Week 2: Clear

In the 7th grade, I suffered a devastating athletic injury that put me in a plastic back brace (like the one pictured below) for eight weeks. I fractured my lower spine, and the brace was uncomfortable in the South Florida heat. However, what lasted long after my brace-wearing days was the physical therapy I went through in the months following and the effects the injury still has on me today. Now, nearly a decade later, I still have to be careful. That injury still effects my participation in sports and group fitness classes, but most of all, it effects my posture. That is why ergonomics particularly struck a chord wth me this week.

According to Merriam-Webster, ergonomics is "an applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely." This is especially critical in how we interact with our computers and the effects it can have on our posture and overall well-being. How are you interacting with your computer? To be "efficient" and "safe" while on your PC there are a few easy practices to get into the habit of:

1. Sit up straight; do not slouch.

2. Keep your feet firmly on the ground. You don't want too much pressure resting on your back.

3. Do not strecth out your arms to reach your keyboard. Your hands should be able to rest comfortably on your keyboard.

4. Do not sit too close to your screen. This is bad for your eyes! In fact, you should look away from your computer screen about every 20 minutes.

5. Keep your monitor directly in front of you instead of off to the side to avoid neck strain.

(This is an abbreviated list adapted from Kimberly Robinson's blog.)

Take it from me, a firsthand expert on extreme back pain, that these simple tricks really do work. Not only will you be more comfortable, but your productivity will increase. Think about it, instead of focusing on how uncomfortable you are, you'll be focusing on the assignment at your fingertips. Ergonomics in relation to how you use your computer makes sense, and it pays off.