Easing workplace aches

"Ever experience that nagging crick in your neck or ache in your back while doing nothing but typing at your desk? Part of it could be due to poor posture, or it could be related to the way your desk is set up.

Those aches and pains could lead you to miss a day or more of work or require physical therapy -- or surgery in the worst cases -- if left uncorrected.
Workplace injuries have forced more than 1.5 million Americans to miss work in 2001, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of those, more than 399,000 were related to sprains and strains, and 26,522 dealt specifically with carpal tunnel syndrome, a disorder which occurs when tendons or ligaments in the wrist become enlarged after being aggravated. "

Roni Plants, an occupational therapy assistant, said the first thing she looks at is how an individual works -- how they answer phones and how they sit and type. She then asks them how much time they spend doing different aspects of their jobs.