PC World - My index finger went completely numb. You could poke it and I wouldn't feel a thing. That was the flashing red neon sign telling me something was wrong. The culprit: laptops. My esteemed partner in crime, Patrick Miller, recently wrote about what bugs him about laptops. Now it's my turn, but I want to share a personal tale with you. Along the way, I'll tell you how to avoid the same mistakes I made.
Carpal tunnel syndrome and RSI--the bane of the modern computer user--hit home for me because I spent too much time using poorly placed touchpads and seriously scrunched keyboards. But I've gleaned a thing or two about ergonomics as a result. My misery is your chance to learn.
Go on, hold your hand near a laptop's touchpad and mouse buttons. Every time you start tapping out a document on the bus, at the coffee shop, or on that flight to the big meeting you're likely forcing your hands into uncomfortable positions. As my doctor told me the other day: "Don't buy a laptop based only upon what you plan to do with it. First and foremost, make sure that it conforms to your body's needs--not the other way around."
Dr. Thomas M. Marsella, with the Occupational Health Services department of the Physician Foundation at California Pacific Medical Center has a few other suggestions.
"Micro breaks are the surest way to prevent repetitive strain injuries. They let the body recover from activities," Marsella said.
Besides going neo-luddite and banning all technology, the next best thing to do is take a break. Get up. Go soak up some of that sunlight you keep reading about.
The problem is, it's easy to get hypnotized by some riveting spreadsheet. I'm using Break Reminder, a countdown timer, to snap myself back to reality. I have the software configured to force me to take a 3-minute break every 30 minutes--by locking the keyboard. You can adjust the program however you see fit, but just make sure it doesn't interfere with your Web-based conference calls (whoops). My physical therapist advises me that people shouldn't use a computer in the same position for more than an hour at a time without a break.
Another approach is to set a timer on something you carry with you everywhere--your cell phone, for example.
"We see younger people coming in with hand problems these days. Usually, as the body ages, people aren't as flexible and able to recover. So don't forget to exercise," Marsella said.
Basic exercise advice is easy to find. At work, ask HR. Online, you'll find plenty of experts ready to provide their input. Now it's my turn.
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