Categories: ergonomics | geeks | yogaforgeeks
Watch out – your poor geeking-out posture stands to do you more harm than you might realize.
My friend Thomas sent me a link to an article that pretty much sums up why I think Yoga for Geeks is particularly necessary and timely these days. (Of course, geeks aren't the only ones who spend too much time at a computer... these days, a lot of people do, many of whom would never identify as geeks. But since I have such a fondness for so many of the loveable, hunched-over geeks that I know, I'm choosing to put my energy in that direction).
It shouldn't come as a surprise if you've been paying attention to your body *at all*, but as it turns out, "a slew of ergonomics and other posture professionals... all voiced the sobering truth that human beings were not designed to fold themselves into computer workstations each day." And in case you were wondering,
"The most egregious ergonomic crimes I see include sitting without any back support for more than one hour at time; extended reaching in any direction, causing problems for the shoulders, neck and upper back area; awkward neck positioning and rotating the neck repeatedly; and people … pitch[ing] forward off their chairs," said Deborah Read, MOTR/L ergonomics consultant.
Also really bad, apparently (and also unsurprisingly), is cradling a phone between your ear and shoulder. Buy a headset. (I'm guilty.)
What probably scared me the most was the description of the earliest warning signs of repetitive stress problems – because almost everyone I know experiences them. These include tightness and soreness in the upper back and shoulders, and unfortuantely people tend to carry on as usual until they have symptoms down into their wrists and elbows.
Most geeks I know describe pain around their shoulder blades and upper back. Almost everyone has this pain right where your arm joins to your back, kind of around the back of your armpit on your mouse arm. (You know the one. And you know what it's from.)
So what are we doing to ourselves!? Are we all going to end up crippled down the road? Are we all going to end up dropping out of the wired world and moving to a small community to walk barefoot and free in our organic gardens, where our bodies can slowly return to a state of ease and comfort? (Oops, perhaps that's just my own fantasy.) Will technology save us and will our governments start providing all computer workers with proper workstations as a public service?
My advice is to take this stuff seriously, starting now. If you want to be able to keep saving the world through code, design, and online communtiy building, you'd better start making it sustainable.
- If you can afford it, invest in better equipment for your workstation.
- Don't sit slouched over the laptop for hours.
- Drop and relax your shoulders.
- Take regular breaks to stretch your neck, shoulders, and wrists.
- Don't ignore persistent pain.
And dammit, go to a gentle yoga class (or tai chi, or pilates, or whatever) once in a while. Your whole self will thank you for it.
omg, that weightlifting site
Thu, 2006-06-29 08:29 — Darwin (not verified)specialopsdude : OMG THANK YOU. That is EXACTLY the explanation I've been looking for. I understand my physical self enough to understand by FEELING what is happening, but I now understand WHY it's doing that and the everyday posture things to focus on. Wow. THANK YOU.
=darwin
Ergonomics
Thu, 2006-06-29 16:10 — Anonymous (not verified)It's easy to put the word "ergonomic" on the package. Designing a truly ergonomic computer workstation is much harder. Whoever figures out how to do it should earn a fortune. I put a homemade cardboard handle on an old, discontinued, Fellowes pointing device that uses a button instead of a ball. It cured the nerve compression syndromes in my elbow and wrist. (Now I worry that if the thing ever breaks I cannot buy a new one.) Learning the keyboard shortcuts and getting the extra-large adjustable chair, desk, and keyboard tray all helped, but it was switching from a mouse to the button pointer that made the biggest difference.
Wow
Thu, 2006-06-29 16:43 — sarahfelicityThanks everyone for the great comments and suggestions! I can't wait to check out the resources and ideas suggested. Keep 'em coming... Maybe they'll make a whole new blog post. :)
Evolution
Wed, 2006-06-07 15:50 — Richard (not verified)http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/deta.html
Can't wait...
Wed, 2006-06-07 23:18 — Warwick (not verified)for Yoga for Geeks at Workspace! Lord knows I need to go do some Yoga or something. Between holding cameras up and working on the comp, my back is ruuuuined.
Preventing RSI
Wed, 2006-06-28 17:17 — _Jon (not verified)My tricks to improvement were two things:
- I moved the monitor closer to the edge of the desk. This moved the keyboard / mouse closer so I wouldn't lean forward as much.
- I moved the mouse to the left side at work (I am right-handed). I adjusted very quickly. I use the PC at home as much (or more) at home, so it balances out rather well.
Also, I try to use the keyboard shortcuts and only use the mouse when I have to.
But, playing games is a real killer. I grip the mouse very tightly and don't realize it until I take a break and can't open my hand fully. That includes SimCity....
Weightlifting routine that will fix bad posture
Wed, 2006-06-28 20:42 — specialopsdude (not verified)Hello, funny thing about this story is that I've been using a workout routine that corrects bad posture (they call it "neanderthal no more"), and so far it has removed quite a bit of stress on my back and shoulders from being an IT guy. The entire 5 part series can be found at T-Nation powerlifting site, which has great articles for even just the health conscious persons. Parts 4 and 5 have the actial exercises, but parts 1-3 are very informative.
Part I http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459379
Part II http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=05-136-diet
Part III http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=04-004-training
Part IV http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=04-016-training
Part V http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=04-115-training
Weight training and proper stretching can fix most all of the problems with posture. Mixing this routine with my normal Army PT has given me a much stronger back.
another yoga for geeks site
Wed, 2006-06-28 22:08 — Judith (not verified)Desktop Yoga
Think cello and piano
Thu, 2006-06-29 02:28 — Anonymous (not verified)Seriously. Musicians deal constantly with posture and it's effect on performance; there's a lot of interesting material available. A key point is to establish a confortable sitting position first, then adapt your equipment to it. Not the other way around. Often, people arrange the stuff on their desk to look cool without considering how they'll have to move to use it.
Try sitting towards the front of your chair with your back straight (not slumped against the chair back), neck aligned with the back and your feet spread comfortably and flat on the floor. Your upper torso and head should feel balanced atop your pelvis. Imagine playing a cello (check out pictures of Pablo Casals in you can find them).
Sitting this way should feel relaxing with an even, unobstructed breath.
Now look at your monitor. Do you have to tilt your head downward to view it comfortably? Then it's too low because keeping your head tilted like that will produce strain in your neck. Try moving the monitor further back on your desk and/or if your eyesight requires it be closer, raise the monitor base until you can view it while leeping your head straight atop your spine.
As for the keyboard, I prefer the Microsoft ergonomic style but I know a lot of people can't deal with them and that's OK. Let's shift from cello to piano. The most efficient, stress free way of using your fingers is by keeping them and your wrists aligned with your forearm. Often people bend their wrists outward so their hands are perpendicular to the keyboard. This by itself produces stress in the wrists, which is only compounded by finger movement. Allow your wrists to remain aligned straight with your forearms, approaching the keyboard at an angle (for me it looks to be roughly 40-45 degrees, but it depends on arm length and, shall we say, "width of torso"). Along with a straight "left/right" alignment with the forearm, the base of the hand should not be placed on the desk with the wrist bent upward. I think keyboard wrist pads are a bad idea as are those little feet tabs on the back (If they were on the front, they might actually encourage better hand position) Keep the keyboard flat on the desk and your wrists even with your forearms. The fingers should drop down onto the keys, using gravity. You should not have to "cock back" your fingers. The amount of force required to press a key is really small and often people press much harder than required (perhaps some of us dinosaurs who were weaned on manual typewriters!). Check out pianists' wrists as they play. (Hey, didn't you say your code is as elegant as a Chopin Nocturne...)
posture
Thu, 2006-06-29 03:08 — anonrobt (not verified)try using a 'balance' chair - they've been around for a time now, and are great for typing - at least regarding the desk computer.. as for the laptop, ah well.......
Hips too!
Thu, 2006-06-29 04:18 — Anonymous (not verified)If you have a monitor that is too far to one side or the other so that you don't address it straight on, you can find that it may create or aggravate hip and/or lower back stress. This in turn can lead to early osteoarthritis or related conditions. It hurts to find out too late - believe me.
it's as easy to fix as it is to ignore.
Thu, 2006-06-29 05:47 — Chris (not verified)I have just finished weeks of physical therapy for Tendonitis aggravated by poor posture at the desk. I've been a programmer for years and always thought RSI was specific to wrists. Boy was I wrong! My shoulder had gotten so bad I though I had torn the rotator cuff. Pain Killers, Muscle Relaxers and Physical Therapy all helped... Fixing my workstation 'cured' it. I know cured is a bit strong but I'm trying to emphasize the difference.
All I did was add a keyboard tray so that I wasn't always 'reaching' and raised my chair a little. A whole new world.
I am soooo happy my Physical Therapist suggested RSI as the cause and told my how to fix it!!!