Chiropractic + Wellness

Keyboards and mice come in all sorts of colors and styles, which is great but for those that work on a computer for a job, using the right type is essential to prevent injury keeping the hands, wrists, and arms healthy and moving.

Overuse of a keyboard and mouse can cause painful musculoskeletal disorders like:

• Tendonitis
• Tendosynovitis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

There are a variety of ergonomic designs for these devices. Keyboard designs include four separate key areas:

• The alphanumeric area with letters, numbers, and control keys
• An area with cursor keys
• Numeric keypad
• Function keys or the 'F' keys

Keyboard Key Combinations or The Mouse

Basic typing and many other actions can be performed on the keyboard using the:

• Function keys
• Cursor keys
• Control keys
• Keyboard macros

Pretty much all of these actions can be done with the mouse. Many users operate the computer with the mouse instead of using the key combinations.

To obtain correct posture when working align the center of your body with the center of the keyboard area used the most or during a task. 

Keyboard Layout

The layout follows the original ASDF design from the first typewriter.

From the beginning of this design, there was a realization that angling and splitting the keys would reduce the bending of the hands. The first split keyboard typewriter was manufactured in 1886.

The idea of splitting and angling the keys was implemented into ergonomic keyboard designs with the alphanumeric keys being separated at an angle into two sloped sections. For a  non-touch typist, this can be difficult to use, as some keyboards only angle the keys without splitting into halves.

The split design reduces the sideways bending of the hand but also important is the reduction of vertical bending.

However, this can be overcome by taking some simple steps like:

• Flattening the keyboard feet on the desk can keep the hands flat
• Putting the keyboard on a vertical tilted tray can also help improve the hands' posture
• Keyboards are available in left and right-handed styles

Choosing a Mouse

The shape along with the location of the mouse in relation to the keyboard is important for maintaining a healthy hand posture. Here are some considerations when choosing a mouse. The mouse buttons should:

1. Have easy clickability
2. Is easy to move around/feels natural
3. The screen cursor should move accurately with your movements

There are mice with programmable buttons allowing you to control additional functions. Important things to check:

• Make sure the size and shape of the mouse feels natural in your hand
• Hold the mouse in a neutral position meaning your hand should not be bent up, down or sideways
• Position and operate the mouse with your upper arm relaxed and close to your body, and don't reach too far forward or too far out to the side

There are keyboards with a separate numeric pad that allows the mouse to be located closer to the keyboard. Some keyboards include a cursor positioning device like a trackball, touchpoint or touchpad. These types eliminate having to reach for a mouse.

However, it is a good practice to mix it up using the keyboard for certain operations and the mouse for others. This allows different muscles and ligaments to work while the others take a break.

The Ideal Setup

All keyboards and mice are designed differently. The key is to find well-made products that are built with ergonomic injury prevention as the focus. You can use trackballs, touchpads, and pen mice instead of a regular mouse.

Find what works for you, is ergonomic, comfortable and easy to use and will keep your hands in a neutral posture. If you do a lot of typing and mouse movement, your hands are going to get tired even with top designed keyboards and mice. Take frequent short rest and stretch breaks to let your muscles recover. The stretching exercises should include the:

• Wrist
• Forearm muscles
• Shoulders
• Neck
• Upper back muscles

Working like this will protect you against over-use injuries.

Chiropractic Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Ergonomics is a scientific discipline that’s been in existence for many years. Keeping their work environments safe and efficient and traditionally concerned with factory workers, ergonomic professionals have expanded their work to include all types of workers from laborers to seniors to office workers & students.

In addition, it looks for means to adjust our environment to lower the risks of illness and harm, enhance productivity, and improve the caliber of our work life.

THE GOALS OF ERGONOMICS

The profession of ergonomics has two main concentrations (which frequently overlap):

1. Industrial ergonomics – occasionally called work-related biomechanics – is concerned with the physical aspects of work including force, position, and repetitive movements.

2. Human factors ergonomics looks as the psychological features of work like mental anxiety and decision-making.

The aims of ergonomics contain the following:

• Reduce work-related injury and illness
• Help include workers’ compensation costs for companies
• Enhance the standard of work
• Reduce absenteeism
• Help companies comply with government regulations regarding work surroundings

Ergonomics professionals include:

• Engineers
• Security professionals
• Industrial hygienists
• Physical therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Nurse practitioners
• Chiropractors
• Occupational doctors

HOW ERGONOMICS ENHANCES WORK & SAFETY

The association between work injury and illness is old. It is even believed that Ancient Man concerned himself with developing the right tools that allowed for the efficiency and least amount of distress.

Now, we continue to look for ways to boost the relationship between our “tools” and our jobs. One means to do that is to look at the risk factors in the workplace. These are able to be divided into 3 areas: physical characteristics, environmental features, and workplace hazards.

1. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WORK:

• Bearing
• Drive
• Repetition
• Duration
• Recovery time
• Velocity/acceleration
• Heavy exertion that is dynamic

2. SEGMENTAL VIBRATION ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WORK:

• Heat
• Cold
• Lighting
• Sound
• Entire body vibration

3. WORKPLACE DANGERS:

• Physical pressure
• Mental pressure
• Workload
• Hours (shifts, overtime)
• Slips and falls
• Fire
• Exposure hazards (electrical, chemical, biological, radiation)