As the "telecommuting/work anywhere" movement continues to grow, using computers is literally becoming a pain in the neck. People huddle over their laptops with hunched shoulders and squint to see computer screens propped up at odd angles. They work on tiny little PDA keyboards that strain their hands and fingers.

This lack of attention to proper office ergonomics is taking its toll. At the end of the day, 40% to 50% of computer users report having some sort of pain, such as in their neck or shoulders or their wrists or hands. Experts who study these reported instances of pain are still debating the exact causes, but many point to poor posture or positioning relative to the computer as contributing factors.

The results can be quite serious. One of my colleagues recently had surgery to relieve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. She had no idea that she was actually harming herself.

My colleague works at home and created her own work area in her kitchen. When her company safety officials videotaped her and observed her posture and the environment she created for herself, they were appalled. Her cheap Office Depot chair provided poor back support and was not adjusted for her height. The screen on her laptop was at an angle that caused her to scrunch down. She placed her mouse far to the right of the keyboard, causing her to extend her arm often in an unnatural motion. The infractions go on and on.

Most large companies have an office safety department that studies such issues and recommends solutions to employees to eliminate or reduce the stress on muscles and other body parts. Alas, this would be a luxury to small and midsized companies, which often let their employees fend for themselves.

The fact of the matter is, office ergonomics are a mysterious area. Although many research studies have been conducted over the years, there are few conclusions over what leads to worker’s pains. Some people have alleged that the design of devices such as keyboards and monitor screens cause problems, yet there is little to no scientific link between keyboard design and carpal tunnel syndrome or monitor design and eyestrain.

Nevertheless, computer and peripheral manufacturers continue to fund serious research in the hopes of uncovering information that can lead to improved designs and happier customers. Many such companies are members of the Office Ergonomic Research Committee, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of research in office ergonomics. The OERG funds projects such as a study of the use of portable computers to see if notebook users are inherently susceptible to comfort or health problems.

Whitepapers

• Secure Wireless Printing Options
• Network-Wide Change Management Visibility with Route Analytics
• Getting in Compliance With Government Data Regulations By Leveraging Online Security Technology
• How to Offer the Strongest SSL Encryption
• Maximizing Site Visitor Trust Using Extended Validation SSL
• The Latest Advancements in SSL Technology

View more NETWORK MANAGEMENT whitepapers

Webcasts

• Managing the End User Experience-A Real World Example of Success
• Branch Office Trends and Best Practices
• Correlating granular network and application visibility
• Migrating to an MPLS-Based Network
• Round Table Webcast with Forrester Research
• Best Practices for Deploying WAN Optimization for Disaster Recovery

View more NETWORK MANAGEMENT webcasts

Special Reports

• WAN Optimization: The Ultimate No Brainer
• Ehternet Services: WAN options mature
• Keeping Spam at Bay
• Network World Executive Guide: The Virtualization Equation
• Application Performance Management Executive Guide
• Executive Guide: Building a Service Oriented Architecture

View more NETWORK MANAGEMENT special reports