Administrative Professionals… At Risk for Injury

Many people spend the majority of their workday in an office or workstation environment. Having the proper workspace, desk height, computer reach and monitor height is important to deter potential repetitive strain disorders, which may include carpal tunnel syndrome. 

To prevent a repetitive or chronic workplace condition, here are some basic recommendations that we frequently provide during workstation analyses:

•  Place your keyboard in front of your monitor to avoid turning your neck.
•  Place your mouse or trackball next to your keyboard in the same horizontal plane. Keep these and other items that you use frequently close to you to avoid repetitive reaching. Consider short-cut keys rather than mousing.
•  If you have a wrist rest, avoid “planting” your wrists on it while keying. This is there for you to “rest” your wrists in between keying or mousing.
•  Avoid cradling the phone receiver between your shoulder and neck – use the speakerphone or a headset.
• Frequently check your posture. Aligning your ears over your shoulders and your shoulders over your hips helps to maintain a balanced spinal posture.
• Set your chairs armrests in a natural position to support the elbow at a 90 degree angle

Take micro-pauses every 30 minutes. Prolonged sitting, keying and mousing without breaks can fatigue forearm muscles and postural muscles, causing you to slouch. If you have days that you need to do a lot of computer work, take a few seconds to check your posture, stand up and walk, or stretch

For more information, please contact our Injury Hotline:

1-877-MOBLMED (1-877-662-5633)

www.selectphysicaltherapy.com