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Good ergonomics in the workplace note mouse arm and so prevent back pain
Back pain, neck tension, tired and dry eyes: Especially office workers who spend many hours a day in front of the computer, know such complaints. Some tips can help to reduce the health risks in the workplace. Special fitness exercises in the office or even ergonomic hardware can help.
Health problems through office work
A tense back, eyelashes and tired eyes or headaches - hardly a person who works several hours a day on the computer, is spared. To avoid complaints such as back problems through office work as much as possible, health experts recommend, among other things, regular exercise in the office. Employees should always get up and walk around, stretch or even do simple fitness exercises. In order to avoid pain, it is also important to adapt the computer workstation to the ergonomic requirements of the user. Experts give some tips:
Prevent back pain and mouse arm by working on the computer. Image: WavebreakMediaMicro - fotolia "Preserve a natural position"
A common problem is that office workers lean too far back or forth on the screen. Both are not good. "To ensure an ergonomic working method, users should make sure that the head and upper body maintain a natural position," explains Christian Herzog from IT association Bitkom. It is important to have a little distance from the screen. "The viewing distance should be at least 50 centimeters - 70 centimeters are better for 17-inch monitors," said Sascha Wischniewski of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA). We recommend a rotatable and tiltable screen, which is also height adjustable. This can be easily adapted to your own seating position. It is best to set the screen at right angles to windows and lamps to avoid reflections.
Custom font size puts less strain on eyes
Significance is also the font size: If this is set too small on the screen, this only strains the eyes unnecessarily. Sascha Wischniewski advises to a font size between eleven and 14 at a distance of 50 centimeters to the screen. In many programs, it is easy to customize: "All popular Internet browsers offer the opportunity to enlarge the font and thus also the entire website," says Christian Herzog vom Bitkom. In most cases you can do this by pressing the key combination "Ctrl + Ctrl +" and "Ctrl -" at the same time..
Special keyboards for prolific typists
Also important is a good keyboard. Mostly this is not cheap. Ergonomics expert Wischniewski advises in the dpa message to bright surfaces with legible inscription. The key surfaces should be slightly curved inwards. There are also special Ergo keyboards with split key surfaces that allow a more natural posture of the hands. Especially prolific writers could benefit from it. AOK Bayern recommends that computer users position their palm rest around five to ten centimeters in front of the keypad. As a result, the wrists are not permanently bent when typing. Ideally, the keyboard is slightly raised to the rear or raised in the middle.
Avoid painful mouse arm
A painful problem that many office workers know is the so-called mouse arm. This can be avoided in many cases with the right mouse. As explained in the agency message, it must first match the hand size of the user so about the size of your own curved palm correspond. All keys should be easily accessible without finger stretches. Those who already had problems with the mouse arm can resort to mouse pads with palm rest. For particularly hard cases vertical mice or trackballs are also available. Office workers who are currently acutely affected by the problem can often help with stretching exercises against the mouse arm.
Work on the desktop ergonomically advantageous
If you work instead of a desktop PC, notebook or tablet, you have additional difficulties. Not only because they have smaller displays, but also because the keyboard, screen and touchpad are firmly connected. "Ergonomically has the disadvantages, since the working attitude is limited," explains Christian Herzog. Especially with longer work in front of the mobile device, the unfavorable angle downwards causes problems. For example, an external keyboard, a mouse and, if possible, an additional external monitor can help. If necessary, it can also be an aid to raise the laptop a bit higher. For tablet computers, there are device mounts and external keyboards as an accessory that can make working longer hours more convenient. According to Sascha Wischniewski, laptops and co. Should be placed on a table and longer work with the device on the lap should be avoided.
Table in the right size
Last but not least, it depends on the table if you want to avoid health problems through office work. According to AOK Bayern, he should have a height of at least 72 centimeters and ideally be height adjustable in a range of 68 to 76 cm. A working area of 160 centimeters wide and 80 centimeters deep provides sufficient space. Not on the desktop are devices such as printers that vibrate during operation or make noisy operating noise. (Ad)