User Manual

7
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Physical forces continuously interact with our bodies. We may think that only high-impact forces, such as car
crashes, are likely to injure our bodies. However, low-impact forces may also result in injuries, discomfort,
and fatigue if they are repeated or experienced over long periods of time.
Some types of low-impact forces include:
Dynamic force: A force that you exert through movement, such as pressing the keys while typing or
clicking the mouse buttons.
Static force: A force that you maintain for a period of time, such as holding your mouse or cradling
the phone.
Contact force: A force that occurs when you rest on an edge or hard surface, such as resting your wrists
on the edge of your desk.
To reduce the effects of low-impact forces on your body,
try the following:
● Type with a light touch, keeping your hands and ngers
relaxed, because it takes little effort to use keyboard keys.
● Use a light touch when clicking a mouse button or when
using a joystick or other gaming controller.
● Hold the mouse with a relaxed hand and do not grip the
mouse tightly.
● Avoid resting your palms or wrists on any type of surface
while typing (see detail
7
). The palm rest, if provided, should
only be used during breaks from typing.
● Relax your arms and hands when you are not typing or using
your mouse. Do not rest your arms and hands on edges, such as
the edge of your desk.
● Adjust your chair so the seat does not press into the back of your
knees (see detail
8
).
Take Breaks
Taking breaks can help your body recover from any activity and
may help you avoid MSDs. The length and frequency of breaks that are right for you depend on the type of
work you are doing. Stopping the activity and relaxing is one way to take a break, but there are other ways,
also. For example, just changing tasks—perhaps from sitting while typing to standing while talking on the
phone—can help some muscles relax while others remain productive.
To vary your daily activities and to work productively, try the following:
● Plan your work and play so that you are not doing the same thing for extended periods of time (such as
performing the same activity or using the same part of your body).
● Use different input devices, such as your mouse and keyboard, to accomplish the same task. For example,
to perform a scrolling task, you can use the wheel on the mouse and the arrow keys on the keyboard.