10 IT

health
risks -and
how to
combat
them

Takeawa
y: IT
might
not
appear
to be a
highrisk
field,
but a
surprisin
g
number
of
ailments
can
plague
IT pros
in all job
roles.
Here are
some of
the most
prevalen
t health
concerns
.
Everybo
dy
seems to
understa
nd that
movers
and
construc
tion
workers
can have
serious

back and
neck
problem
s from
their
strenuou
s work.
But
when
you sit
at a desk
most of
the day,
people
arent
necessar
ily as
sympath
etic
when
you
moan
and
groan
about
your
spine,
your
sore
throat,
or your
mood.
Based
on
anecdota
l
evidence
gathered
in
various
workpla
ces, here
are the
top
ailments
people

in a
typical
IT office
may
face.
#1: A slugs life

When
the only
body
part you
move in
your job
is your
mouse
finger,
you just
have to
take
fitness
into
your
own
hands.
Do you
have to
train for
a
maratho
n to lose
some
weight?
Not at
all,
accordin
g to Dr.
James
Levine
of the
Mayo
Clinic.
He
found
that the
time
spent
sitting

was
more
likely to
correlate
with
weight
gain
than the
lack of
vigorous
exercise.
You can
keep
slim,
accordin
g to
Levine,
by
walking
slowly
(about
0.7
mph)
two to
three
hours a
day.
Althoug
h few of
us can
stroll
around
the
neighbor
hood
that
long,
several
compani
es have
develop
ed
workstat
ions
with

treadmil
ls
attached
so you
can
pseudowalk
while
you
check
your email or
debug
code. It
all
makes
CNETs
Mike
Yamamo
to
wonder
if theres
a
conspira
cy to
tether
workers
to their
desks.
(You can
downloa
d several
tools
from
TechRep
ublic to
help you
evaluate
and
manage
your
weight,
includin
g a body
mass
index

[BMI]
calculat
or.)
#2: SIT
happens

Weight
gain can
creep up
on you,
but its
not an
emergen
cy in
itself. A
much
more
serious
hazard
of office
work is
seated
immobil
ity
thrombo
embolis
m (SIT).
This
problem
occurs
when
blood
clots
form in
the legs
(deep
vein
thrombo
sis) or
lungs
(pulmon
ary
embolis
m) in
people
who
spend a

long
time
sitting.
People
may
develop
these
clots
while on
a long
trip, if
they
dont get
out of
the car
or stroll
around
in the
planes
cabin a
bit.
CNET
noted
the risk
of deep
vein
thrombo
sis
increasi
ng back
in this
2003
article.
More
recently,
results
of a
New
Zealand
study
suggeste
d that a
sedentar
y job
may
double

the risk
of
developi
ng clots
in the
legs
(DVTs)
or, even
more
dangero
us, clots
in the
lungs.
#3: So many headaches

From
the
flicker
of
fluoresc
ent
lights to
the
hunched
-up
debuggi
ng
posture,
the
conditio
ns of
your
cube
farm
conspire
to cause
headach
es.
Pagers,
end
users,
and the
threat of
outsourc
ing
provide
addition

al stress
to kindle
a dandy
migraine
or
tension
headach
e.
Downin
g
Tylenol
or
ibuprofe
n several
times a
week
can
backfire
by
making
your
pain
more
tenaciou
s. If you
get in a
pattern
of
frequent
headach
es, see a
doctor to
get out
of the
rut.
You may
have
tension
headach
es,
which
can be
treated
with
massage

or
stretches
to help
relax
your
muscles.
Migrain
e is
another
possibili
ty. Even
if you
dont
have the
visual
disturba
nces
(auras)
that are
the
hallmark
s of a
classic
migraine
, you
may
have a
common
migraine
. The
good
news is
that
there are
many
medicati
ons you
can try
to treat
and
prevent
migraine
s.
Althoug
h some
are quite

expensiv
e ($25
or more
per
dose),
treat the
headach
es
aggressi
vely.
Migrain
es can
affect
your
mood,
your
threshol
d of
pain,
and
perhaps
even
your risk
of
stroke.
#4: The bobblehead syndrome

Do you
nod off
frequent
ly at
your
desk and
perhaps
even
have
brief
dreams?
These
episodes
, called
microsle
eps, may
indicate
youre
sleep
deprived

. Its
natural
for the
human
body to
crave a
siesta
after
lunch,
but
excessiv
e
daytime
sleepine
ss needs
to be
treated.
Most
adults
need
seven to
eight
hours of
sleep a
night, so
simply
going to
bed
earlier
may be
all you
need.
If youre
in the
sack
long
enough
but are
still
tired,
consider
your
environ
ment (a
snoring

spouse,
a hot or
cold
room).
Crying
babies
and
pagers
can jar
you out
of sleep
and
seriousl
y disrupt
normal
sleep
cycles.
Sleep
apnea is
a fairly
common
but
scarysoundin
g
problem
: People
with the
disorder
briefly
stop
breathin
g, often
hundred
s of
times a
night,
which
disrupts
normal
sleep
phases.
Physical
abnorma
lities
that

cause
excessiv
e
snoring
can also
lead to
poor
sleep.
So
check
with
your
doctor,
who
may
refer
you to
an ear,
nose,
and
throat
specialis
t or
sleep
clinic to
sort out
your
sleep
problem
s.
#5: Hurting hands

Althoug
h your
hands
and
wrists
may be
sore
from
intensiv
e typing,
theres
not a
whole
lot of
evidence

to link
keyboar
d use to
carpal
tunnel
syndrom
e (CTS).
A 2007
study of
men
who
worked
at video
display
terminal
s found
an
associati
on of
CTS
with
high
body
mass
index
(BMI)
and job
seniority
but
not with
specific
tasks
related
to
compute
r usage.
Still,
many
conditio
ns other
than
CTS can
make
your
hands
and

wrists
hurt, so
its wise
to check
with
your
doctor to
try to
get some
relief.
Severe
carpal
tunnel
syndrom
e is
usually
treated
with
surgery,
but
many
other
conditio
ns that
cause
hand
pain
dont
require
such
drastic
treatmen
t.
Tendonit
is, for
example
, is a
fairly
common
cause of
hand
pain that
may be
treated
with

antiinflamm
atory
drugs
(such as
ibuprofe
n or
naproxe
n) and
splinting
.
#6: Relax harder!

How is
it that
sitting
on your
chair
and
looking
at a
monitor
can
make
your
back,
neck,
and
shoulder
muscles
feel like
youve
spent
eight
hours
painting
a
ceiling?
Your
tense
posture
may be
part of
the
problem.
Improvi
ng the

ergonom
ics of
your
work
area
may
help
take the
stress
off your
upper
body.
Try not
to
transfer
the
tension
in your
mind to
your
muscles
and take
a break
now and
then to
unclenc
h.
#7. Noxious invaders

The dry
air of a
typical
office
certainly
doesnt
help
your
immune
systems
ward off
your
coworke
rs
coughs,
but hey,
at least
youre

not
sitting in
a
daycare
center.
There
are
hundred
s of cold
viruses,
plus
several
influenz
a viruses
each
year.
What
can you
do to
stay
healthy
and help
keep
your
coworke
rs
healthy,
too?

Stay home for a change.

Clean your keyboard, mouse and desk.

Wash your hands.

Keep hydrated.

No
replicabl
e
scientifi
c studies
have
proven
that
vitamin
C,

Echinac
ea, or
zinc will
prevent
or
shorten
colds,
but
many
people
swear by
them.
As far as
gastroint
estinal
illness
goes,
rememb
er that
the most
common
transmis
sion
route is
fecaloral. So,
for
Gods
sake,
wash
your
hands
after
going to
the
restroom
. Also,
consider
the
effective
, but
possibly
neurotic,
act of
opening

the door
with a
paper
towel
when
you
leave.
#8: Eye strain

Watchin
ga
backlit
screen
two feet
away for
four
hours at
a time
isnt
really
natural,
is it? So
its no
surprise
that
people
in IT
complai
n about
irritated
eyes and
declinin
g visual
acuity.
Here are
some
suggesti
ons that
may
help:

Remember to blink. Yes, blinking is pretty much automatic, but some people
really keep their eyes peeled when theyre engaged in work. Their eyes dry
out, which is extra hard on people who wear contact lenses. A few drops of
artificial tears can make your tired eyes much more comfortable.

Change your focus. Look out the window or down the hallway anything to
get away from your two-foot focus. There are even programs designed to
remind you to give your eyes a break.

Get an eye exam. Your doctor may have more tips to help you feel more
comfortable as you work. And everyone needs to be screened for glaucoma
and other eye diseases anyway.

#9: Heavy lifting

If your
job
requires
you to
lift,
lower,
and/or
carry
equipme
nt
around,
you
might
find
yourself
battling
back
pain.
Maybe
you
spend
your
days
installin
g
workstat
ions or
inserting
/removi
ng
compute
rs from
racks
and if
youre
used to
the work
and

know
the right
way to
protect
yourself
in the
process,
you
might
not have
any
problem
s at all.
But if
its an
occasion
al task,
or if you
dont
follow
some
basic
precauti
ons, you
could
wind up
with a
painful
injury or
chronic
back
trouble.
Despite
the fact
that best
practices
for
lifting
are
largely
common
sense,
people
often
ignore

them
and
often
wish
they
hadnt.
Here are
some
basic
recomm
endation
s for
protectin
g your
back:

Examine an object before you try to pick it up to determine how awkward and
heavy it is. Tip it a little to test its weight and make sure you have a
comfortable, secure way to grip it.

If you think an object might be too heavy for you move, find an alternative:
Get someone to help you, unpack or dismantle the object and move it in
pieces, use a dolly, etc.

Dont extend your arms when you pick up or lower a heavy object. That puts
a big strain on your back.

Watch your footing the last thing you want to do is stumble or trip while
carrying something heavy.

Lift correctly. Keep your straight back, kneel to pick up the object, and then
lift using your leg strength, not your back.

#10: Something in the air

If you
work on
a lot of
systems,
youre
no
stranger
to dust.
Even a
wellmaintain
ed
machine

in a
clean,
ventilate
d area is
going to
pull in
plenty of
it. And if
you
work on
custome
rs
compute
rs or
make a
lot of
workstat
ion
calls,
youre
going to
feel like
Tom
Joad
before
long.
This
may not
faze you
at all,
but if
youre
like
many
techs out
there, it
could
spell
big-time
allergy,
respirato
ry, and
sinus
woes.
Among

the
suggesti
ons from
veteran
dustsensitive
IT pros:
Put on a
dust
mask
before
opening
a case
(or
crawling
around
under a
grubby
workstat
ion).
And if
you plan
to use
compres
sed air
to blow
some of
the dust
out of
the case,
definitel
y mask
up first.
You
might
also
want to
consider
vacuumi
ng that
dust out
rather
than
blowing
it around
but

you
should
use an
ESD
(electros
tatic
discharg
e) safe
vacuum
designed
for
electroni
cs.

10 Major Health Concerns for IT

Professionals
Between monitoring networks, configuring applications, and managing technology projects, IT
professionals spend massive amounts of time in front of the computer screen. And because IT
emergencies can occur at any time, workers often have to monitor IT systems outside normal

business hours. Over time, extended periods at the computer can take a toll on your health.
Here are 10 common health problems for IT workersand ways you can prevent them.

Thrombosis

Deep-vein thrombosis is the formation of blood clots, which can travel to the brain and
lungs, causing strokes, pulmonary embolisms, and other urgent health conditions. The term
eThrombosis was recently coined, referring to the long hours and sedentary lifestyle of
many computer users and IT professionals. Extended sedentary periods can cause these
dangerous blood clots to form.
Prevention: If you tend to spend long periods sitting at a desk, regularly stand up for a short
breakat least every hour or so. Even a quick walk to the bathroom or water fountain can
get your blood flowing and prevent clots. You might also want to consider purchasing a
standing desk.

Heart disease

Studies have shown a heightened risk of heart disease among those people who spend most
of their days sitting. According to NPR, a 2010 study found that "men who reported more
than 23 hours a week of sedentary activity had a 64 percent greater risk of dying from heart
disease than those who reported less than 11 hours a week of sedentary activity." For IT
professionals who spend most of their time sitting in front of a computer, this should sound
an alarm.
Prevention: Get in the habit of taking regular short breaks to get your legs moving for a few
minutes. Some studies have shown that frequent breaks every 15 minutes or so will help.
You can also get in the habit of doing simple exercises whenever you're reading something
and not interacting with a computer.

Cancer

In addition to thrombosis and heart disease, recent medical research has found a link
between physical inactivity and certain cancers, particularly breast and colon cancer.
Prevention: Maintaining healthy habits is important; cancer studies have found that just 30
minutes of light exercise per day can help to maintain your health and help ward off some
cancers. In addition, cancer screening can save lives. If you're an IT professional who
spends a lot of time in a chair, consult with your doctor about your lifestyle habits and
discuss screening options.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

A common problem among computer users, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs when the
major nerve in the wrist becomes compressed after continual physical stress. The condition
starts gradually, with symptoms such as burning or tingling in the hand, but it can
eventually lead to severe pain and decreased wrist mobility.
Prevention: Regularly stretching your wrists can help combat early symptoms, but its
especially important to make sure your workstation is ergonomically correct. You should be
2 feet away from your screen, with the top of the viewing area at eye level. When typing,
keep your wrists straight, with your elbows at a 90-degree angle.

Vitamin D deficiency

Most people get the vitamin D they need through sun exposure. But if youre in a northern
climate and you spend most of your time indoors handling IT concerns, you might not be
getting the vitamin D you need. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a variety of health
problems, including bone diseases, multiple sclerosis, and certain cancers.
Prevention: In addition to taking regular short walks outside or taking a daily multivitamin,
you can get vitamin D through your diet. For example, eating fortified cereals and fatty fish
like salmon and tuna can help keep your vitamin D level normal.

Bacterial infections

Recent studies have shown that most keyboards and cell phones are teeming with bacteria
and other microorganisms. In addition to spreading cold and flu bugs, dirty tech tools can
lead to staph and other serious infections.
Prevention: Regularly wiping your keyboard and other desk surfaces with an antibacterial
wipe will help prevent bacterial infections. If you spend a lot of time working at other
peoples machines, keep a bottle of hand sanitizer around. If you tend to eat lunch or snacks
while working, be sure to keep your hands clean.

Anxiety, stress, and depression

Recently, British scientists discovered a link between computer usage and depression. IT
workers typically manage crises and disaster recovery, which can be extremely stressful. In
addition to causing mood swings and anxiety, recurring stress can lead to a variety of
physical symptoms.
Prevention: Limiting computer use, especially time on the Internet, during non-work hours
can help you avoid depression. Consult your doctor if you experience symptoms such as
extended tiredness and disinterest in things you normally enjoy. For stress and
anxiety, exercise is an effective way to safely burn off steam. Calming forms of exercise,
including yoga and tai chi, can be especially helpful for stress reduction. Breathing
methods, meditation, and relaxation techniques can also help soothe your body and mind.

Insomnia

Many IT workers use their electronic devices late into the evening. But staring at an
illuminated screen before bedtime can limit the bodys production of melatonin, a hormone
that helps you fall asleep. Chronic insomnia can lead to other health problems.
Prevention: Consider switching your electronic devices off an hour or half-hour before
going to sleep. Dim the lights and read a book to help prepare your body for rest.

Lower back pain

Slouching in an office chair for hours at a time can cause serious aches and pains, especially
in the lower back. Over time, bad posture can permanently damage the spinal structure,
leading to severe, chronic pain.

Prevention: To avoid lower back pain, pay constant attention to your posture. Placing a
lumbar support pillow behind your lower back can help. Even using a rolled towel or thin
pillow behind your lower back can improve support. Also, be sure to remove any items
from your back pockets to avoid creating pressure points and an awkward spine angle.

Neck and eye strain

Regular computer usage can lead to neck strain, usually due to improperly adjusted
monitors. The habit of tucking a phone between your ear and shoulder for extended periods
of time can also lead to stiff neck muscles and cramps. Also, squinting at the computer
screen or your mobile device screen for hours on end can lead to eye strain and headaches.
Prevention: For neck pain, adjust your chair and monitor so that the screen is at eye level
and your neck is not tilted while you work. If youre using a laptop, you can place books or
some other sturdy support underneath it to get it at the proper sight level. For eye strain, the
Mayo Clinic suggests following the 20/20/20 rule: after 20 minutes of computer work, look
at an object about 20 feet away for about 20 seconds. You should also check with your eye
doctor to make sure your glasses or contacts are optimized for computer work.