Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Health Tips for January 27

Health Tip: Symptoms of Computer Strain

Frequent computer use -- especially when it involves poor posture or keystroke repetition -- can damage nerves, muscles, tendons or ligaments.

Here are common symptoms of computer-related injury, courtesy of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:

  • Numbness of the fingers.
  • Pain or soreness in the lower back, neck, shoulders or wrists.
  • Headache.
  • Dryness, redness and soreness of the eyes, or blurred vision.

Health Tip: Sit Properly at the Computer

Stretching your neck and working your wrists at a computer for hours at a time can strain much of the body.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers these suggestions to help reduce computer pain and discomfort:

  • Sit up straight, with your ears lined up with the top of your shoulders, and your shoulders lined up with the hips.
  • Relax your upper arms, and hold them close to your body. Keep your hands and wrists straight in front of your arms.
  • Keep your hands and fingers relaxed when typing or clicking on the mouse.
  • Take regular breaks and relax your hands and fingers.
  • Give your eyes a rest and look away from the computer every so often. Also, try to position your screen to reflect the least glare.
  • Place your computer monitor about an arm's length in front of you, and right at eye level so you don't have to look up or down to view the monitor.

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