Show your back, neck, legs and wrists some love

As you read this, do you recall how long it’s been since you’ve moved and done anything besides tap your fingers on the keyboard, scroll on the touchpad or move the mouse around? If not you’re one of the thousands of workaholics at risk of Work-related Muscolosketal Disorders. These are injuries or disorders affecting the muscles, tendons, nerves, joints, cartilage and spinal discs.

For the majority of office workers who log long hours sitting and staring at a computer monitor pretty much the whole office day, aches and stiffness in the neck, back, wrists and legs is a fairly common complaint. Staying in one posture too long makes the muscles stiff and sore, which leads to pain and if it goes on long enough unchecked, eventually to injury or disease.

Whether you’re just checking your friends’ latest status updates on Facebook or working on an all-important work presentation, we live in times when using the Internet and computers is practically unavoidable and you can easily spend hours with just your eyes, fingers and wrist moving — hardly the “exercise” your body needs to be healthy.

So, should heavy computer users and desk job holders just accept the fact that we are doomed for back pain, Bursitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, muscle strains and tendon injuries?

Not if we can help it. While you can’t change the fact that you will most likely need to sit and stare for long hours when using your computer, you can definitely make the following changes to your routine and work area and invest in equipment that supports the parts of your body carrying your weight whilst seated.

1. First and most importantly, make it a priority to avoid staying in one posture for extended periods. As tempting as it is to just ignore everyone and warm the office chair for the next 8 hours as you chase a deadline, having back pains later on is counterproductive if you’re just going to miss work the next day. So kick back a little, stretch your arms and lift your feet off the floor while waiting for something to print, get up and make yourself a cup of tea or catch up with your mate Jim at the water cooler while waiting for someone’s e-mail response, anything at all to keep you moving and take your mind off work, even for a little while.
2. Position your desk, chair, monitor, keyboard, mouse and desk at the appropriate height so the monitor is at eye level, your feet are flat on the floor and the mouse and keyboard are within an arm’s length. The items on your desk should also be within easy reach and the desk large enough to accommodate all of them.
3. Get yourself accessories to support your lumbar region and provide a comfortable cushion to your feet and wrists:

• Mesh Back support. It reduces tension by maintaining the lumbar curve of your lower back while conforming to the contours of your body to provide uniform support.

• Footrest. It helps support the weight of your legs and reduces low back strain as it ensures that your feet can comfortably rest flat on the floor.

• Keyboard wrist rest. It ensures the proper placement of your hands and wrists as you type on the keyboard. A good keyboard wrist rest should conform to your wrist for comfort and responds to the body’s weight and warmth without losing its shape.

• Mousepad with wrist rest. The mousepad cushions your wrists and forearms, while the wrist rest supports and relieves pressure on the wrist as you move it around.

With all these equipment and accessories available, having a comfortable and tension-free work area is easy. Visit www.theofficesuppliessupermarket.com to view our range of office equipment and accessories on sale.

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