The Computer User's Survival Guide: Staying Healthy in a High Tech World

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Table of Contents Preface About the Audience Who's Responsible for What? How to Use This Book We'd Like to Hear From You Acknowledgments I: THE BASICS 1 Where Do You Begin? Know What You're Looking For Take a Holistic Approach Start Where You Are 2 Get Comfortable Good Posture Is Something You Feel Find What's Neutral for You Support Your Body Support Your Arms Support Your Feet Move Through the Postures Posture and Laptop Computers 3 Customize Your Work Area Make Adjustments Position Your Equipment Arrange Your Work Materials Fit into the General Work Environment 4 Be Aware of Your Body Practice Body Awareness Understand Pain 5 Breathe Learn How You Breathe Try Different Ways of Breathing 6 Take Care of Yourself Exercise Stretches Self-Massage II: REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY 7 RSI Is Real Why Us, Why Now? Who Pays the Price? Who Is Getting Injured? Prevention Is the Solution 8 The Nature of the Beast What It Feels Like The Forms It Takes Tendon Injuries Nerve Injuries Muscle Disorders What Brings It On Why Does It Take So Long to Go Away? 9 Your Tools Make a Difference Keyboards Pointing Devices—Mice and Trackballs Software 10 Good Hand Technique Reduces Your Risk Relax Your Hands and Arms Use Good Typing Technique Use Good Mouse and Trackball Technique Minimize Clicks and Keystrokes Use Just Enough Force Grip Firmly but Loosely Keep Your Hands Warm Stretch Frequently 11 Treating the Injury Seek Professional Care Take Care of Yourself 12 The Recovery Process The Initial Impact Getting Your Life Back Coming Out of the Tunnel Legal Concerns III: EYESTRAIN 13 Eyestrain Is Common Symptoms Can Be Mild or Severe Eyestrain May Be Related to Other Problems Computer Work Affects the Entire Visual System Solutions Involve the Environment, the Equipment, and You 14 Take Care of Your Eyes Check Your Posture First Use Your Eyes Well Get Your Eyes Examined Use the Right Glasses for the Task Make Use of Assistive Technology 15 Create a Visually Comfortable Environment Use a Screen with Good Visual Qualities Use Software That's Easy on Your Eyes Improve Your Office Environment 16 Work in the Right Light Light Affects Your Eyes and Your Health Control Glare and Reflections Balance the Lighting Levels What Types of Lights Are Good to Use? What Is Full-Spectrum Lighting? Plan for Energy Efficient Lighting IV: STRESS 17 Are You Stressed? The Signs of Stress The Physiological Stress Response The Consequences of Too Much Stress Stress at Work What Can You Do About It? What Can Your Employer Do About It? 18 Breaking the Internal Cycle Stress Begins in the Mind Thought Patterns Can Perpetuate Stress Breathe to Calm the Mind Exercise with Awareness Relax and Recharge Your Senses Replenish your Reserves Don't Work Too Much Balance Computer Time and Social Time V: THE POTENTIAL RISKS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS 19 The Radiation Question The Influence of Radiation Radiation in the Office Radiation from Computers The Nature of Low Frequency Fields How Much Exposure is Considered Safe? 20 Health Risks We Wonder About Miscarriage Other Reproductive Concerns Cancer Cataracts Stress Skin Rash Electromagnetic Sensitivity Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Hearing Discomfort 21 Protect Yourself Assess Your Situation Choose Which Precautions to Take Create a Low-Emission Office VI: APPENDIXES A: Equipment Selection Guide Ergonomic Principles Hardware Software Speech Recognition Systems Furniture Accessories B: Resources Resource Guides RSI Resources Government, Legal, and Other Services Stress Resources Electromagnetic Sensitivity Resources EMF Emissions and Environmental Guidelines Notes Suggested Reading Ergonomics and Occupational Health Mental and Emotional Health Visual Health Physical Health RSI Legal Issues Electromagnetic Radiation Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y