Computer = Pain !! (1 Viewer)

[Ingoesout]

Ok, so i think it is fair to say that alot of you spend alot of time on the computer.

So my question is how do you spend long ammounts of time on the computer without your body just quitting on you?

A couple months ago I started an office job that is mainly computer based, and these days my back hurts, my neck hurts, my shoulders hurt but most of all my wrists and hands HURT like a mofo!

I know you're supposed to get up and stretch every 20 minutes but that just isn't an option, it wastes too much time and i look foolish (i know i shouldnt care how i look but yeah..). Anyway when i do do it it doesnt seem to help. I bought a posture support, and a special gel mouse pad... they don't help either.

I'm also so paranoid i've done permanent damage to my right hand, its constantly swolen and hurting, and i crack my knuckes alot, esp my "clicker" finger...

So, advice? suggestions? warnings? yeahh...

 

[alby]

i dont think many of us use the computer enough to get sore unless we've got an office job. but i remember when i had my direct sales job, my back (and occasionally feet) got quite sore because i was standing all day.
other than taking breaks and using the correct posture/equipment, i cant think of anything. talk to your colleagues/boss and see if they've got any tips

 

[Tulipa]

I'm at the office now

My back really starts to hurt after awhile of sitting but I change postion alot. Also I have really restless legs so I just swing them around or shake them alot. That keeps me sort of moving.

I also stretch my back out every hour of so just sitting in my chair which helps.

Oh and for your hands? DON'T crack your knuckles. Do you do a lot of typing? If so, maybe get a rest for your hands? It's a soft thing that goes in front of the keyboard and balances your hands paralell to the keyboard to give your wrists a rest. That helps a ton.

I'm sitting at a computer for around eight hours a day and I'm not too bad so I think whatever I'm doing is working

 

[Season]

You might have some sort of RSI, repetitive stress injury. These are usually associated with sport but if you are on the computer for long periods of time then you can get one too (lucky you!). My cousin had one of these soon after he graduated from his masters IT something... talk about bad timing.


He had Carpal tunnel syndrome; This is swelling inside a narrow "tunnel" formed by bone and ligament in the wrist; the tunnel surrounds nerves that conduct sensory and motor impulses to and from the hand, leading to pain, tingling, and numbness etc.

There's lots of weird treatments which I've forgotten but you can chuck it into a search engine and see if it sounds like you. In the mean time You should get a better chair, and adopt better sitting position. You could try instead of sitting on a chair sitting on a pilates ball, they are really good for posture.

 

[...]

always stretch every 20-40 minutes..

 

[lengy]

I would've thought it was company policy to have that sign shown to those working at the computer to protect against workers compensation?
I spend alot of time on the computer so I guess I'm used to it.

 

[Punctuation M]

Looks as if she has a 51cm TV connected to a keybored.

 

[Tulipa]

Look that's all fine and good but if you actually sit like that without moving for more than an hour, your whole body gets sore.

You need to move around, change position and get up every now and then. It's that simple.

 

[glitterfairy]

or sit on one of those cool giant yoga balls Then you can roll around and bounce on it and stuff

 

[lengy]

lol that's silly

 

[Ingoesout]

Well I got a new chair, with a higher back, and i think it MAY be making a difference. Plus Tulipa those "wrist rests" (try saying that 10 times really fast) really are quite awsome!

But I don't swing my legs much as Im too tall and end up kicking out my phone line, thus making me an uncontactable inconvenience.

...plus wearing my glasses helps as im not leaning forward so much ...

 

[UnIqUe_PrInCeSs]

my eyes hurt sometimes, like when I'm on the comp at 3 am. but that's about it =/

 

[lengy]

That's cause your eyes are telling you that you need sleep

 

[Starcraftmazter]

I frequently use a computer for 5-7 hours at a time, and rarely use it for 10 or more hours at a time, and have never had any pain problems.

When using a computer for prolong periods of time, I think it's important to use a flatscreen monitor. I have a TFT, and my eyes are always extremely comfortable and relaxed looking at it.

I also have one of those spinny, comfy office chairs. And I always change the position in which I'm sitting, like every 5-10 mins, and stretch (which takes 1< second).

 

[mr_brightside]

Bathroom/Coffee/Tea breaks. easy.

 

[Starcraftmazter]

Bathroom breaks. easy.

Very important too. I remember about 2-3 years ago, some Korean guy died playing video games (expected), because he didn't go to the toilet nor drink water for too long.