Biofeedback Software Program That Enhances Posture And Ergonomic Self-awareness

Using biofeedback to reduce back pain due to poor office ergonomics ...

"Recovery from back pain associated with poor office ergonomics can be challenging for a variety reasons. First, information abounds on the internet and it is difficult for pain sufferers to wade through the range of posture and ergonomic guidelines that come up on a Google search. Second, applying the information to an individual office and desk environment so as to reduce stress and strain can appear to be complex and costly. Third, and perhaps most important, pain suffers need to get regular feedback so that they can begin modifying their ingrained and damaging sitting patterns.

SlouchGuard, released this week by the Silicon Valley firm Siasys, is a biofeedback software program that provides this necessary feedback.

Jean Couch, director of The Balance Center in Palo Alto, CA, described the software program in the following way: "SlouchGuard is a truly valuable tool that we use at our Center. Our clients have been asking us for years if there was some way they could get instant and automatic feedback about how they are sitting when their instructors and therapists are not with them. SlouchGuard provides that service."

The core of the program is a biofeedback positional recognition engine. The engine learns the specific and personalized ergonomic position/postures that the user wants to practice and ingrain into her muscle memory. The user can then focus on her work while the engine provides feedback to her about her sitting style. If the user moves too far away from her new position (and perhaps towards her less-comfortable yet more familiar positions), SlouchGuard provides audio or visual cues that remind her to think about her posture and/or ergonomics."    (Continued via Medical News Today)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Ergonomic Nightmare of the Week: Laptop Wedge Pillow

Try designing an ergonomic office around this one ...

"Last week I recommended laptop stands as a way to angle or prop up a laptop for more ergonomic positioning. Little did I know, there is actually a laptop stand out there that is equally bad as hunching over the screen on your lap. This “laptop wedge pillow” was noted in ThisIsBroken for being an awkward looking, poorly designed, and unergonomic laptop stand."    (Continued via Ergonomenon)    [Ergonomics Resources]

The Wedge Pillow

Sitting up straight could cause back problems

Sitting up straight might not be the best choice ...

"It seems that "sit up straight" is a parental command that just lost its thunder.

It turns out sitting up stick-straight is bad for the back, researchers say.

Your back is best off in a reclining position, which takes pressure off the spinal disks in the lower back, compared to the upright posture that most people consider normal, according to new research presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

"Sitting in a sound, anatomic position is essential, since the strain put on the spine and its associated ligaments over time can lead to pain, deformity and chronic illness," said Waseem Bashir, the study's author, in a news release.

Though reclining might relieve strain, it won't necessarily alleviate back pain.

Lay Back, Relax Your Back

Researchers used a positional MRI scanner to collect images from 22 volunteers with no history of back pain.

A positional MRI, as opposed to the better-known tunnel MRI, allows patients to move around during imaging and allows scientists to see how different body positions affect the back and spine.

Using the MRI images, scientists determined which sitting position with feet still on the floor -- put the least stress on the back by measuring changes in the height between vertebral discs and other changes in the way the spinal column was curved.

Images of volunteers sitting upright at 90 degrees showed more signs of strain on the spine than images of those who were reclining at 135 degrees.

This reclining position also put less strain on the spinal disks and associated muscles and tendons compared to slouching forward, the study authors say.

Researchers conclude the reclining posture is the best and recommend that patients invest in some home or office furniture that is ergonomically designed to let someone sit in this "optimal position."

Could the Right Chair Halt the "Inevitable" Decline?" (Continued via ABC7 Chicago) [Ergonomics Resources]

Are mouse designers taking the mickey?

Are new mouse designs helping or hurting? ...

"Watching the grainy 1968 video demonstration by mouse inventor Doug Engelbart, I was struck by how little has changed in the intervening decades. He fluffs the presentation somewhat, things don’t work properly, and he seems to have trouble getting his primitive mouse prototype to point at the right bit of the screen.

But it’s certainly sobering when you realise exactly what he’s doing – cutting, copying and pasting text, using hypertext and participating in a multi-user video conference complete with shared electronic whiteboarding.

But the thing that most strikes me about that ground-breaking demo at Stanford Research Institute at Menlo Park, California, is the mouse. It doesn’t look radically different in form or function to the one that’s probably near your hand right now.

The way we see Engelbart holding and using the mouse is certainly no different to modern times. For many years no one really gave any thought to mouse design above and beyond pure functionality. But as problems with repetitive strain-related injuries (RSI) started to surface as PCs took over the workplace, this gradually changed.

These days there are perhaps a few dozen good designs, but hundreds more bad ones. Sadly, many people – even those who should know better – still can’t tell one from the other, until it’s too late and one day they find out, as I did a year or so ago, the sheer misery that RSI can bring.

I’d edited many articles about ergonomics and usability over the years, yet somehow viewed myself as immune. Luckily, in my case it wasn’t too severe and I cured it by the simple expedient of throwing my ordinary mouse away and adopting a vertical model that I found suited my working style. But it’s a sad reflection of the general state of awareness of ergonomics that no one I’ve met (including many work colleagues who, like me, fall into the “should know better” category) has ever heard of a vertical mouse. But everyone is different and other people find trackballs, trackpads or even more exotic designs a better solution."    (Continued via IT Week)    [Ergonomics Resources]

The official fact about backaches

The effects of public transportation on backaches ...

"Backaches caused by rides on public transportation and long hours before computers coupled with smoking and drinking are the main reason for absences from work among urban Indian youth, a study has said.

Backaches are the chief reason for the absence of workers that accounts for losses of several million man-hours, the study commissioned by the makers of Iodex, a pain relieving balm, and the NGO Health India.

The report says backache, once thought to affect people at the age of 40 years, is now increasingly being reported among the youth.

"Public transport is the predominant cause for backache among working individuals in major metros along with sitting for long hours in front of the computer," said Dev Mehra, Executive Director of Health India, which surveyed work places in Mumbai and Delhi, covering over 100 people.

He said sudden jerks or movements during travel can result in back pain.

"The problem was considered to affect people after the age of 40, but now increasingly young people are complaining of back problems. Poor ergonomics at the workplace is one of the causes of the problem," he said."    (Continued via CNN-IBN)    [Ergonomics Resources]

The Backache

Are Fitness Balls as Chairs Ergonomic or Not?

Disagreement over the ergonomics of sitting on a fitness ball during work ...

"During a Pilates class I took in grad school my teacher mentioned that the large bouncy fitness balls we used in class also made great office chairs. Active sitting” induced by balls, she said, keeps the core muscles active, strengthening the abs and spine and promotes good posture.

Whether or not she was qualified to give such advice, I tried it. And I have been using a ball as my sole office chair ever since, spending 8 or more hours a day on it. As I mentioned in 5 Reasons Why Balls are Better than Chairs, I love being able to feel active while doing an otherwise sedentary activity. I love sitting on my ball, and over the past couple years my balance has improved so much, I can now actually stand on the ball and juggle.

You would imagine my surprise when I recently uncovered some opinions that balls are not the miracle seating solution that I had thought. In this Ergoweb article, Peter Budnick says “The people who seem most enthusiastic about their use and efficacy are often those that are selling or promoting them, not the users who end up sitting on one for 8 or more hours a day.”

Another argument against balls was addressed by Ergoweb Forum expert John Ridd, who says, apart from the spinal risks already mentioned there are general health and safety risks to consider; the potential for injury, if the user were to become so unbalanced as to fall off the ball is enormous, and I can only imagine the awkward questions that might be asked after such an event.

I have to totally disagree with this. Sitting on a ball takes some getting used to, of course, but your balance and stability actually improves as a result. After sitting on a ball regularly for some time now, worrying about the idea of falling off the ball while sitting on it sounds as ridiculous to me as worrying about falling out of a chair."    (Continued via Ergonomenon)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Steelcase on user-centred research and its impact upon the healing environment

User-centered design can impact your health ...

"More on healthcare. I found this while browsing Steelcase’s Nurture website, which I reported on earlier.

The site contains a long list of pdf articles, including one on user-centred research and its impact upon the healing environment.

“Within the healthcare landscape, user-centred research is one way for the designer to understand and develop an empathy for the needs of the patient, caregiver (medical and hospital staff) and care partner (family/other).”

“Through user-centred research design professionals methodically capture the patient journey, as well as the experiences of those that visit and work in healthcare environments. By documenting these experiences, opportunities for improvement and innovation are revealed. User-centred research is built upon a foundation of evidence proven through observation, interviewing, listening, and assumption-testing techniques, and then categorising the research as interactions between the people, spaces, tasks, information and objects. On the people side, it’s important to understand the behaviour and communication that occurs between itinerant nurses and the patients they serve, or the personal conversations in public spaces between doctor and concerned care partners. We evaluate the ambient environment of healthcare spaces observing the interplay of light, color, texture, sound and aroma, as well as LEED’s impact thereon. We delve into “tasking” in healthcare spaces, that may range from filling out patient paperwork to repetitive maintenance activities."    (Continued via Putting people first)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Ergonomic Travel Tips

The ergonomics of travel ...

"The holiday travel season upon us. Lines, crowds, heavy luggage, uncomfortable airplanes, traffic…you are familiar with the horror and chaos that awaits you.

Here are a few tips to make your travels a little bit more comfortable:

Good luggage makes a big difference. Look for lightweight, durable luggage with extending handles and good wheels. Check out the travel tow, a handle attachment that can improve the ergonomics of any luggage on wheels

If you have to lug along your laptop with your carry on, try using a backpack instead of a shoulder bag. Backpacks distribute the weight evenly on both sides instead of overly straining your shoulder and neck

Only carry the essentials. Try thinning down to some magazines, sudoku or crosswords and an ipod instead of books, laptops, and dvd players

When in flight, prop your feet up on your carry on bag to improve circultation and decrease muscle strain

Place a small pillow or blanket in the lumbar region of your back to help reduce back strain

If you have a tendency to fall asleep with head on your shoulder, use a pillow. Those “U-shaped” travel pillows that fit around your neck can also help. If you want to really pamper yourself, try the tempurpedic travel pillow

If you insist on using a laptop during flight, try placing it on a pillow or laptop stand on your lap. For most people the pull-down tray is located at a height much higher than their seated elbow height, which causes awkward hand and wrist postures while typing

Get some exercize! Here are few exercizes suggested by ehow to loosen up and keep your blood flowing while on the plane or in the airport:

STEP 1: Squeeze a tennis ball, a racquetball or even a pair of socks with your hands until they’re tired.

STEP 2: Keep the balls of your feet planted and raise your legs using your calf muscles. If this is too easy, place your carry-on bag on your knees. Continue until tired."    (Continued via Ergonomenon)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Airport Crowd

When the Rice Krispies won't stay in your bowl

Looking at poor ergonomics in everyday products ...

"Anyone who has ever been distressed by the water flow rate of the drinking fountains on campus or has taken issue with the concavity of the cereal bowls in the dorm cafeterias might appreciate a recent contest held by the University's Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

The contest served to uncover the most poorly designed items and fixtures at the University by looking at them from a human perspective.

"When designing an object, you consider the mechanical, chemical or electrical components, but human factors include the people in the equation," said Mike Bauerly, former president of the ergonomics society.

One entry detailed the inconvenience of the metal box that envelops the card swiper outside of Couzens Residence Hall, making it hard to quickly swipe the card. Another documented the multicolored mouse pads in the Duderstadt Center, which cause the optical mice to function poorly. Another entry derided the shape of the bowls in the campus dining halls.

"The bowls work fine for viscous occupants such as applesauce and pudding but do not hold liquids such as soup well," the entry said. "The design flaw with the bowls is that they are not concave enough, resulting in any jostling of the dinner tray spilling the liquid. The angle of the sides is approximately 38 degrees from vertical."    (Continued via Campus Life)    [Ergonomics Resources]

New-Generation Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses Can Alleviate Some Common Problems of Soft Contact Lens Wear

New contact lens technology may help alleviate Computer Vision Syndrom ...

"While nearly 88 percent of all computer users will develop Computer Vision Syndrome at some time in their lives according to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, a new nationwide study of Americans' attitudes and experiences with vision care reveals that contact lens wearers are more likely than non-wearers to experience at least one of the symptoms often associated with the disorder. Now, new research demonstrates that the use of new-generation silicone- hydrogel lenses (senofilcon-A) can alleviate some of these problems.

Nearly half (45 percent) of computer users report they at least sometimes experience dry or tired eyes during or after using a computer, but contact lens wearers are significantly more likely than non-wearers (57 percent vs. 43 percent) to describe these symptoms. Furthermore, one-third of contact lens wearers (36 percent) polled say they experience contact lens discomfort while working at a computer according to findings from Americans' Attitudes and Perceptions About Vision Care, a nationwide survey of more than 3,700 adults conducted by Harris Interactive® on behalf of The Vision Care Institute(TM) of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

"The unique characteristics and high visual demands of computer work make many individuals, particularly contact lens wearers, susceptible to the development of eye and vision-related problems," explains Dr. Jeffrey Anshel, a practicing optometrist and author of Visual Ergonomics in the Workplace. "Research shows that while using a computer, we blink about three times less than normally. These long non-blinking phases can cause the surface of most contact lenses to dry out, which can lead to extreme discomfort and a loss of visual clarity."    (Continued via Yahoo! Finance)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Glider Mouse

Another entry into the ergonomic mouse wars ...

"What is it, you ask? It's a mouse of course -- the new Hela's Glider Mouse which looks so peculiar because it's designed ergonomically.

The central mouse position gives you an optimal working posture and suppossedly eliminates the "painful motion of repeatedly having to reach out for the mouse next to the keyboard." It works with both standard and small size keyboards and laptops, and is good for righties or lefties. The "glider" moves effortlessly across the pad, and even though the "advanced user" can configure the mouse using 12 switches for customized programming, it doesn't require any extra drivers or software."    (Continued via Popgadget)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Glider Mouse

Keeping the pain out of work

A basic overview of the discipline of ergonomics ...

"People are surrounded by a multitude of objects and machines that they interact with every day.

Nearly 20,000 of them, according to Don Norman's The Psychology of Everyday Things. Simple things such as switches, writing instruments, clothes with varying functions and styles, fixtures, bulbs, sockets, screws, furniture, food utensils, watches, scissors, paper clips -- are all examples of products that need ergonomic design.

Then there is a category of machines that has become almost eponymous with the modern day lifestyle -- computers.

Norman makes a calculation that supposes each of these objects takes about a minute to learn. Then we spend 20,000 minutes learning how to use all of them. That is 333 hours, or eight forty-hour weeks. And this does not account for the fact that we are encountering objects and machines, unexpectedly, on a daily basis.

As if understanding and learning to use the objects and machines weren't enough, scientists must also account for the idea that products may not be conducive for human use over the long term. This is where ergonomics weighs in.

According to the International Ergonomics Association, "ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance."

The field is broadly split into physical, cognitive and organizational ergonomics.

Physical and cognitive ergonomics come into play when designing computers and their interfaces for human use. Fields as diverse as industrial engineering, psychology and computer science have to come together to solve problems that arise as a result of Human-Computer Interoperability (HCI)."    (Continued via Technician Online)    [Ergonomics Resources]

6 Simple Tips for Ergonomics on a Shoestring Budget

Inexpensive things you can do to create a better ergonomic environment ...

"Psychology Today published a great little article with some simple tips on how to make ergonomic improvements without emptying our wallets. Just like everything else in our lives, it is sometimes tempting to turn to technology to fix our problems, in attempt to avoid personal changes in behavior.

I would love to go out and purchase the latest ergonomic keyboards, mice, chairs and all kinds of other accessories. I know that a lot of science has gone into designing products that work better with our bodies. But at the same time, it is hard to justify spending a lot of money.

I think the main reason this is the case is because buying ergonomic office products is kind of like buying organic food. We have to spend more now, in order to get benefits later. It is natural to want to spend less money now, and not really worry about the future. This mindset has gotten humanity into problems before, and it will continue to do so.

... While you ponder how to allocate your budget, consider these free or low cost ergonomic upgrades suggested by Osteopath Andrew Kirschner:

Maximize your space
Level the field
Lumbarize your chair
Get up and stretch
Don’t cradle the phone
Wear clothes that fit"    (Continued via The Ergonomenon)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Ergonomic Office - Not

2006 National Ergonomics Conference and Exposition to be the Biggest and Best Ever

Don't forget NECE starting on November 28 ...

"The National Ergonomics Conference and Exposition being held the week after Thanksgiving (Nov 28-Dec 1) in Las Vegas will be the biggest ever in the conference’s history. With over 80 program sessions and the highest ever number of new product debuts, the NECE conference will be this year’s premier ergonomic event, and signals positive developments in the field of ergonomics.

More companies are paying attention to ergonomics, and spending time and money to learn more about it.

Hundreds of big name companies including AIG, BestBuy, ConocoPhilips, FedEx, GE, GM, Honda, HP, Kaiser Permanente, Mayo Clinic, Microsoft, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, Toyota, US Postal Service, and Wells Fargo will be in attendance, which is a great sign for the millions of people that work for these companies or use their products and services.

I can’t wait to hear about all the new ergonomic products coming out. Exhibitors include all the big names like 3M, Humanscale, and Herman Miller, as well as dozens of smaller companies like ErgoToys.com, Cre8Desk, and EZ Way. Needless to say, this year’s Attendee Choice Awards will be pretty competitive."    (Continued via The Ergonomenon)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Videophones at airport ease travel for hearing impaired

Another step toward accommodating hearing impaired ...

"Sorenson Communications has announced the installation of two videophone booths for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals at a public airport for the first time, on each side of Salt Lake City International Airport's two baggage claim areas. [via The Salt Lake Tribune]

The innovative videophone booths, most often installed in deaf schools and community access centers, make communication between the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and the hearing world easier than ever.

How does it work:

To use a videophone booth, a deaf or hard-of-hearing individual enters a private booth equipped with a Sorenson VP-200 videophone connected to both a television and high-speed Internet. He or she enters the phone number of the hearing individual being called. Through the Sorenson Video Relay Service, a qualified ASL interpreter appears on the screen, connects the individuals and relays the conversation between them. The hearing party receiving the call uses a standard phone line."    (Continued via textually.org)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Ergonomic Nightmare of the Week: Standing Room Seats on Airplanes

A cost saving idea that pays no attention to ergonomics ...

"This week’s feature is a rollercoaster seat:

That’s what this picture seems to depict, at least. But these are not rollercoaster seats, they are actually a proposed idea for “standing room seats” on airplanes. Airbus allegedly pitched the idea to Asian carriers for short haul flights. Airbus claims that they abandoned the idea and that claims to the contrary are false.

Whether or not we will be seeing rollercoaster sytle seating on airplanes in the future, I have to label the idea an ergonomic nightmare because, a) it can’t possibly be comfortable to “sit” in this position for anymore than 5 minutes, and b) cramming more people onto airplanes is a horrible idea."    (Continued via The Ergonomenon)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Standing Room Seats

Baby Slings: Top 10 Reasons They Make for Perfect Ergonomic Baby Care

Old methods can be the most ergonomic ...

"The baby care product industry is a billion dollar industry, producing hundreds of different kinds of strollers, seats, cribs, cradles, pens, gates, chairs, holsters, and harnesses to keep babies safe and contained as parents go about their days.

The funny thing is, there really is only one kind of baby carrier necessary, and it is simple technology that has been used for thousands of years around the world: The baby sling.

The baby sling is just a piece of cloth that can be tied and adjusted in variety of ways to hold the baby (hands free) to the parent’s stomach, hip, or back.

Carrying a baby in a sling is the most ergonomically correct way of carrying an infant. Rather than picking up and putting down a wriggling sack of potatoes, keeping an infant contained in a sling keeps the baby happy and comfortable, which leaves the parent free to attend to other things."    (Continued via The Ergonomenon)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Baby Sling

The High Cost of Ignoring Ergonomic Work Practices

Tips for avoiding ergonomic injuries in the workplace ...

"As any company manager knows, it is important to weigh the costs of implementing new work programs with the expected long-term financial gains. Items labeled as being ergonomic can put a large dent into budgets. The business of ergonomics has become big business. A fully adjustable ergonomic chair alone can cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Then there is the fear that if one work station is altered, every work station will need to be similarly altered. Or that by bringing up the topic of ergonomics, employees will be made aware of the potential for injuries and start making claims. It is not surprising that many companies do not look towards ergonomic solutions as a means of controlling costs.

On the other hand, not addressing ergonomic issues can be quite costly as well. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the direct and indirect costs of musculoskeletal injuries can total as much as $20 billion dollars a year. A survey conducted by Liberty Mutual in August of 2001 revealed that 95% of respondents felt that workplace safety had a positive impact on a company’s financial performance; 86% felt that workplace safety provided a return on investment; and 61% felt that $3 or more is saved for each $1 invested in workplace safety.

So, we know that ergonomic solutions can decrease the incidence and cost of injuries and enhance employee satisfaction. We can further maximize ergonomic investment by looking for no-to-low cost solutions. Here are a few basic ergonomic freebies to get you started.

Some solutions can be as simple as rearranging a work space, moving the work area higher or lower or closer, placing tools within easy reach, and keeping the working space directly in front of our bodies. Avoid excessive reach. Place most frequently used items within an easy reach envelope. Position furniture and work equipment to promote healthy posture."    (Continued via Bella Online)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Researchers Find Evidence For Traumatic Cause Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Getting to the causation of carpal tunnel syndrome ...

"New Mayo Clinic research suggests that a shearing injury of the tissue that lines the tendons within the carpal tunnel may cause carpal tunnel syndrome, a debilitating condition of the wrist and hand. If validated by further research, Mayo's study comparing electron microscope images of carpal tunnel syndrome tissue with those from normal tissue could lead to earlier diagnosis and possibly better treatments for preventing or reversing carpal tunnel syndrome.

... While rest, exercise and some medications can treat carpal tunnel syndrome, severe carpal tunnel syndrome is commonly treated surgically to release the pressure buildup.

The study did not specifically probe the cause of the shearing injuries, but Dr. Amadio says the team is researching the role of trauma or stress to the tissue lining from repeated finger movements. "Such shearing injuries could be the result of marked or repetitive differential motion of adjacent digits, and may support the hypothesis of a traumatic cause for carpal tunnel syndrome," he says."    (Continued via ScienceDaily)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Get 'Hands-On' With Alternative Keyboards

A practical review of three keyboards ...

"Three types of keyboards are compared: one built for comfort, one built for touch-type training, and one with a radically different key layout

The computer keyboard is the weakest link in the entire user interface. The standard Qwerty keyboard—named for the keys in the top left row—is a legacy from the original invention of the typewriter nearly 150 years ago. Letters that are frequently typed (such as E, A, and I) were separated on the keyboard as a way to prevent the typewriter's keys from jamming. By the time fast typing was developed and made a requirement for clerical jobs, Qwerty's installed base was too huge to jettison. The invention of the PC in the '80s cemented Qwerty position.

For bold system builders and users, third-party keyboards now exist that can make up for Qwerty's drawbacks. Some condition the user to their improve touch-typing using Qwerty, while others dispense with the Qwerty layout altogether.

System builders who include such unique keyboards to their products and services catalog can offer increased value to customers, at least customers who are open to unconventional alternatives. One caveat, however: You will have to work personally with these alternative keyboards before you can proficiently offer advice about them. They're not intuitive—but then, neither is typing on a standard keyboard.

In this Recipe I review three representative examples of alternative keyboards: ergonomic, training, and a non-Qwerty.

Microsoft's Ergonomic Keyboard
Das Keyboard
NSK 535 S"    (Continued via Small Biz Resource)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Growth of PDA injuries a concern for companies

Blackberry Thumb has leagal and therapy implications ...

"Employment lawyers are warning companies they could face liability or workers' compensation claims related to employee injuries from personal digital assistants.

The American Physical Therapy Association in Alexandria, Va., and other occupational organizations warn that improper use and overuse of personal digital assistants (PDAs) can lead to hand throbbing, tendonitis and swelling, a condition known as BlackBerry Thumb, named after the popular PDA.

"If you develop full-blown symptoms, it's pretty severe," says Alan Hedge, an ergonomics professor at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. "Employers can train people how to correctly hold and use the handheld device and encourage employees to write brief e-mails."

... Some hotels catering to business clients offer treatments for the problem. The Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz., offers a special BlackBerry Balm Hand Massage that runs $80 for 30 minutes. A resort spokeswoman says the treatment has become very popular."    (Continued via USATODAY)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Blackberry Thumb

Time Magazine Inventions of the Year: Shovel Snow without Breaking your Back

Saving your back while shoveling snow ...

"With the snow season upon us, it is start to thinking about snow removal. That’s right, the back-breaking, seemingly endless chore you try to push off onto your spouse every year. For people living in areas with heavy snowfall, shoveling snow can be a dreadful activity that really does a number on the lower back.

Fortunately, there’s the Wovel . This ingenious, ergononically sound snow shovel has won several awards, and was named one of Time Magazine’s inventions of the year for 2006."    (Continued via The Ergonomenon)    [Ergonomics Resources]

The Wovel

The Human Dynamics of Injury Prevention Part 1 From BehaviorBased to PeopleBased Safety

Principles of injury prevention ...

"Behavior modification ... safety management ... attitude adjustment ... behavior-based safety ... culture change ... cognitive alignment ... person-based safety ... human engineering ... social influence. These are all terms used to address the human dynamics of injury prevention. Each can be linked to a set of principles, procedures or a consultant's service and each defines a particular approach to managing the human side of occupational safety.

Each of these terms, and most of the accompanying materials, are insufficient. They are either too narrow and restricting, or too broad and nondirective. Some focus entirely on behavior change, while others attempt to address vague and unobservable aspects of other people - such as attitudes and thoughts. Still others hope to directly target culture change.

All of these approaches are well-intentioned, and none are entirely wrong. The human dynamics of an organization include behaviors, attitudes, cognitions and the context (or culture) in which these aspects of people occur. However, some approaches are too equivocal or ambiguous to be practical, while others may be practical but are not sufficiently comprehensive.

Principle 1: Start with Observable Behavior
Principle 2. Look for External and Internal Factors to Improve Behavior
Principle 3. Direct with Activators and Motivate with Consequences
Principle 4. Focus on Positive Consequences to Motivate Behavior
Principle 5. Apply the Scientific Method to Improve Intervention
Principle 6. Use Theory to Integrate Information
Principle 7. Consider the Internal Feelings and Attitudes of Others"    (Continued via Occupational Hazards)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Keeping the pain out of work

Solutions to everyday pain inducing problems in the workplace ...

"People are surrounded by a multitude of objects and machines that they interact with every day.

Nearly 20,000 of them, according to Don Norman's The Psychology of Everyday Things. Simple things such as switches, writing instruments, clothes with varying functions and styles, fixtures, bulbs, sockets, screws, furniture, food utensils, watches, scissors, paper clips -- are all examples of products that need ergonomic design.

Then there is a category of machines that has become almost eponymous with the modern day lifestyle -- computers.

Norman makes a calculation that supposes each of these objects takes about a minute to learn. Then we spend 20,000 minutes learning how to use all of them. That is 333 hours, or eight forty-hour weeks. And this does not account for the fact that we are encountering objects and machines, unexpectedly, on a daily basis.

As if understanding and learning to use the objects and machines weren't enough, scientists must also account for the idea that products may not be conducive for human use over the long term. This is where ergonomics weighs in.

According to the International Ergonomics Association, "ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance."    (Continued via Technician Online)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Office gets physical with neck, back pain

The percentage of people suffering in the workplace ...

"Trying to rub away office stress in your neck and back? You’re not alone, according to a recent study.

Two-thirds of workers reported that they have some kind of physical problems because of job-related stress and exertion.

The most common ailment was fatigue followed closely by stress-related headaches. More than one-quarter of respondents said they’ve experienced back pain or neck strain.

“I’ve seen a number of patients with various aches and pains due to stress, improper posture and use of tools in the work force,” said Dr. Jeffrey Mendelson of St. John Macomb Hospital in Warren, Mich.

“There are several techniques and products that employees can use to alleviate this tension on the body.”

Workplace massages ranked as the most wanted remedy, according to 46 percent of workers, followed by ergonomic desk chairs at 36 percent. Nearly one-quarter said larger or adjustable computer screens would alleviate some of their pain, while 27 percent would rather take more breaks to relieve stress.

Swingline Workplace Tools, a unit of ACCO Brands Corp., sponsored the study and polled 909 adults nationwide who work in offices.

Car show

Not all consumers add flames and neon lights to their wheels, but most personalize their cars through some kind of modification, according to a recent survey from Consumer Reports.

More than three-fourths of consumers ages 18 to 34 and 74 percent of 35-to-50-year-olds personalize their vehicles, while 68 percent of drivers 55 and over change their cars.

The auto tuning trends cuts across gender lines too, with 70 percent of women and 77 percent of men doing it. “The car-customizing tradition is as old as the automobile itself,” said Jeff Bartlett, deputy editor for autos at www.ConsumerReports.org. “The common perception is that the only modifiers today are young men, but the fact is, making a car uniquely your own is an equal-opportunity indulgence."    (Continued via FortWayne.com)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Nanotech Expert Without More EHS Research Were Working in the Dark

Safety concerns about implimentation of new products based upon nanotechnology ...

"With more than 300 allegedly nanotechnology-based consumer products already on the market, nanotechnology in the workplace presents an “immediate challenge” to occupational safety and health, according to one of the leading experts on the subject.

Andrew Maynard, Ph.D., chief science advisor for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars' Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, is urging the U.S. government to invest at least $100 million over the next 2 years in "targeted risk research in order to begin to fill in our occupational safety knowledge gaps and to lay a strong, science-based foundation for safe nanotechnology workplaces."

Currently, just $11 million of the U.S. government's $1 billion in annual nanotechnology research spending goes toward EHS research, according to Maynard.

In his article "Nanotechnology: The Next Big Thing, or Much Ado About Nothing?" - which will appear in the January 2007 edition of the Annals of Occupational Hygiene - Maynard notes that nanotechnology is being heralded as "the next industrial revolution." But along with its promises of breakthroughs ranging from improved cancer treatments to longer-lasting batteries, nanotechnology also brings "increasing concerns" that it will present "new risks to human health and the environment, which we are not well-equipped to deal with," Maynard says.

"We have a long history of somebody coming up with a bright idea and implementing it and only realizing after the fact that there's a downside to it," Maynard told Occupationalhazards.com.

That's why Maynard, in his article, asserts that failing to conduct enough nanotechnology EHS research "will ultimately lead to people's health being endangered and emerging nanotechnologies floundering."

The good news, Maynard told Occupationalhazards.com, is that the existing knowledge base in occupational hygiene provides "a lot of information on how to work pragmatically with these kinds of materials." However, "very few people have taken that vast resource of information and applied it to nanomaterials."

"So I think there are ways of using existing [occupational hygiene] information that will get us 60 or 70 percent of the way" toward working safely with nanomaterials, Maynard said. "That then leaves a gap that has to be filled with this strategic, targeted research. Without the research, we won't have a good, scientific basis to truly ensure safe working places."    (Continued via Occupational Hazards)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Manual material handling to prevent back injury

Tips for heavy lifting ...

"Any job that involves heavy labor or manual material handling may be in a high-risk category. Manual material handling entails lifting, but also usually includes climbing, pushing, pulling and pivoting, all of which pose the risk of injury to the back.

Lifting from the floor places strain on the structures in the lumbar spine. Ergonomic lifting techniques involve the use of a diagonal foot position, and getting as close to the load as possible. The load should be kept as close to the body as possible when standing up (see Fig. 5).

• It is easier to move loads that are waist high than ones that are on the floor. Stacking pallets to raise the height of the load is one ergonomic solution. A scissors lift will mechanically raise the load to a comfortable lifting level. Repetitive lifting from the floor is particularly risky, so try to get the material off the floor (see Fig. 6)

• Keep all loads as close to one’s center of gravity as possible. Carrying loads on one shoulder is safer for long and narrow material. This would include construction material or rolls of carpet (see Fig. 7).

• When lifting anything with a handle, place one hand on one knee to get additional leverage and use a diagonal foot position. Carrying two objects of the same weight will balance the load as long as the weight of the load is reasonable.

When climbing with a load, “three-point” contact is important for safety. This means two hands and a foot or both feet and a hand must be in contact with the ladder or stairs at all times. If the load is bulky, get another person or a mechanical device to assist (see Fig. 8).

Manual material handling may require pushing or pulling. Pushing is generally easier on the back than pulling. It is important to use both the arms and legs to provide the leverage to start the push (see Fig. 9).

• A handle would ideally be waist high for ease of pushing

• If it is necessary to pull, avoid twisting the lower back

• Sometimes, for very large loads, turning around and using the back to push against an object allows the legs to provide maximum force while protecting the low back from strain or twisting."    (Continued via Spine-Health)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Exercise and back pain

Practical tips for back pain ...

"A typical response to experiencing back pain is to take it easy - either staying in bed or at least stopping any activity that is at all strenuous. While this approach is understandable and may even be recommended in the short term, when done for more than a day or two it can actually undermine healing. Instead, active forms of exercise are almost always necessary to rehabilitate the spine and help alleviate back pain.

When done in a controlled, gradual, and progressive manner, active exercise distributes nutrients into the disc space and soft tissues in the back to keep the discs, muscles, ligaments and joints healthy. Consequently, a regular exercise routine helps patients avoid stiffness and weakness, minimize recurrences of low back pain, and reduce the severity and duration of possible future episodes of low back pain.

Depending upon the patient’s specific diagnosis and level of pain, the back pain exercise and rehabilitation program will be very different, so it is important for patients to see a spine specialist trained to develop an individualized back exercise program and to provide instruction on using the correct form and technique."    (Continued via Spine-Health)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Stretch

What is the Right Fit?

Even with good office ergonomics, don't sit in one position ...

"I have really bad posture — pretty much since the Apple IIe. Thus, over the years I’ve tried to remedy the problem with fancy configurations and chairs (including the one in panel 2), and nothing works. The problem is that I want to move, but ergonomic setups give me the sense that I shouldn’t. As soon as I do move, I’m on the slippery slope that will end with my shoulder blades nestled against the lumbar support.

I think a large portion of the problem lies in the hardware. We need to invent ways to sit still because our computers sit still. And while laptops bring us a little ways toward goodness, they still have eyestraining screens, and when you use them you still essentially sit still. The other difficulty is that the physical spaces, the established history, and the social norms of work all point to sitting at a desk all day as being the way that work should be done. So it’s a tough one. To fix these problems we’ll need to employ a tried and true method called “just make stuff up”.

Let’s brainstorm on how to change the workplace to eliminate the “sitting in one spot for 7 hours a day” problem."    (Continued via Ergonominon and OK Cancel)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Ergonomic Posture

What Pilots Can Teach Hospitals About Patient Safety

Bringing pilot safety concepts to hospitals ...

"Wearing scrubs and slouching in their chairs, the emergency room staff members, assembled for a patient-safety seminar, largely ignored the hospital’s chief executive while she made her opening remarks. They talked on their cellphones and got up to freshen their coffee or snag another danish.

A growing number of health care providers are trying to learn from aviation accidents and, more specifically, from what the airlines have done to prevent them. In the last five years, several major hospitals have hired professional pilots to train their critical-care staff members on how to apply aviation safety principles to their work.

They learn standard cockpit procedures like communication protocols, checklists and crew briefings to improve patient care, if not save patients’ lives. Though health care experts disagree on how to incorporate aviation-based safety measures, few argue about the parallels between the two industries or the value of borrowing the best practices.

Spurred by a 1999 report by the Institute of Medicine, an arm of the National Academies, titled “To Err Is Human,” which estimated that as many as 98,000 patients die annually from preventable medical errors, and by more recent bad publicity from mistakes like amputations of the wrong limbs, many health care providers are redoubling their efforts to improve patient safety."    (Continued via New York Times)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Hospitals Learning From Pilots