Create your own comfort zone - 11 ergonomically correct products for home offices - includes related article on ergonomic essentials

Home Office Computing, Oct, 1994 by Charles B. Pappas

If you think ergonomics is just the latest buzzword, a touchy-feely fad, and an excuse for equipment manufacturers to raise prices, think again. Setting up a well-designed office--a place where you spend at least one-third of each day--is the smartest investment you'll ever make. That's because ergonomic equipment helps prevent injuries.

"If you think ergonomics is frivolous, try ignoring it," says author and ergonomic expert Deborah Quilter, whose wrists began cramping in August 1990 when she found herself putting in 16-hour days at the computer. A visit to the doctor confirmed her worst suspicions: repetitive strain injury. Although Quilter has since cut back her typing (and income), her injuries are chronic. "Recently, for example, I had difficulty installing a smoke detector," she says.

Quilter is not alone: Injuries to the hands, wrists, and back caused by poorly designed equipment have afflicted nearly 18 million people to date. To help you avoid injuries, we've built the ideal ergonomic office. All the products we chose are designed to give consumers support and are easy to install and use. The grand total came to $12,836. But for those of you on a leaner budget, we've also included lowcost tools (see "20 Ergonomic Essentials").

20 ERGONOMIC ESSENTIALS

To safeguard you and your office and improve your work habits, here's everything you need--from do-it-yourself exercises and training courses to office accessories and ergonomic resources.

TECHNIQUES AND EXERCISES

1 Break often when typing. No costly software needed. Get an egg timer and set it for 30 minutes. When it buzzes, rest for three minutes or switch to another task.

2 Use macros and hotkeys to cut down on typing time.

3 When you work at the keyboard, chances are your wrists and arms hang over the edge of the desktop. Adjust the height of your chair so that your hand and wrists are parallel with the ground.

4 When typing, hold your wrists and arms in an inverted V. Do not lean on the surface of the desk. Then, move from the shoulder, not the wrist.

5 Most keyboards tilt toward us--and they should not. An inexpensive remedy is to slip a strip of foam rubber about three-quarters of an inch thick under the edge of the keyboard closest to you.

6 Sit 20 to 24 inches from your monitor. Although the effects of radiation are still being debated, at this distance you receive only about one milligauss of magnetic emissions--far less than that of an electric hair dryer or can opener.

7 Look away every 20 minutes. To let your eyes relax, start by looking at an object in the distance. Then move your eyes in all directions (and blink often). Too much staring at a monitor can cause blurred and double vision, as well as a temporary inability to perceive color. Use the egg timer as a reminder.

TRAINING COURSES

8 The Miller Health Care Institute, (212) 523-6200. For years, this organization has been training musicians on proper hand and body movement. And now, when referred by a physician, the institute will teach those same techniques to computer users. Call for prices.

9 The Repetitive Motion Trauma Corp., (708) 285-8900. The company's Carpal Care program, designed by a physiotherapist, will expand the mobility of muscle groups weakened by repetitive motions. Call for prices.

10 Office Technology Training Project, (617) 776-2777. Call this hotline and receive fact sheets on preventing trauma disorders. Or sign up with one of the OTTP's programs, ranging from workshops and seminars to long-term preventive courses and individual consultations. Cost: $150 to $300 an hour.

OFFICE ACCESSORIES

11 To improve your computing technique, you should change the position in which you type. The KB-Pillow ($34.95; Ergonix, [310] 274-0169) lets you rest your keyboard on your lap for a change of pace.

12 Our runner-up to the Logitech cordless mouse is the Alps 500 ($39; Alps Electric, [408] 432-6000, [800] 825-2577). With 400 dots per inch tracking and right- or left-hand interchangeability, this streamlined unit doesn't leave your hand sore after hours of work.

13 Mother was right: Good posture is important. When typing, don't lean forward or slouch. Shift position every now and then. But if your lower back ails you, pick up Luvs-Ya Back ($29.95; Ergonix, [310] 274-0169), a rest that supports the lower lumbar region.

14 Monitors emit the most radiation from the sides. Place the screen directly in front of you to avoid electromagnetic emissions. Better yet, try ELF ProTech bands ($98; NoRad, [800] 262-3260). They cover any size monitor and cut radiation by as much as 70 percent.

15 The Adjustable Footrest ($58; MicroComputer Accessories, [310] 645-9400, [800] 521-8270) alters the angle of your legs, allowing you to redistribute your weight, thus reducing the stress on your leg muscles and lower back.

16 Everything you use in a workday should be kept within arm's reach. If you're straining to reach something, rearrange your desktop. One way to organize paperwork is to get the InView Workstation Organizer ($50; Ring King Visibles, [800] 272-2366). Clip it on the side of your computer, and you'll have important information at your fingertips.