Now that we’ve introduced RSI, and the importance of seeking medical care, let’s discuss what you can do to prevent and minimize the risk of this all too common injury. There is a lot of literature out there but here are a few principles to think about:
- Break up repetitious work. Take lots of breaks. Conventional wisdom has said every 15 minutes every hour. Current studies have shown 30 second breaks every 10 minutes is more helpful.
- Relax. Don’t use your muscles to hold your fingers, hands or shoulders in a particular position. Keep your limbs and shoulders limp as much as possible, even during short pauses.
- Use moderate postures for individual joints. Stay away from positions near the extremes of your joints’ range of motion — the most neutral joint position is about halfway.
- Minimize contact with hard or sharp surfaces. This is especially important at the wrists and elbows.
- INCREASE YOUR FONT SIZES.
- Don’t pound on the keys, use a light touch. Hold the mouse lightly, don’t grip it hard or squeeze it. Better yet, learn to use keyboard equivalent commands whenever possible.
- Keep your arms and hands warm.
- Consider voice recognition.
- Note for kids: Remind them to sit up straight, take a break as they will lose track of time, don’t pound on the keys. For parents, set an example and avoid prolonged time on the computer.
Given the importance of computers in our everyday lives, it would be optimal to seriously consider and apply these principles to keep ourselves healthy.