Proper posture is one step to comfortable computing

Computing is literally a pain in the neck for me.

That’s because I spend way too much time sitting at a computer. Part of it is your fault since I often sit here — as I am doing right now — to write the column. And part of it is my fault. I have a deviant sort of love for computer games. I’m way too old to still be killing dragons but, hey, someone has to do it.

No matter what I am doing at the computer I have still another bad habit that makes things worse. If you could turn on a hidden video camera here in my home office you’d see me right now with my feet propped on my desk, the keyboard in my lap.

Back when I spent my days in a newsroom my weird typing posture became a point of interest when tours came through the newspaper. But over the years, the strain of that position has left me with a neck that feels almost as old as I am.

I should be sitting with my feet on the floor, my neck should be straight, and the monitor should be about 18 to 30 inches away from my eyes. Ergonomic experts tell me that what seems comfortable at first — like my lazy posture — can cause pain over time. The monitor should be at eye level, especially for people who wear bifocals or trifocal lenses.

If you’ve ever worn glasses like that, or know someone who does, you may have noticed that it’s necessary to tilt the head so that your eyes use the correct part of the lens. All that tilting is another reason that my neck is sore these days.

You’ll find all sorts of fancy desks, adjustable stands for monitors and chairs with more controls than a 747 (and selling for around the same price).

All that’s great if you can afford it, but your body won’t know the difference if you simply adjust the height of your monitor by placing a book under it.

Posture is just one step to comfortable computing. Here are some others:

Loosen up: Since I’m outclassed by many of the 9-year-olds who play video games, I have to push myself to keep up with them. In your case, tension may come from other worries — like finishing a school or work assignment, or trying to figure out how to pay bills.

But the problem is the same. Tense muscles and tendons make you ripe for aliments such as carpal tunnel syndrome. So make a conscious effort to stay relaxed at the computer.

Take breaks: There are a thousand good reasons to do this, including the need to get a Mountain Dew from the refrigerator. Long periods at a computer can aggravate problems caused by bad posture. And your eyes need a break, too. Something as simple as getting up and walking around the room reduces the strain on your back and eyes.

Level with me: As I type this, my keyboard is in my lap and the mouse is on my desk. I’m a perfect model for how not to do things. The keyboard and the mouse should be at the same height. The keyboard should be on the desk. My feet should be on the floor. And — at the risk of sounding like my old drill sergeant — my arms should be parallel to the floor.

Turn down the lights: Computer rooms often have terrible lighting. This is one of the few things I do correctly. Co-workers have seen me standing on my desk on more than one occasion as I reach up to remove some of the fluo- rescent tubes in the overhead lighting.

Overhead lighting is a bad idea for those of you who spend hours in front of a screen. Instead, use a desk light that shines on your work, not the computer screen.

There’s one last thing to consider. Many of you use a laptop computer as your primary machine. You need to be extra cautious, since laptops really weren’t made to be used for hours on end. Most experts agree that — if you’re going to use the machine that way — plugging in a regular monitor and keyboard while you’re at home can make a big difference.

I think you’ll enjoy computing more if you follow my advice, even if it won’t make you better at killing video game monsters.

I should be sitting with my feet on the floor, my neck should be straight, and the monitor should be about 18 to 30 inches away from my eyes. Ergonomic experts tell me that what seems comfortable at first — like my lazy posture — can cause pain over time.