Injuries from the computer

Injuries or health problems resulting from

excessive use of the computer are known as
computer work-related disorders. They
include:
• Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
• Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)
• Lower back pain
 Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
There are two key types of RSI:
1. Tendonitis
2. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Repetition, bad posture and lack of rest are

three key factors that result in RSI.
 Tendonitis
This is where a tendon is inflamed, cause by
some repeated motion or stress on that
tendon.
Symptoms of tendonitis of the wrist include:
1. Extreme pain that extends from the forearm
to the hand
2. Tingling in the fingers.
 Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
This is the inflammation of the nerve that
connects the forearm to the palm of the hand.

Symptoms of CTS include:

1. Burning pains when the nerve is compressed
2. Numbness and tingling in the thumb and first
two fingers
 Methods of preventing or reducing RSI
1. Take frequent breaks.
2. Use a ‘wrist rest’ between the keyboard and the edge of
your desk.
3. Place the mouse at least 6 inches in from the edge of
the desk.
4. Type on the keyboard as you would play the piano,
lifting your fingers up and down rather than your wrists.
5. Position the mouse at the same height as your
keyboard.
6. When you slide the mouse around, move your entire
arm and not just your wrist.
 Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)
CVS may cause any of the following conditions:
• Sore, tired, burning, itching or dry eyes
• Blurred or double vision
• Headache or sore neck
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Eye strain
 Methods of preventing or reducing CVS
1. Take a break of 5 to 10 minutes away from the computer
every hour.
2. Reduce glare and reflections from the computer screen
by cleaning the screen and blocking out excessive
sunlight & reflections from lamps.
3. Adjust the contrast 7 brightness of the computer screen.
4. Gently massage your eyes, cheeks, forehead, neck and
upper back to keep the blood flowing & muscles loose.
5. Lower the monitor slightly below eye level to prevent
eye strain.
 Lower back pain
This can be caused by bad posture, poorly
designed or incorrectly assembled furniture
or equipment.
 Methods of preventing or reducing lower
back pain
1. Use a firm, adjustable and comfortable chair.
2. Periodically stretch your lower back by
standing and pulling each knee to your chest
and holding that position for a few seconds.
3. Relax your shoulders.
4. Take short breaks.
 Ergonomics
Many of these problems can be eliminated or
reduced with the help of ergonomics.
 What is Ergonomics?
Ergonomics is a science that makes extensive
use of mathematics, physics and biomechanics
to determine the best working conditions for
humans to work with machines.

Ergonomically designed furniture and

equipment helps to reduce the risk of injuries
as it reduces the strain on several parts of the
body.