Is Your Computer a Health Risk?

Any more if your household is without a computer that makes you an oddity. Many homes have two or three computers. These wonderful tools give you the power to connect with family and friends, to stay more organized, to research any question that comes up, and to be more productive.

But these wonderful tools also present some unexpected health risks.

Computer-related injuries have jumped 732 percent in the last decade, according to an upcoming study scheduled to appear in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. Most computer-related injures are do to a fall from tripping over cords.

You can immediately improve the safety of your home by making sure your computer cords are out of the walkways. It’s a good idea to bundle cords using zip ties and then run them along the wall. If a cord bundle must cross a walkway, tape it down so it’s less of a trip hazard.

Long hours in front of the computer can strain your back and neck. You can help prevent this by taking regular breaks to stretch. Set an alarm for every sixty or ninety minutes and then spend five minutes stretching.

Wrist strain and repeated stress injuries are another concern. When you take your five minute stretch break, take an additional minute to run through some wrist exercises.
• First, hold your hands out in front of you with your palms facing the floor. Rotate your wrists so that your palms face up and then rotate them back to the starting position. Repeat this motion five times.
• Next, hold one arm out in front of you with your palm facing up. Use your other hand to gently pull the hand of your extended arm back toward your body. Hold the stretch for a count of ten, and then switch sides.
• Finally, just shake your hands out a bit.
These exercises will help to keep your wrists relaxed during the day, which can help reduce injuries.

We all spend more time sitting and less time moving than we probably should. To help counter this, limit your off-work computer hours. Instead of surfing the Internet, go for a walk. After you catch up on your personal email, break out your bike and go for an evening ride. Or set an hour limit in the evenings. When the time is up, go dancing or swimming or play a little basketball or Frisbee.

Computers are great tools and they make our lives better in so many ways. By taking the steps here, you can keep your computer experience purely positive and cut down on related injuries and health risks.

Stay well,
Meghan Krohn