Medword Resources

Ergonomic Guidelines

Exercise
Using a monitor, like other close work, places such demands on your eyes that it is important to take brief (30-second to 2-minute) but frequent pauses throughout the time you are working with your computer. The recovery pause gives your eyes a chance to recover from fatigue.During your recovery pause, try some of the following exercises to help you feel refreshed.Note: Don't do any exercise that feels uncomfortable or causes straining.Do these exercises to help your eyes feel refreshed:

• Yawning and blinking can help to keep your eyes lubricated.
• Changing focus can help to relax the muscles of your eyes. To try this, look at your fingertip with your arm stretched in front of you, then to a point far away from you, then back to your fingertip.
• Palming can help to relieve eyestrain. To try this, cover your eyes with your hands, while you breathe deeply.

Do these body exercises during breaks:

• Deep breathing can help relieve tension in your muscles.
• Hand and finger massages can help to keep your hands warm and reduce cramping and stiffness.
• The executive stretch is a good exercise for the entire upper body. To try this, clasp your hands behind your head and gently stretch your elbows back while taking in a deep breath.
• Shoulder shrugs can help to reduce tension or stiffness in the upper back and neck. To try this, gently pull your shoulders up toward your ears and then relax your shoulders downward.

• Find out how a TENS Machine can help relieve the pain associated with Repetitive Stress Injury.
• Discover how an EMS Unit can help your sore and aching muscles recover.

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