HSC Medical Center : Rehabilitation Services

Rehabilitation Services

Newspaper Column

Healthy Computing for Adults

Adults of all ages spend many hours every day sitting at a desk or in front of a computer while they work and then go home to surf the Internet for pleasure or catch up with friends and family through e-mail messaging. How a person positions himself or herself in a chair, and how he or she uses the computer equipment can affect not only comfort, but also health and well being.

A person who does not sit correctly in a chair or strains to use a computer may suffer back and neck pain and eyestrain. Most computer equipment and workstations are built to fit adults, but a few adjustments can be made to an adult’s work area to promote a healthy lifestyle free of pain.

To prevent back and neck strain, consider the following tips:

The head should be level with the monitor and the tip of the screen at eye level.

The forearms should be parallel to the keyboard and held only slightly above it.

The lower back should be supported while sitting in front of a computer. Place a small pillow or rolled up towel between the back of the chair and the lower back to provide back support.

Feet should rest flat on the floor or on a footstep.

Arrange the computer desk and equipment so as to avoid glare from sunlight.

Sit the monitor 18 to 30 inches away from the person.

Adjust the chair to an appropriate height for the person.

Occupational therapists are trained to perform an “ergonomic” evaluation, or an evaluation that determines how well a person fits into his or her computer workstation environment. Your family physician can refer you to a therapy center for such an evaluation.

Ann Gasper, Marketing Coordinator for HSC Medical Center Rehabilitation Program, compiled this information from the American Occupational Therapy Association web site (www.aota.org).