Lecture 8 - Office Ergonomics

Question 1

symptoms and risks of back-related MSD

Answer 1

symptoms
- > muscle tension
- > low back pain
- > reduce ROM
Risks
- > awkward sitting
- > static position
- > prolonged sitting
- > lack of lumbar support
- > feet not on floor
- > twisting

Question 2

symptoms and risks of shoulder related MSD

Answer 2

Symptoms
- > muscle tension
- > stiffness
- > reduced ROM
Risks
- > prolonged shoulder abduction
- > hanging elbows (not using arm rests)
- > prolonged raised shoulder flexion (elbows forward)
- > prolonged shoulder hunched position

Question 3

symptoms and risks of eye related MSDs

Answer 3

Symptoms
- > tired, sore, dry, itchy eyes
- > headaches
- > difficulty focusing between monitor and documents
- > inc. sensitivity to light
Risks
- > improper viewing height
- > improper lighting
- > glare
- > hard copy document location
- > dirty scree
- > type of reading glasses
- > uninterrupted focus of screens

Question 4

symptpms and risks of neck related MSD

Answer 4

Symptoms
- > muscle tension
- > stiffness
- > reduced ROM
Risks
- > twisting head side to side to read documents
- > head tilted slightly back
- > neck severely flexed down

Question 5

symptoms and risks of elbow-related MSD

Answer 5

Symptoms
- > pain
- > swelling
- > stiffness
- > reduced grip strength
Risks
- > elbow or forearm resting for long periods of time on hard or sharp work surface
- > elbow flexed for long periods of time using mouse or keyboard
- > forceful repetitive movement of wrist or arm

Question 6

symptoms and risks of hand/wrist related MSD

Answer 6

Symptoms
- > pain
- > swelling in joints
- > numbness or burning in hands/fingers
- > reduced grip strength
Risks
- > rapid. sustained, or prolonged keying
- > wrists angled to the side when using side keys
- > forceful keystrokes
- > prolonged mouse used
- > keyboard/mouse not positioned correctly

Question 7

Tendonitis

Answer 7

• > inflammation/irritation of tendon
• > can be caused by incorrect posture, more of a chronic injury

Question 8

bursitis

Answer 8

inflammation of the bursa that causes pain in joints
- > caused by acute or chronic/repetitive motions

Question 9

tennis elbow

Answer 9

• > repetitive strain injury
• > frequent cause of pain for computer users
• > results from dammage to muscles and tendons when held in a tense position for long periods of time

Question 10

stenosing tenosynovitis

Answer 10

trigger finger
- > painful condition that causes fingers/thumb to catch or lock in a bent position
- > due to inflammation of tendons located within the tendon sheath, tendon get caught on a tendon nodule
- > might be caused by highly repetitive or forceful use of fingers and thumb, prolonged use of power tools

Question 11

thoracic outlet syndrome

Answer 11

group of disorders that occur when the blood vessels or nerves in space between collarbone and first rib (thoracic outlet) become compressed, causing pain in shoulder and neck and numbness in the fingers
- > office work (continuous) put you at increased risk

Question 12

carpal tunnel syndrome

Answer 12

• > local compression of the segment of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel
• > pain, weakness, numbness of hand and wrist, radiating up arm

Question 13

20-20-20 rule

Answer 13

take 20 seconds to look at something 20ft away from you every 20mins

Question 14

standard desks heights

Answer 14

at 30 inches, this is too high for most ppl