The Computer Is an Enemy to Your Body By Robert A Simmons

Technology has been a great help to people. It helps us to organize ourselves and provides a second brain. By setting alarms and reminders, we can release constant thoughts of the when and where of many tasks. There is, however, a price that we pay for these advantages.

Let's go ahead and look a common scenario. You have decided that you need to do some work at the computer. You need to start the computer, but you don't want get out of the chair and squat down. You bend forward and twist down enough to reach the switch on the computer tower. This movement puts the discs in the low back at their weakest and most vulnerable point. Think about the stress on the low back if you do that movement often.

Now you open the document and start typing. Most people look at the keyboard when they are typing. That bends your head and neck forward. This is the opposite direction that your neck curve is designed to be in. Then what I call "the black hole" develops.

After a short time people actually look like they are getting sucked into the computer screen. The shoulders begin to slump and the head moves forward towards the monitor or screen. For every inch that your head moves forward, there is 25 pounds of additional stress placed on the neck and spine.

The stress now increases because you may stay in this position for hours. In addition to this most people who use computers will do this on a regular basis. We also need to add in the motion of the chair. Now that almost all office chairs have wheels, people don't actually get out of the chair when bending and twisting.

The printer is often positioned off to the side, so the user will just rotate the chair to the side and reach. Again this is places the stress on the low back. When going from sitting to standing, the computer user will rotate the chair and step out instead of backing the chair out and standing straight up. Does this scenario sound familiar to you? There are some things that you can do to reduce the stress on your body while using the computer.

First look at your workstation. The monitor should be at eye level and directly in front of the keyboard. Rotate the position of your printer periodically if you can. A great alternative to rolling your chair is to back your chair out from the desk and stand up straight. Just performing this task will eliminate a lot of stress on your body.

Be observant of your elbow and hand position. It's best to use a chair with no armrests. This will actually allow you let your shoulders relax, instead of being push up. A good hand rest for your wrists is a great idea. Just make sure that your forearms a parallel with the floor. It is also important that your thighs be parallel with the floor when adjusting the height of the chair.

Remember to stand up and stretch every 30 minutes or so. Just getting out of the chair and stretching or walking around will allow your body extension time. All computer work is bending forward. This is called flexion. By standing, your are extending your body and releasing tension.

As a Chiropractor in Charlotte, NC I have found that these tips can help you to reduce much of the stress that occurs at work and home. The computer is a great tool, but it can cause damage to your body if not used properly. Following the tips in this article will hopefully help you to enjoy using this particular form of technology much more.