debilitated, preventing eye strain from occurring is extremely easy. Simple prevention techniques include the 20-20-20 method or even optimizing your work space. Fortunately even if you currently do suffer from eye strain there are several easy and affordable treatment options these include; eye lubricants, specialized computer glasses, anti glare monitors and changing to an LCD monitor. Click here for full list of eye strain treatment options. Another viable treatment option which can be tried immediately is eye exercises, we’ve compiled a full list of the most popular eye exercises here.
Solution – To reduce Eye strain risk :
Users should look away from the monitor and focus on a distant object from time to time to relax their eye muscels. Ascreen glare deflector can help some users.
Avoiding Eyestrain
Precautions that can be taken to avoid eyestrain include:
· Exercising the eyes by periodically focusing on objects at varying distances
· Blinking regularly
· Keeping the air around you moist - for example using plants, open pans of water or a humidifier (spider plants are said to be particularly good for this and removing chemical vapours from the air)
· Adjusting the screen height / seating so that when sitting comfortably your eyes are in line with the top of the monitor screen
· Adjusting the brightness control on your monitor for comfort
· Adjusting the contrast on your monitor to make the characters distinct from the background
· Adjusting the refresh rate of your monitor to stop it flickering
· Positioning monitors to avoid glare (e.g. not directly in front of windows)
· Keeping your monitor the screen clean
· Keeping the screen and document holder (if you use one) at the same distance from your eyes
· Servicing, repairing or replacing monitors that flicker or have inadequate clarity
· Regular eye testing - do this at least once every 2 years and more frequently if necessary - especially if you are experiencing eye problems related to using display equipment. Indicate the distance from your eyes to the monitor to your optician and talk to them regarding special lenses or the use of bifocals.
4. Back Problem
Back pain (also known as dorsalgia) is pain felt in the back that usually originates from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine.
Many computer users suffer serious back problems. This is probably due to a poor posture or an awkward position while sitting at a computer.
Some of the things that people can do to help avoid back pain are:
- Use a fully adjustable chair. The height of the chair and the seat position should be easy to change.
- Use footrests so that the legs are kept at a more natural angle
- Use a monitor which is adjustable. Position it so that the neck doesn't have to bend
- Take regular breaks and walk about.
- Sit with the back straight and the head up, don't slouch
Avoiding Musculoskeletal problems
General precautions to avoid musculoskeletal problems include:
· Taking regular breaks from working at your computer - a few minutes at least once an hour
· Alternating work tasks
· Regular stretching to relax your body
· Using equipment such as footrests, wrist rests and document holders if you need to
· Keeping your mouse and keyboard at the same level
· Avoiding gripping your mouse too tightly - hold the mouse lightly and click gently
· Familiarise yourself with keyboard shortcuts for applications you regularly use (to avoid overusing the mouse)
It is also important to have your workstation set up correctly. Your workstation includes monitor, keyboard, mouse, seating, desk, and where appropriate, footrest (to enable you to put your feet flat if they would otherwise not reach the floor), wrist rest, and document holder. Monitors should:
· Swivel, tilt and elevate - if not use an adjustable stand, books or blocks adjust the height
· Be positioned so the top line of the monitor is no higher than your eyes or no lower than 20° below the horizon of your eyes or field of vision
· Be at the same level and beside the document holder if you use one
· Be between 18 to 24 inches away from your face
Keyboards should:
· Be detachable and adjustable (with legs to adjust angle)
· Allow your forearms to be parallel to the floor without raising your elbows
· Allow your wrists to be in line with your forearms so your wrists does not need to be flexed up or down
· Include enough space to rest your wrists or should include a padded detachable wrist rest (or you can use a separate gel wrist rest which should be at least 50 mm deep)
· Be placed directly in front of the monitor and at the same height as the mouse, track ball or touch pad
Chairs should:
· Support the back - and have a vertically adjustable independent back rest that returns to its original position and has tilt adjustment to support the lower back
· Allow chair height to be adjusted from a sitting position
· Be adjusted so the back crease of the knee is slightly higher than the pan of the chair (use a suitable footrest where necessary)
· Be supported by a five prong caster base
· Have removable and adjustable armrests
· Have a contoured seat with breathable fabric and rounded edges to distribute the weight and should be adjustable to allow the seat pan to tilt forward or back
Tables and desks should:
· Provide sufficient leg room and preferably be height adjustable
· Have enough room to support the computer equipment and space for documents
· Be at least 900 mm deep
· Have rounded corners and edges
Summary
Computers are an essential tool in the work of most organisations. Although problems can occur through their use, with the proper equipment, ergonomic workstation design, proper techniques and working practices, the risk of problems can be greatly reduced.
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