
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 27, 1991                   TAG: 9103270152
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

UNCHECKED, PAIN CAN ESCALATE

Is that repetitive stress injury you feel or just a bad week at the office? Here's a basic test: If symptoms you acquired at work are interfering with daily activities - you don't paint the ceiling or get down on the floor to play with your kids - it's worth trying to fix.

"If it stops when you stop typing, I wouldn't worry about it," says GW's Welch. "A twinge that lasts a few minutes isn't going to develop into something." On the other hand, "Once it starts to escalate, it's likely to keep escalating." Then help is crucial.

Some preventive maintenance:

Since everyone's got a different body, a good office has adjustable chairs, terminals and keyboards. The standard desk height of 30 inches is comfortable for working and writing longhand, but a keyboard placed directly on a desk can lead to a typist holding his arms, shoulders and wrists higher than natural. Result: neck or wrist pain. A lower base can avoid this, which means a separate typing table.

"As a rule," says Welch, "you should be looking almost straight ahead, with your chin down a bit toward your chest. It should feel natural. If the chin is down too far, you strain your eyes; if it's up too far, you strain your neck."

Keep your wrists relatively flat - i.e., unbent - while typing. If the keyboard is too high or too low, you'll be putting your wrists at an awkward angle, which can lead to the dread carpal tunnel syndrome.

Get the lower back supported by putting your feet on the floor or a footstool. The key thing is to have your hips at 90 degrees to your torso.

Don't slump forward. "It feels good temporarily," says Dainoff. "But things I've read suggest that if you do it long enough - months, years - there's some danger to your discs." Likewise, don't stay in the same position. Even the most slave-driving boss allows for mini-breaks and micro-breaks. Stop, stretch, shake your hands out. - David Streitfeld

by CNB