Don’t Let Your Home or Office
Become a “House of Pain”

Do you spend all day tapping away on a keyboard at your office, only to come home and surf the ’Net for hours? Do your kids spend more time on the home computer than they spend exercising? In both the home and office, countless posture pitfalls can await the unsuspecting.
Optimal Health Chiropractic encourages you to come in find out about ways to alleviate the postural problems that can result from poor home and office ergonomics. And read on for important information on how to keep your home or office from becoming a house of pain.

Office Ergonomics
According to Dr. Michael McKelvey of Beaufort, SC, “Today, it is not only jobs in construction or other jobs that require a great deal of bending and lifting that cause on-the-job-injuries. Typing at a computer all day can be equally stressful on a person’s wrists, shoulders, neck and spine, resulting in some really painful injuries.”

Repetitive motion injuries (RMI) like carpal tunnel syndrome have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, as more and more people spend long hours virtually immobilized in front of a computer screen. But carpal tunnel syndrome isn’t the only problem. Two recent studies of insurance claims show that the combined cost of cumulative trauma disorders, such as RMI and low back pain, is over $11.5 billion annually. Other injuries include postural and spinal stress and tendonitis – conditions that can affect a person’s work – and make life painful as well.

To reduce the possibility of suffering one of these painful and possibly disabling injuries, Dr. McKelvey suggests that you:

• Make sure your chair fits correctly. There should be 2 inches between the front edge of the seat and the back of your knees.
• Sit with your knees at approximately a 90-degree to 120-degree angle. Using an angled footrest to support your feet may help you sit more comfortably.
• Position your computer monitor so that the top of the screen is at or below eye level.
• Keep your wrists in the neutral position while you type, not angled up or down. A wrist rest can help you to keep a more neutral wrist posture. Keep your elbow angle within a 70-degree to 135-degree range as you type. The mousing surface or mouse pad should be close to the keyboard, so you don’t have to reach or hold the arm away from the body.
• Take frequent, short breaks from your work, and be sure to stretch your hands, arms and shoulders during your breaks.

The Home Office
An astonishing 50 percent of American households now have personal computers—a figure that grows every year. If you use a computer at home, be sure to implement the above tips in your “home office” as well. And if your children share your computer with you, keep the following in mind to keep your little ones safe and healthy:

• Make sure adults and children can modify your computer station for use.
• In order for your children to implement the proper 90-degree to 120-degree knee bend, have them place their feet on a footrest, box, stool or similar object.
• Place an ergonomic back cushion, pillow or rolled-up towel in the small of your child’s back for added support.
• Before your child uses the computer, take the computer off its base or stand, or have the child sit on firm pillows to reach the desired height. The top of the monitor screen should be at or below eye level.

Lounging and Sleeping
Sometimes the simplest of activities—such as relaxing or even sleeping—can wreak as much havoc on our bodies as spending long hours at a computer can. According to (name), “People spend a lot of hours sitting in chairs and recliners. The painful fact is that much of the furniture we sit in can damage our bodies. It is so important to select furniture that employs sound ergonomic principles.”

Keep the following in mind when selecting a living room chair or recliner:

• Look for furniture that fits the person who will most often sit in it. The “one-size-fits-all” approach is not good idea when selecting furniture.
• Furniture should be easily adjustable to conform to the size and shape of each unique user.
• Find a chair that offers plenty of support to both the neck and the lumbar region (lower back).
• Purchase a portable footrest that can be moved around a room. This will help smaller people use chairs that may ordinarily be too high for them.

If you can only dream of getting a good night’s sleep with that uncomfortable mattress and sagging pillow of yours, consider the following simple tips to help you select the right mattress and pillow:

• When choosing a mattress, look for one that is comfortably— and selectively—supportive. Selective support allows you to press down one area of a mattress, leaving other areas unaffected.
• Be sure to choose a mattress that is finished on both sides so you can “rotate” it, just like you would your car tires. Every few months, turn it clockwise, or upside down, so that body indentations are kept to a minimum.
• When you’re purchasing a mattress, don’t be embarrassed to actually lie down on it at the store to check its fit and comfort. Don’t just sit on it to test it.
• Be selective when choosing a pillow. When lying on your side, your head and neck should remain level with your mid and lower spine. When lying on your back, your head and neck should remain level with your upper back and spine. In other words, your pillow should not be so thick that it causes your head and neck to be propped up or angled sharply away from your body.

For more information on the importance of correct posture or any of the tips mentioned above, visit our Web site at www.optimalhealthchiropracticsc.com, or contact Dr. Michael McKelvey at 843-524-4325.