The Virtual Woman: A Woman's
Weekly Guide To Cyberspace
Work a Pain In The Neck? Check Out These Links
Unfortunately, unless you're employed in some cush job like "Personal Trainer To The Stars" (seriously, how hard can it be to sip lattes and count Julia Robert's sit-ups for her?) "comfortable" is probably not the first word you'd use to describe your work environment. Cramped, noisy and stressful might be more accurate descriptors. I never used to care about this stuff-never crossed my mind. Until a couple of years ago when I acquired a wicked case of Phone Neck which catapulted me into Ergonomic Poster Child status henceforth. I bought a headset and a new chair and now I regularly stretch and pay attention to my posture while I'm working. (It ain't easy being perfect, believe me). As for my readers this week, faster than you can say "carpal tunnel syndrome" I'm going to take you on a word journey to more ease and comfort at the office. So sit up straight, read on and remember-I live to hear my email box ping so write to me (and remember to use that wrist rest when you do!!)
Dear Virtual Woman:
I work long hours
and lately I've been spending a lot of time at my desk pouring over paperwork. At the end
of the day, I've noticed that my neck and back are really tense. I know that there are
exercises designed to do at your desk, but I don't have the time to look through books on
the subject. Is there a website that offers some simple stretching exercises?
- Caroline P., New York, NY
Dear Caroline:
I feel your pain. My full time masseuse Max is on sabbatical so things have been a bit tenser than usual for me here. Luckily there is lots of information out here in cyberville for us. I recommend directing your browser to http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/links/office.htm, which is the home of the OSU Environmental Health and Safety Website. There you will find several informative articles on stretching and other interesting safety-related topics. Be sure to check out the University of Maryland's link on that page titled Computer and Desk Stretches (http://www.inform.umd.edu/CampusInfo/Departments/EnvirSafety/erg/stretch.html). This no-frills tutorial offers the basics of stretching with precise and easy-to-follow text and illustrations. Another helpful link is the University of Georgia's Office Safety Website (http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwsaf/office.htm ), which includes information on how to avoid accidents at work, how to operate office machinery properly, and other useful tips on staying safe at the office.
Dear Virtual Woman:
I have been put in charge of
Ergonomic Safety at my office and I don't know where to start. I work in an office where
the predominant task for everyone is typing/data entry. Because of the recent studies on
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and other typing-related injuries, we are trying to prevent these
kinds of injuries before they happen. Any information you can provide would be useful.
- Susan C., Kansas City, MO
Dear Susan:
Congratulations on your appointment - you can have an immediate impact I assure you. RSI's (repetitive stress injuries) are becoming all too common as the use of computers becomes almost a given for most professionals. As Ergonomic Poster Child I can tell you, in a nutshell, that ergonomics refers to the science of adapting the work environment to the worker. Since everyone's posture and work habits are different, each worker bee has unique comfort needs. The first thing you may want to do is to read up on the subject of ergonomics. There are several websites that offer excellent general information, including the Ergo Web's Ergonomics Program Guidelines located at http://www.ergoweb.com/Pub/Info/Std/fjw.html. This site takes you through a step-by-step process of finding the right program to suit your company's needs. The Typing Injury FAQ Organization located at http://www.tifaq.org/articles.html offers several helpful articles written by doctors and other professionals in the typing injury field. If you are interested in purchasing ergonomic equipment for your office, visit the Accessories link at http://www.tifaq.org/accessories.html. This section lists all sorts of accessories you can buy such as wrist rests, footrests, lumbar cushions, and similar products to create a more ergonomic work environment.
Happy Surfing!
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Contributing Editor: Mary Bergner
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