What a Pain!Ergonomic tips and tactics that'll keep you healthy and free of pain
ByDavid Doran•
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Did you know your office can be hazardous to your health? Whilesitting at a desk staring at a computer for eight hours straightmay not be as dangerous as, say, cleaning up toxic waste, a poorlydesigned office space can still leave you hurting at the end of theday. And, in addition to the pain, computer-related injuries canseriously decrease your productivity at a critical time in thedevelopment of your business. We asked Chris Grant, whose F-1Ergonomics in Ann Arbor, Michigan, provides ergonomics consultingto businesses, about the four most common office-related injuries,their causes and what you can do to prevent them.
Eye, eye:Eyestrain symptoms include burning, tightness,sharp pains, watering, blurring, headaches and even double vision.There are many causes, including the flickering of old or dying CRT(cathode-ray tube) monitors and older, single-tube fluorescentlights, as well as reflected glare from computer screens. But mosteyestrain comes from focusing closely on CRT screens or printedmaterials for long periods of time. To give your eyes a rest, Grantsuggests following the "20/20 rule"--every 20 minutes,look 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
