How to use a computer properly
Sitting at a desk and using a computer has become the new way of life for so many people. It’s not without its consequences, however. Extended periods of sitting is one of several health risks related to office work and continues to be one of the main contributing factors to the development of upper and lower body pain, discomfort and injury, such as musculoskeletal disorders in office workers.
Just ask Pamela Dempster. She is the owner and senior ergonomist and health and wellness specialist at Dempster Wellness. Dempster Wellness, located in both Halifax and Moncton, aims to ensure individuals and organizations are healthy and well throughout their health and wellness journey. As a certified professional ergonomist and occupational therapist, Dempster has been providing onsite and virtual health and wellness consulting services to both private and public sectors, nationally and internationally, for over 25 years.
SITTING HAS INCREASED
It’s no surprise that people are sitting much more than we used to.
We just don’t sit at the office or in our home offices, but we also sit in our cars, or we sit at home watching TV.
Although technology has made our lives easier, it has increased our sitting. Now we can control things like our TVS, or garage doors with buttons while sitting on our couches or in cars. We now have meetings virtually where previously we would walk to meetings onsite at the office or other locations, says Dempster.
“We generally just don’t move enough anymore, and this is negatively impacting overall health. Post Covid and the increase of virtual services has increased this unfortunately,” said Dempster.
EXTENSIVE SITTING CAUSES HARM
Extended periods of sitting and sedentariness impacts our health by increasing blood sugar levels, decreasing good cholesterol by 20 per cent, increasing our risk of heart disease and by contributing to weight gain and a slower metabolism, explains Dempster.
When we sit our body functions, like circulation, slow down. This can result in pooling of blood in the feet and ankles causing swelling and this could exacerbate medical conditions such as diabetes, she says.
Additionally, when we sit for long periods, we are not activating or using our muscles as much. As a result, lactic acid, a naturally occurring substance in our bodies, can build up in the muscle tissue, she explains. When this lactic acid builds up in the muscle tissue, the muscles stiffen and can become sore.
This is why we feel stiff when standing up out of chair after periods of not moving. It is the lactic acid built up in the muscles that makes us feel stiff and sore after sitting for long periods, she said.
KEEP MOVING
“Movement is critical and key to overall health. We need to move more. Period. As much as we can - daily - for optimal health,” said Dempster.
The purpose of moving is to flush or move the lactic acid out of the muscles, says Dempster. Moving our bodies keeps the muscles soft and removes the lactic acid.
OFFICE WORK
“Extended periods of sitting are one of several health risks related to office work,” said Dempster.
It is extremely critical for office workers to have proper seating and furniture since they will be sitting there day in and day out for their jobs, she says.
In fact, incorrect seating and furniture is a high contributing factor to the increase in office related injuries (musculoskeletal disorders) in workers. This is something Dempster sees daily as an ergonomist.
“If the equipment a person is using when sitting, like a chair, desk or computer equipment, does not fit or support their stature or body size properly, the chair will not provide adequate support when in the seated position.”
When this occurs, Dempster says the body, including the muscles and tendons, have to take over to assist with maintaining the overall seated posture from head to toe. As a result, these muscles and tendons can be overused when seated and may be placed into weakened, nonneutral joint postures, which can lead to the development of musculoskeletal discomforts or injuries.
INVEST IN PROPER FURNITURE
The investment in proper ergonomic seating and furniture, especially electric sit or stand products, is extremely critical to maintain neutral joint postures when sitting, she notes.
Employers wanting to know the standards for workplace ergonomics, Dempster suggests they check the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) for a step-by-step process to ensure furniture and equipment are at the highest level of health, safety and wellness for workers. She also suggests that workplaces work with a certified ergonomist prior to buying any furniture, especially if employees are experiencing any discomfort or have an injury or medical condition.
STAND AND SIT WORK STATIONS?
Electric stand/sit tables have become increasingly popular. This allows workers to move more when working. They, however, have to be used correctly, says Dempster.
When employees use electric tables, they tend to then not sit at all or only for short periods of time. This is wrong and will also impact health long term, says Dempster.
“Standing for long periods of time also impacts the health of the lower body and can lead to discomforts or injury in the lower extremities, hips and lower back areas,” she says.
The key to health is balance between sitting and standing postures during the workday. This can be hard during busy days.
“In general, we just need to try and move more. Period,” urges Dempster.
DAILY SCHEDULE FOR MOVEMENT AT WORK
Dempster offers the following daily schedule to maintain healthy ergonomics at work. This means that during every hour of work, get out of the seated position. Employees with electric sit/stand products can do this as well or move to a standing position with the table and stand for a maximum of 15 minutes, then sit back down, she adds.
So, if you begin work at 8 a.m.
■ 9 a.m. get out of your chair for a few minutes and walk around.
■ At 10 a.m. do the same thing, and then at 11 am.
■ Take a lunch and get outside and go for walk.
■ After lunch, continue work and then at 2 p.m. stand up and move for a few minutes/then sit back down
■ Do the same at 3 p.m., continuing the pattern until the end of the day.
The idea, says Dempster, is just to increase moving the body as much as possible while at work.