Ergonomically Yours

Archive for March, 2010

I have a love / hate relationship with my computer.  When I went to college in the early 80’s, computers were expensive, underpowered and not readily available.

I remember doing research papers that would entail chasing down medical journal articles from my schools library and several local colleges.  Hours or days would pass with me searching through the libraries of Stanford, San Jose State and Berkley just to find the content for one paragraph of a research paper.

What I would have done for the ease of our current internet.  All of this research could have been performed in a matter of minutes from the comfort of my desk.  It is this convenience that inspires the “love” in the love / hate relationship that I have with my computer.

Now for the downside, the “hate” of my love / hate relationship with this computer.

The more time that I spend sitting at my computer, the more I realize that it is the postural stress that my work station generates that is responsible for the “hate” part of my relationship with the computer.

Even though I am a doctor who has taken a special interest in the effects of postural stress secondary to computer use, I too succumb to the stresses of Computer Related Postural Stress Syndrome.

Computer Related Postural Stress Syndrome or CRPSS is a term that I coined to describe the effects of the postural stress that a poorly thought out work station places on the body.

CRPSS often causes neck and shoulder pain, back pain, arm pain and chronic tension headaches.

You have probably heard and used the term “ergonomics”.  Ergonomics is the study of how we can make a particular work station adapt to meet the physical demands of that stations operator.  The idea is to reduce the physical stresses that the work station places on the operator to a minimum.  We can use basic office ergonomic principals to reduce or eliminate many of the stresses that cause CRPSS.

CRPSS can result from any one or combination of:

Poor Seating Conditions
Incorrect Monitor Placement
Incorrect Keyboard Placement
Over-reaching for the Mouse

Poor seating can be remedied with the purchase of a chair with the following characteristics:

Ability to adjust the seating height
Adjustable armrests ( up and down)
Tilting back support
Tilting seating surface

These features combined with a chair that actually feels comfortable when being sat in can be very helpful in reducing Computer Related Postural Stress Syndrome.

Incorrect monitor placement is also a common source of postural stress and neck pain.  Your monitor should be positioned directly in front of you.  Your eyes should be parallel with the top one third of your monitor when you are looking straight ahead.  A monitor that is positioned in a way that requires the operator to look up or down will stress the neck and eventually lead to neck pain.

Much like the monitor, your keyboard should be placed directly in front of you.  Its height should allow your arms to rest comfortably next to your body while your elbows are bent no more than 90 degrees and your wrists are as straight as possible.  A properly placed keyboard can help reduce neck pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain wrist pain and hand pain.

The final major factor in reducing the effects of CRPSS involves over-reaching.  A mouse operated on the desk top lends itself to producing an over-reaching situation.  This is bad news if you do a substantial amount of mousing.  A mouse that is beyond your comfortable reach zone is likely to become a primary source of postural stress and aggravation.  The solution to this problem is to position your mouse as close to your body as possible.  This can be accomplished with a mouse platform that mounts to the armrest of your chair.  There are several of these on the market that will do the trick.  Make sure that the mouse platform that you choose is adjustable.

Anecdotal evidence from my chiropractic clinic in San Diego suggests that over-reaching for the mouse is a primary factor in the development of neck pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain, wrist pain and hand pain.

Reducing the postural stresses associated with computer work stations can prevent you from developing aggravating conditions that can lead to a lifetime of disability and a loss of employment (I see this in my office all the time).  In many cases, simple rearrangements of the primary components of your work station can go a long way in reducing your chances of developing CRPSS.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

My chiropractic office is very similar to many other practices all over the US, we offer relief from back pain or neck pain. Often viewed as treatment for neck and back pain alone, chiropractic care helps a variety of conditions.

Never self-diagnosis back pain or neck pain; instead you should always seek professional advice and treatment. Ignoring back and neck pain could create other health problems that are more serious.
Some of the various conditions that cause back pain and neck pain can include everything from injury and infection to twisting or turning “the wrong way”. Injuries from accidents, such as a car accident, often result in stress and strain on the vertebra, the connecting ligature, the joints, and the muscles.

The most common cause of back pain that manifests as tightening or spasm of the muscles connected to the spine is overuse or under use of the back muscles. Joints and ligaments become increasingly inflamed and swollen with advancing age.

A herniated disc happens if nuclear pulposus, the substance inside the disc, comes out of a torn annulus fibrosis, the substance outside of the disc, compressing the nerve root. The most likely area to have a back/neck injury would be in the cervical and lumbar regions of the spine which have the most mobility, and the discs are more likely to wear down or become injured. The bottom two spinal vertebrae experience ninety percent of all herniated disc injuries.

One cause for aggravation and damage to the spinal cord is a condition known as spinal stenosis. There are many conditions that can cause spinal stenosis including infections, tumors, trauma, herniated disc, arthritis, ligament thickening, the growth of bone spurs, and general disc degeneration. As the vertebrae deteriorate with age, we are more likely to develop stenosis of the spine.

When something rubs or presses against a nerve creating irritation or inflammation, a pinched nerve, also known as radiculopathy, occurs. The causes of radiculopathy vary. A herniated disc, bone growth, a tumor compressing nerves, and vertebral fracture are all common causes of this condition.

Inflammation of the sciatic nerve is known as Sciatica, a certain type of radiculopathy. When the sciatic nerve is inflamed, pain shoots down the lower back through one side of the buttocks and continues down the back side of the leg.

Compressing the spine or nerve roots can cause significant pain and can be an indicator or symptom of a spinal tumor that originates in the spine (primary tumor) or tumor spreading to the spine from another part of the body (metastatic tumor).

Vertebrae infections (osteomyelitis), discs, meninges (spinal meningitis), or cerebrospinal fluid can press against the spinal cord and cause bad neurological damage if it isn’t identified and treated right away.

Facet joints are formed by two adjacent vertebra and direct the movement of the spine; these joints are often areas that are affected by arthritis. The alignment of the spine is compromised when fluid and cartilage, which functions as a shock absorber, deteriorates and bones begin to shift out of place. Bone rubbing against bone can be very painful.

Back pain and neck pain can be caused by many things and not just these few examples. Chiropractors often relieve uncomfortable back pain and neck pain, because the associated causes are usually mechanical in nature. In conclusion, neck pain and back pain are warning signals from your body that should not be ignored.

How is back pain and neck pain affected by your posture?

Have you ever wondered how you can develop back pain or neck pain without doing anything strenuous? A chiropractor can diagnose neck pain, postural stress, back pain and suggest ergonomic solutions. With closer examination of the structure of our bodies and some simple physics principles, it is a wonder that humans do not suffer from more frequent and intense back and neck pain. In my California chiropractic business, I treat clients frequently who work in an office and could benefit from better ergonomics.

Anyone at any time can have back or neck pain. Lifting, operating machinery, sports, auto accidents, and falls are some of the most common injuries I see in my office. These kind of injuries are typical or expected injuries. The majority of patients think that chiropractic issues stem from lifting heavy sacks of concrete but are surprised to find that most are due to postural stress.

The “silent killer” of our spinal health is postural stress. Postural stress is experienced either while sitting or standing on one’s feet. Any time your spine is not in its natural curves or moves forward beyond its neutral balance point, you can risk postural stress.

One of the various postural stressful positions is sitting at the computer leaning forward with your neck and head while typing or mousing or viewing the screen. This posture, in which your head and neck are extended in front of your body, reverses the normal curvature of your spine and neck, and shifts your head away from its balance point.

The stability that is part of our structure when our postural boundaries are respected is lost when we assume postures that cause stress to our spines. Back and neck pain is often a result of poor posture, which also causes fatigue, irritability, and inflammation of muscles and connecting ligatures due to extended pressure.

To treat neck and back pain caused by postural stress, one must undertake a multifaceted plan. Using this method of chiropractic care in conjunction with stretching and nutritional support relieves pain and stiffness and restores normal, full joint movement. Depending on the length of time that you have been in pain or the severity of your symptoms, this part of your recovery may take several treatments or a lengthy treatment program.

Chiropractic care alone will not alleviate the problem; you must eliminate or change the causes of the postural stress. Ergonomic problems that lead to postural stress can be identified using workstation analysis. Applying ice packs for neck pain and back pain for around twenty minutes at a time is also sometimes effective for relief.

Start treatment by talking to your chiropractor. Chiropractors are medically trained to deal with postural stress problems and the neck pain that occurs as a result. Our San Diego based chiropractic clinic employs a complete approach to rehabilitation using chiropractic care supported by stretches and exercises. In order to facilitate the healing process we encourage the proper nutritional support. It is just as important to understand and correct the cause of poor posture, which causes pain, as it is to seek treatment to relieve the pain.

Using Chiropractic and Exercise to Build a Healthy Spine

I provide treatment for many different kinds of injuries. There are many different causes for neck pain, back pain, chronic headaches, sciatica etc. and can include auto accidents, work related injuries, injuries as a result of domestic chores, and even sometimes something as easy to do as sleeping in an awkward position.

Over half of the people who come to me with neck pain or back pain want to know how they can prevent it from coming back; it is this question that I will attempt to answer in this article.

For starters, two big reasons are back pain and neck pain.

Often, people take action with regard to their health when they experience frequent pain. Eager to start, people frequently ask what kind of stretching or exercise they can implement right away. The best practice you can employ with a new injury is to apply ice packs and rest as much as possible.

During my more than 15 years in practice, I have noticed many enthusiastic people disregard this suggestion and as a consequence, their condition worsens. You want to start exercising and stretching your back when you are out of the acute stage of pain and not before.

The most challenging obstacles clients have to overcome are poor diet and lack of exercise. Outside of chiropractic care, exercise is one of the very few things that a patient can do at home to prevent or help diminish the chances of developing back pain or neck pain.

Exercise after an injury should be approached with caution – almost to a point where the exercise feels as if it is doing nothing. You should first attempt some low intensity workouts, and if you don’t experience pain, increase the resistance a little at a time.

Understand your limits when reintroducing exercise after a back injury, and proceed cautiously. When exercising and stretching, make sure it’s under the guidance of a health care professional. You can improve the support in your spine by strengthening muscle tone and adding flexibility.

Many patients of my chiropractic office have seen relief from back and neck pain from stretching and targeted exercises. Combining chiropractic care with stretching and exercising promotes faster, more complete healing.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

The human body is capable of two kinds of muscular effort.  These muscular efforts are known as dynamic effort and static effort.  It is the static effort that creates repetitive stress trauma.

Dynamic effort is a term used to describe a muscular contraction that is used to move a joint through its range of motion.  With a dynamic contraction, the length of the muscle is changed by the motion of the joint.  During dynamic contractions, the body is able to supply an abundance of oxygenated blood to the muscle in use.  This is an ideal muscular contraction scenario.

Static effort is a term used to describe a muscular contraction that does not move a joint through its full range of motion but rather acts on the joint to provide a static or fixed position.

The problem with static contractions is that they require more blood flow then the muscle is able to get.  Muscles that are performing static contractions restrict blood flow because the blood vessels are compressed or pinched.  When muscles are asked to perform with reduced blood flow, they are deprived of oxygen.  Muscles that have to continue to perform in hypoxic environments build up lactic acid and other toxins that irritate and inflame the surrounding soft tissues.  When these muscle groups are asked to perform under these conditions on a daily basis they reach a point that they can’t recover from.  It is at that point that injury occurs.

This is the type of muscular contraction, when performed on a regular basis, which causes repetitive stress trauma.  Repetitive stress trauma is the precursor to an alphabet soup of work injuries.  Carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, tenosynovitis, DeQuervain’s syndrome and thoracic outlet syndrome are just a few of the conditions that can be caused by repetitive static muscular contractions.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Have you ever wondered how you can develop back pain or neck pain without doing anything strenuous. It is amazing that humans don’t sustain even more back pain and neck pain, given the structure of our bodies and the physical demands. In my California chiropractic practice, I frequently treat office workers who experience chronic and severe back and neck pain tied to easy-to-fix ergonomic issues in their workspace. In my Columbus Ohio chiropractic business, I treat clients frequently who work in an office and could benefit from better ergonomics.
Anyone can experience back or neck pain at any time. I treat individuals regularly who experienced back and neck injuries from improper lifting, machinery usage, sports, falls, and auto accidents. The majority of patients think that chiropractic issues stem from lifting heavy sacks of concrete but are surprised to find that most are due to postural stress.

The “silent killer” of our spinal health is postural stress. Postural stress is experienced either while sitting or standing on one’s feet. Postural stress is felt whenever the natural curve of the spine is altered or if the spine moves past its natural balance point.
As you sit at a computer, hunched over the keyboard or peering at the screen, your neck experiences postural stress. This posture, in which your head and neck are extended in front of your body, reverses the normal curvature of your spine and neck, and shifts your head away from its balance point.

The stability that is part of our structure when our postural boundaries are respected is lost when we assume postures that cause stress to our spines. Stress from the way we hold ourselves (either sitting or standing) opens our ligaments and muscles up to long periods of being stretched (perhaps incorrectly) which leads to muscle fatigue, irritation, inflammation, back and neck pain, and even arthritis over the long run.
A combination of therapies may be required to effectively treat back pain and neck pain from postural stress. Using this method of chiropractic care in conjunction with stretching and nutritional support relieves pain and stiffness and restores normal, full joint movement.If you have endured pain for a long time or if your symptoms are particularly acute, the road to recovery will not be short or easy. Don’t expect a quick fix.

Chiropractic care alone will not alleviate the problem; you must eliminate or change the causes of the postural stress. Have your workstation analyzed to highlight any ergonomic issues that could cause postural stress. Applying ice packs for neck pain and back pain for around twenty minutes at a time is also sometimes effective for relief.
Talking to your chiropractor is the first step in starting your treatment.
Chiropractors are medically trained to deal with postural stress problems and the neck pain that occurs as a result. At our chiropractic clinic in Columbus, we treat patients with a holistic approach using chiropractic care and enhanced with a regimen of stretching and exercise.
In order to facilitate the healing process we encourage the proper nutritional support.
You need to be aware of the importance of eliminating the source of the postural stress in addition to seeking treatment, regardless of which approach you take to relieve the pain of postural stress.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Those of you have read my blog posts both here and at www.jonespainrelief.com/blog1/
know that ergonomics is the study of how we can manipulate our work environment to both improve work performance and reduce injury-causing fatigue.

Obviously, the cost of injury drives the study of ergonomics.  This is a good thing.  Most employers, especially those who run large corporations are detached from their employees – both physically and emotionally.  Were it not for the actual cost of employees’ injuries, many employers would not know or care about their workers’ ergonomic situation.

In the world of ergonomics, there are six separately identifiable variables that affect work performance and fatigue.  These six variables are:

1)    Workload
2)    Each Individuals Physiological Response to the Workload
3)    The Individuals Size & Strength Capabilities
4)    Biomechanical Variances
5)    Human Factors
6)    Work Organization

The questions that should be answered by examining the variables listed above are not limited to but include:

1)    Can You Perform a Task Once Without Injury
2)    Do You Physically Fit Your Workplace
3)    Are You Strong Enough
4)    Can You Perform the Task For Seconds to Minutes Without Fatigue or Injury
5)    Will Injury Occur if the Work is Performed Over Months or Years
6)    Do You Have the Mental Capacity to do the Work

These variables directly affect an individual’s ability to perform certain job duties with or without producing an injury.

The reason that I have decided to include this dry and academic sounding material in this blog is to help provide some very general guides that can be used to evaluate your fit for your work duties.

I have patients who were injured at work who are not good fits for their work.  They either lack the strength, the height or the endurance to effectively perform their work tasks.

If you find yourself in such a situation you should ask for or pay for an ergonomic analysis of your work environment.  Many large companies either have an ergonomics department or have access to an ergonomic specialist.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Have you ever wondered how it can be that you can sit around all day doing nothing strenuous and still develop back pain or neck pain?  Oddly enough, most of the aches and pains that we develop don’t have a clear injury associated with the onset of our symptoms.  Our spines and the muscles and ligaments that move and support them are quite durable.  Aside from severe traumatic injury like a car accident, a hard fall, etc, the pain that is most prone to troubling us is the result of the seemingly inconsequential episodes of poor lifting habits, bad posture and other forms of postural stress.
Back pain or neck pain can affect anyone at any time.  In my San Diego chiropractic clinic, I see patients that have injured their backs and necks from lifting, operating machinery, sports injuries, auto accidents and falls.
Many non-chiropractic patients or new chiropractic patients would be surprised to find that the most common type of injury that I see in my office is not from lifting heavy sacks of concrete but from the long term consequences of postural stress.
Postural stress is the “silent killer” when it comes to our spinal health.  Postural stress occurs during both seated and standing positions.  Postural stress occurs any time that your spine looses its’ natural curves and / or moves forward beyond its neutral balance point.
An example of a posturally stressful position for your neck would be when you are sitting at the computer leaning your neck and head forward while keyboarding, mousing or reading the screen.  Assuming a posture in which your head and neck are extended out in front of your body reverses the normal curve of your neck and shifts your head forward of its balance point.
When we assume postures that cause stress on our spines, the stability that is inherent in our structure when postural boundaries are respected is lost.  Postural stress exposes our ligaments and muscles to prolonged periods of stretching which results in fatigue, irritation, inflammation, back pain and neck pain.
Treating neck pain and back pain that has resulted from postural stress requires a multifaceted approach.  Chiropractic care and massage will relieve the pain and stiffness and restore normal, full joint motion.  This part of your recovery may take several treatments or several weeks of ongoing care based on the length of time that you have been in pain and the severity of your symptoms.
In addition to chiropractic care, you must eliminate or modify the causes of your postural stress.  A workstation analysis can reveal ergonomic issues that are instigators of postural stress.  Any type of treatment that you pursue will only be marginally successful if you are not able to control the source of the stress.  This doesn’t mean quitting your job as a computer operator.  However, it does mean that you may need to reposition your monitor or move your phone closer to your primary work space or purchase a keyboard tray or mouse platform in order to create a more friendly work environment.
The best way to begin your care is discuss your issues with your chiropractor.  Chiropractors are well trained in dealing with postural stress issues especially as they relate to your work environment.
Bio for Ezine, goarticle

Bio for Article city
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California.  He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California.  Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.  Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.  www.JonesPainRelief.com   www.ErgoNav.com
Dr. Steve Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in San Diego.  Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.   Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.  Click the following links to find out how we can help you start feeling better today! www.JonesPainRelief.com, www.ErgoNav.com

Dr. Steve Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in San Diego.  Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.  He is certified as a Specialist in Health Ergonomics.  Dr. Jones Can be found on the web at www.JonesPainRelief.com & a

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Do you ever think about ergonomics while you are suffering at your desk?

The two primary objectives of the study and application of ergonomics are to enhance worker performance and reduce worker fatigue.

Some ergonomic analysis is very simple and can be completed from start to finish by the worker.  For instance, if reaching for your phone requires excessive and uncomfortable reaching, moving that phone to within easy reach is the fix.  This is a simple example of the analysis and application of ergonomics that will certainly reduce fatigue and stress for that particular task.

I will take this opportunity to advise everyone reading this post to take a good look at their work environment and think about what they could do to improve it.  This may mean checking to see if your keyboard is at a comfortable level, or if reaching for your mouse is aggravating your neck, shoulder or arm.  These are just a few things that you should analyze in your work area.  Just changing a few things in your work environment that cause stress or discomfort can be significant because these constant sources of low level irritation have a cumulative and compounding effect which increase the chances of injury.

Most analysis and application of ergonomics is much more complex than this prior example.  For many work stresses, an in-depth knowledge of human anatomy and biomechanics is essential to truly evaluate a work environment and then implement the necessary work station modifications.

This task is difficult enough when designing an ergonomically friendly environment for one specific worker.  However, this task is much more involved when a particular work area has to accommodate a number of different workers.  Just think about how much people vary in height, weight, strength, reach, etc.  All of these body type variations bring different ergonomic challenges.  If you have to share a desk, seat or other equipment with other people, make sure that you make any possible adjustments to limit your exposure to irritating work conditions.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

By Dr. Steve Jones
As we spend increasing amounts of time at our computer workstations, we need to be aware of how the design and arrangement of our equipment can impact our chances of injury. Computer ergonomics is the study and / or implementation of work station design with the purpose of reducing or eliminating physical stress.
My interest in repetitive stress syndromes began approximately 10 years ago when my practice started seeing a much greater number of people suffering from the effects of computer work. Despite all of my training and continuing education related to these types of injuries, I quickly realized that short of surgery and radical changes in the patient’s lifestyles, treatment for this type of injury was marginally successful at best.
The real solution had to be prevention and it was going to involve the application of basic ergonomic principals.
This article will address the specifics of injury resulting from postural stress secondary to use of the computer mouse.
Specifically, the following will be addressed:
What repetitive stress injuries are
What role do work station ergonomics play in injury
How reaching for the mouse sets the stage for injury
What are the symptoms of repetitive stress injury
How one can avoid mouse reaching injuries
What Exactly is a Repetitive Stress Injury?
Repetitive Stress Injury is a kind of catch all phrase for many conditions. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tenosynovitis / DeQuervain’s Syndrome, Tendonitis, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Trigger Finger, Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Chronic Sprain / Strain are some of the actual diagnosis that are rendered in my office. All of these conditions are serious and in many cases can cause great pain, permanent disability and sometimes loss of employment.
Repetitive Stress Injuries occur from repetitive movements involving a specific set of muscles and joints. RSI injuries are the result of an accumulation of stress and strain that causes irritation, inflammation, and eventually pain or other disability. A good analogy used to characterize the onset of RSI would be the “straws on the camels back” saying.
Initially, RSI affects the soft tissues of the involved joint(s). Soft tissues include muscles, nerves, ligaments and tendons. However, if left untreated for long periods of time, the involved joint can become arthritic and form bone spurs resulting in permanent damage to the joint.
While various occupations ranging from meat cutters to construction workers develop RSIs that result from the typical duties of their professions, the most frequent cause of these injuries involve computer work. The constant demand of keyboarding and mousing combined with the postural stress of confinement in an office chair with one’s neck and back held in prolonged fixed positions has resulted in an epidemic of injuries that includes hand pain, wrist pain, arm pain, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain.
Work Station Ergonomics
The study of workstation ergonomics tells us that the objects that are used most often should be located closest to your body and accessed easily, without awkward body positions. Repeated reaching or prolonged postures that involve leaning forward from your chair are particularly stressful and fatiguing.
Many people are aware of computer ergonomics and thus have an ergonomic mouse. An ergonomic mouse is of little use if it is positioned in an area that requires reaching and stretching in order to operate it. Limiting reaching and stretching for desk items is essential to maintaining a healthy ergonomic environment.
The most frequent complaint that I have seen in my office is due to computer work is the combination of mousing and its’ inherent postural stress.
Most computer stations are designed in a way that involves the worker operating the computer mouse on a pad on the desk. Reaching to the desk for the mouse places direct stress on the joints and soft tissues of the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Additionally, reaching forward for the mouse stresses the lower and middle back.
So How Does Reaching for the Mouse Set the Stage for Injury?
Reaching for the mouse causes you to lean forward in your chair, extend your arm and support the weight of your body through your extended arm. The following section will discuss the particulars of each of these positions.
The stresses placed on the human frame when reaching for the mouse are easily explained. Contrary to popular belief, sitting, which most people believe is relaxing, is hard on the back. Sitting for long periods of time can cause increased pressure on the intervertebral discs of the spine.
In recent years, ergonomisist have told us that proper sitting posture would have us sitting upright with our hips flexed at 90 degrees. As it turns out, the most up to date studies show that a slightly reclined sitting posture with the hips flexed at 100 to 115 degrees is ideal if you have to sit at a desk. If your mouse is not positioned close enough to your body, you will have to reach for it. Reaching for your mouse stresses your back by reducing the angle of your hips.
Next, we have to look at the effects of reaching on the neck and shoulder. When the mouse is being operated at a distance that makes the operator reach, the shoulder extends forward and the shoulder blade abducts (rotates forward). This position stretches the muscle groups that connect the medial portion of your shoulder blade to your spine and the superior portion of your shoulder blade to your neck. In the short term, this stretch aggravates the affected muscle groups causing spasm, fatigue, headaches and stiffness in the neck and shoulder. In the long term, this position creates a condition called a “stretch weakness” resulting in muscular imbalance, trigger points and chronic variations of the conditions listed in the prior sentence.
Lastly, placing the mouse too far away, too low, or too much on one side can cause shoulder, wrist, elbow, and forearm discomfort. When the operator is forced to reach for the mouse, his / her body weight shifts forward and ultimately results in weight bearing stress on the extended arm. Spending prolonged periods of time leaning on an extended arm is an unnatural and destructive posture that will eventually lead to the development of a repetitive stress syndrome; likely resulting disorders would include tendonitis of the wrist, elbow or shoulder.
What are the Common Symptoms?
· Tightness, discomfort, stiffness, soreness or burning in the hands, wrists, fingers, forearms, or elbows
· Tingling, coldness, night pain or numbness in the hands, especially around the base of the thumb
· Clumsiness or loss of strength in the hands
· Pain in the neck, shoulders, wrists, hands or back that is associated with using the computer
How Can You Avoid Injuries Related to Reaching for the Mouse?
The following recommendations are applicable to both home office ergonomics as well as ergonomics in the office.
1) Placing the input device directly in your immediate reach zone offers natural comfort and maximum hand-eye coordination. The use of a platform for the mouse is preferable. Some models of mouse platforms attach directly to your chair.
2) Your chair should have arm rests that are adjustable.
3) Your wrist should be either in a neutral position or flexed slightly downward when operating both your mouse and your keyboard. For this reason, if you select a mouse platform that attaches to your chair, adjustability of the platform is of primary importance.
4) Consider using a high quality office chair with adjustable armrests and lumbar supports. It should also allow some degree of recline.
5) Make sure that the upper arm and elbow are as close to the body and as relaxed as possible for mouse use – avoid overreaching.
6) Hold the mouse lightly, don’t grip it hard or squeeze it. Place the pointing device where you don’t have to reach up or over very far to use it. The closer you can place it to your body the better.
Steve,
OK now for the Resource Box (About the author info):

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554