When I was young, my mother would remind me of the benefits of good posture. I always knew her "gentle" reminders were a prompt for me to sit up straight or stand erect. When I attended school, and particularly when attending an all-girl Catholic high school, the nuns echoed my mother's message with a simple phrase, "Girls, posture, please." Now, what I am about to tell you may seem like a public service announcement, but read on-it could save your back.
As a hospital administrator and a student, I spend more time at the computer. Several months ago, I began to experience numbness and tingling in my fingers and muscle tightness in my shoulders. I begged my husband nightly for shoulder massages, but kept passing it off as stress. Finally, this nurse consulted a healthcare provider!! After multiple tests, I was diagnosed with the "start" of carpal tunnel syndrome and was given a wrist splint to wear at night. After a couple of months without improvement, I decided to take advantage of our free ergonomic consultation service at work.
The manager of the physical therapy department came to my office and immediately told me what was wrong. My computer screen (visual display unit [VDU]) was too low. She sat in my chair that had been passed down by two generations of administrators, and quickly suggested two things: first, to position the VDU at direct eye level; and second, to purchase an ergonomically designed chair with adjustable back, height, and lumbar support. I immediately placed my central processing unit (CPU), the brain of my computer, under my VDU. That maneuver plus the addition of one book provided the right height to allow direct eye level view of my computer. I also traded in my antique office chair for an ergonomically correct chair. I am happy to report that within 1 week of simply adjusting the height of my VDU, my symptoms dissipated, and I was able to retire the wrist splint!!
Research supports there is a measurable ergonomic health risk for computer users. Unchecked danger signs can lead to cumulative trauma disorder (CTD), also known as repetitive motion strain/disorder (RMD), repetitive stress injury (RSI), and overuse syndrome (Coleman, 1999; Macinnis, 2004; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2005). A prospective study of over 5,000 office workers at baseline and over 3,000 respondents at the 1-year follow-up found that women were more likely to be afflicted with elbow, shoulder, and low back pain and that influence on work pauses, reduction of glare, and screen height are the important factors in the design of computer workstations (Juul-Kristensen, Sogaard, Stroyer, & Jensen, 2004).
Straker and Mekhora (2000) completed a study that aimed to investigate the effects of VDU placement. The results of their study suggest that participants may use a less flexed head, neck, and trunk posture and less cervical and erector spine muscle activity when the VDU is placed in a higher position at eye level.
A more recent concern is the health risk for those using laptop computers. In an article in the USA Today, an estimated 49 million laptops were sold worldwide in 2004 (Friess, 2005). Many colleges are requiring personal laptop ownership on the first day of college. Laptops are not designed to allow the screen to be placed at eye level, which could lead to musculoskeletal complaints. A study by Harris and Straker (2000) investigated the physical ergonomics issues associated with school children's use of laptop computers. In this study, 60% of the students reported discomfort with laptop use.
In an interview, researcher Carolyn Sommerich of the Institute of Ergonomics at Ohio State University stated that laptops are a step backward in design (Friess, 2005). Manufacturers are taking note, however, and are offering laptop accessories aimed at improving ergonomic conditions for laptop users (Friess).
Nurses use computers on the job for documentation, communication, and retrieval of information. Some are using the laptops that lay on rolling carts. The computer carts have become quite sleek and sophisticated, allowing the individual to adjust the height with one hand. As decisions are made regarding computer placement in the workplace, it is wise to involve not only the staff who will be using the computers but also the ergonomic specialist to help guide those decisions.
Prevention of musculoskeletal and neurological symptoms is more complex than just reminding someone to sit up straight. I hope sharing my experience will propel you to take a look at your computer work area both at work and at home. Small changes could preserve your back for years to come!!
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