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3 Ergonomic Gadgets Every Office Should Try

3 Ergonomic Gadgets Every Office Should Try

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)

The average American worker spends 7 hours a day on the computer.” – American Eye-Q 2015

If you’re like most American office workers, you likely spend a lot of time on the computer. In fact, “the average American worker spends 7 hours a day on the computer” says a 2015 American Eye-Q study.

Working on the computer for extended periods of time can take a toll on your body, especially if you aren’t proactive about researching what tools work best for your workstation.  

While it is always recommended to perform an ergonomics assessment of your workspace, this ergonomics blog will explore a few computer peripherals designed with computer ergonomics in mind.

Ergonomics Consultants | Solutions Northwest Inc.

Trackball Mouse

While no tools provide complete protection from carpal tunnel syndrome, the trackball requires much less movement and is considered by some to be a carpal tunnel relief gadget.

A trackball mouse, like a traditional mouse, is a pointing device. Unlike a traditional mouse, it remains stationary and has a ball on its top or side. In addition to the ball, a trackball commonly has one or more buttons that work like mouse buttons.

Operating the trackball with the three middle fingers reduces two ergonomics risk factors: static gripping and repetitive wrist movement.

Ergonomics experts recommend ambidextrous trackballs with a ball in the center rather than the side to minimize the risk of thumb tendonitis. Below are examples of a few ambidextrous trackballs:

Take a more in depth look at trackballs in our blog about switching to a trackball mouse.

Split Ergonomic Keyboards

There are many varieties of ergonomic keyboards such as split and contoured, but the split keyboard is a great way to reduce muscle strain and reduce the risk of carpal tunnel or other repetitive strain injuries.

Split keyboards that split into independent pieces are sometimes referred to as adjustable split keyboards. This type of split keyboard will allow you to move the keyboard into a comfortable position, allowing one to easily relax the wrist or entire hand.

When a split ergonomic keyboard is needed, we suggest taking a look at our article on the Kinesis Freestyle Pro.

Computer Glasses

You may have never heard of computer glasses, but with digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome being so common in today’s work place, products like computer glasses have started to gain interest among office workers.

Computer glasses look just like regular glasses and are usually around the $50 to $100 price range. Unlike regular glasses, computer glasses are designed with an anti-reflective coating to reduce screen glare and harsh light. Most of these glasses will also filter the blue light that your computer screen emits.

Filtering blue light should reduce negative symptoms of staring at a screen and make it easier to perform your daily computer work. Feeling headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision, dry eyes, or even neck and shoulder pain can be reduced. In fact, your posture may improve as well because you won’t have to hunch closer to the screen as much.

For an in depth look at computer glasses, check out our blog article on the subject.

In conclusion

Remember to always consult with your doctor to rule out any possible underlying cause of pain. Whether you decide to try computer glasses, split keyboards, or a trackball mouse, be sure to communicate with your staff or co-workers to see if they’d like to try any of these products.

Additionally, be sure to perform an ergonomics assessment to ensure office safety. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit your ergonomics experts at SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

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Ergonomics Exercises, Video Series: Forearms, Wrists, and Hands.

Ergonomics Exercises, Video Series: Forearms, Wrists, and Hands.

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager, Arcata, CA
Video Instructor: Erica Conner
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)

Watch Solutions Northwest Inc.’s Ergonomics Exercises video series by clicking on the image above or visiting our YouTube channel.

If you are experiencing forearm, wrist, or hand pain at work, this video will provide some exercises that may provide both relief and strength training.

One common source of forearm, wrist, or hand pain in the office is RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury).

RSI refers to pain in the tendons, muscles or nerves brought on by repetitive movement. As described by Medical News Today: “repetitive tasks, forceful exertions, vibrations, mechanical compression and sustained or awkward positions.” RSI is a type of “Work Related Upper Limb Disorder,” which includes conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and bursitis.

For more guidance on all things Ergonomics, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

Contact our Experts

Don’t Overwork Yourself, Listen to Your Body

Don’t Overwork Yourself, Listen to Your Body

By Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Solutions Northwest, Inc. – Arcata, California

Don’t overwork yourself.

According to BYLLP, the Top 5 Work Related Injuries are caused by: Overexertion, Slip and Fall Injuries, Equipment Injury, Motor Vehicle Injury, and Repetitive Motion Injuries.

Our clients at SolutionsNW.com frequently tell us they’ve developed musculoskeletal disorders by pushing themselves too hard. Commonly, the injury is from repetitive motion related to work tasks. Repetitive tasks require us to do the same movements over and over again. It especially becomes a problem when we ignore our body’s warning signals of pain.

Listen to your body.

Our body starts sending stronger and stronger warning signals until we finally pay attention. When we start paying attention we regret letting the pain get to the point it is at.

This is why we need to pay attention to our bodies. Our health should be our number one priority because without it we have nothing. A lot of times we cannot physically do as much as we want to or feel we have to.

We just have to find a way to be at peace with that. Things we want to accomplish will get done eventually, it may just take longer than we would like.

Try some tips from our Ergonomics Blog whenever you’re feeling a little overworked:

For more guidance on all things Ergonomics, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.

Contact our Experts

When is a Trackball Better Than a Mouse? Should you Switch to a Trackball?

When is a Trackball Better Than a Mouse? Should you Switch to a Trackball?

Ready to try the trackball mouse?

Should you switch from a mouse to a trackball?

Using a mouse for extended periods of time at work can take a major toll on your wrist. According to the New York Times, “a 2003 study suggested that mouse-use poses a higher risk than keyboard use. Replacing the mouse with a trackball device is a helpful substitution.”

 

Remote Worker Ergonomics AssessmentWhile no tools provide complete protection from carpal tunnel syndrome, the trackball requires much less movement, and is considered by some to be a carpal tunnel gadget. A carpal tunnel gadget is a piece of equipment which may provide relief from the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

What is a trackball?

A trackball, like a mouse, is a pointing device. Unlike a mouse, it remains stationary and has a ball on its top or side. In addition to the ball, a trackball commonly has one or more buttons that work like mouse buttons.

At Solutions Northwest Inc., we recommend trackballs with a ball in the center rather than the side to minimize the risk of thumb tendonitis. Below are examples of a few ambidextrous trackballs:

Ambidextrous Trackballs

 

If we recommend a trackball for an employee, the particular model we recommend depends on his/her hand size and the type of work he/she is doing.

4 things to know when using a trackball:

  • Relax the arm
  • Rest the hand
  • Use the middle three fingers on the trackball, not just one finger
  • Make sure no awkward postures are taken

Changing From the Mouse to a Trackball

During ergonomics assessments, we ask employees to accept that change may improve their situations. Office workers commonly express fear of giving up the mouse, which feels familiar, in exchange for a trackball. We’ve developed a few strategies to help employees accept this change:

How to adjust from using the mouse to using a trackball:

  • To change over gradually, keep the mouse available while using a trackball. This will give the employee time to learn how to use the trackball without feeling rushed.
  • For people who are right handed, we sometimes suggest that they use a trackball on the left, with the left hand. It is helpful to know that it is easier to use a trackball on the left than it is to use a mouse on the left.
  • Embrace the health benefits. Moving the ball with the three middle fingers reduces two ergonomics risk factors; static gripping and repetitive wrist movement.
  • Users should commit to using a trackball for two weeks whether they like it or not. Usually, by the end of week two, they are comfortable using it.

If you or your employees use the computer for the bulk of the day, you may want to consider switching to the trackball. It will reduce the amount of movement required of the wrist, helping to protect it from wear and tear.

For more expert ergonomics advice, Contact SolutionsNW.com and we’ll be happy to help.

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