Note: we are not doctors and our advice is general so please check with a registered doctor before following any of this advice.
Many different parts of the body are affected by our use of the computer. Some of the parts of body affected include our:
- Eyes and the computer monitor / screen we use and the lighting choices we make.
- Ears and amount of noise our computer generates or general background noise.
- Hands and wrists which can easily become strained due to poor choice of computer, keyboard, mouse, mouse pad, and laptop touch pad.
- Back and shoulders due to the computer screen (monitor) or computer desk being at the wrong height.
In order to ensure that we keep our bodies in optimal condition when using a PC I suggest the following 5 rules.
1. The 90/90 rule: Position your hands, waist and feet at a 90 degree angle to the computer.
2. Keep the different parts of your body relaxed. If you find any muscles tensing then try and stretch the muscle and then return to your computer.
3. Make sure that no part of your body is dangling in the air. This will cause excess strain. Ensure you have something to rest your feet, wrists and elbows on.
4. Make certain that your computer screen (monitor) is at eye level so that you do not strain your eyes or neck.
5. Take short breaks frequently. Get up and stretch your body. Let your eyes focus off in the distance. Walk around and keep the blood circulating to the body.
Through these simple tips not only will you look after your body but you will also ensure that you feel most comfortable. Being more comfortable means that you will be more focussed and less likely to become distracted by other things. These tips apply for both home and work computing.
This article was written by Newtons Nerds laptop and computer repairs Sydney. We are computer consultants for home and business computer users. If you have any healthy computer tips we missed please let us know in the comments below.