Re: Ouch!

Subject: Re: Ouch!
From: David Neeley <dbneeley -at- oddpost -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 19:23:25 -0700 (PDT)


If I'm not mistaken, such an injury may stem from a postural problem while sitting--which may or may not be due to the design of the chair. It could also be how the chair is adjusted. Often, people who don't know how to properly adjust one of the more adjustable chairs can create problems for themselves.

It could also be that the leg was extended in some way, and a sudden shift in weight on the extended leg may have created the strain. Often, we can become so intent in our work that we don't pay much attention to where our various body parts might be!

For those with the common lower back pain, however, it is often better to use a stand-up desk with a good office-grade "drafting" stool that has a footrest. That way, you can move frequently to slightly different positions of the back...both feet up, one or the other down, or even from time to time pushing the stool out of the way and standing up for a bit.

Regarding the length of the lower cushion support, part of the problem comes in when the chair cuts off circulation. If the forward contour is too sharp, for example, it may exert too much stress on the bottom of the leg. One company that specializes in some rather "extreme" office chairs, Hag, is among the more advanced. For instance, an award-winning chair of theirs is the Capisco: https://secure.officeorganix.com/HA1.htm . Others have now copied it's "tractor seat" design...which, as you may notice, is designed to give maximum freedom of circulation in the legs while giving the support you need. (Hag was the company that introduced the Balans "kneeling" chair many years ago, by the way.) However, if you want to see a look at what office chairs are coming to, see the Stance chair that allows you maximum adjustability all the way to full standing position. https://secure.officeorganix.com/HealthP1.htm

There are *many* keys to proper ergonomics--a topic that has fascinated me for a very long time. There are also various Internet resources that will show you how to adjust your environment for maximum health. In addition to the chair, another very important aspect of comfort and health is proper lighting. In my home office, I have an adjustable fluourescent lamp (originally designed for drafting tables) in which I have put daylight balance light tubes. With the daylight balance, I don't have the glare problems that afflict you with most other kinds of light. It's also a good idea, by the way, to have a light-colored desktop so that when you read paper on it the contrast between the paper and the desktop isn't so much. This, too, helps your eye comfort.

David

-----Original Message from Steve Schwarzman <steve -at- writersbookmall -dot- com>-----

Bonnie wrote:
>Have any of you had an adductor injury [...] from sitting and working? If
so,
>did you discover what you were doing wrong that caused the injury?

I don't know specifics about this injury, but I can say that a chair is in
my opinion the most important investment in deskside health (which need not
be expensive - I assembled mine from Ikea for I think $65, though you can
spend many hundreds on an office chair). Make sure it has enough padding on
the seat cushion, and that it extends to near your knees instead of stopping
at the thighs - sounds trivial, but after a few hours, insufficient
padding/support for thighs can be painful. Also, of course, stand up, walk
around, get your blood flowing on a regular basis throughout the day. That
helps the brain, too! :)

Steve Schwarzman
___________________________________________
Books for Writers - http://www.writersbookmall.com

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Re: Ouch!: From: Steve Schwarzman

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