Prolonged computer usage can cause serious health issues like back pain, neck strain, eyestrain, and repetitive stress injuries due to static posture and poor ergonomics. Sitting for long periods is associated with increased risks of depression and insomnia. Adopting proper ergonomics like regular breaks, stretching, and posture changes can help reduce risks. Creating healthy habits is difficult but preparing, acknowledging small wins, avoiding excuses, and persevering can help build routines that prevent injuries from intensive computer work.

1. Computing & Health
Risks of prolonged computer
usage and prevention tips

2. !
Intensive computer usage
can seriously damage your
health!

3. Back injuries account for
1/3 of all workplace injuries

4. Sitting in front of a computer
screen for five hours a day
can dramatically increase
the risk of depression and
insomnia

5. 10 years ago back injuries
were associated with heavy
lifting.
Today they are caused by
people sitting in front of
computers

6. In the early 1990s the average
age of workers reporting
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
was late 30s to early 40s.
Now it has dropped
to mid-20s and even
younger

7. Estimated costs to companies
due to loss of productivity
and compensation due to
CRI is 60-100 billion dollars
in the US alone

8. Reasons
• Static & bad posture
• Prolonged sitting & poor circulation
• Repetitive moves
• Looking at a screen for a long time
• Office noise

9. Injuries
• Back, neck, shoulder & arm pain
• Tension headaches
• Pain, swelling & stiffness of joints
• Eyestrain & vision problems
• Stress & depression
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

10. Prevention
• Optimize your workstation
• Watch your posture
• Take periodic breaks & stretch
• Look away frequently
• Use light touch when typing
• Pace yourself

11. Optimal workstation setup
Image Credit: HumanScale.com

12. Watch your posture
Image Credit: genuineselfhelp.com

13. Take periodic breaks & stretch
Image Credit: stretching.com

14. Look away frequently
Image Credit: pacificprime.com

15. Use light touch when typing
Image Credit: tech-pioneer.blogspot.com

16. Pace yourself
Image Credit: dangerman75.blogspot.com

17. !
Most of the people reading this
will fail to create healthy
working habits

18. Why do we fail?

19. Creating a new habit is hard

20. Why do we fail?
• Lack of planning and preparation
• We start too big
• We don’t acknowledge our successes
• We neglect to communicate
• We use disruptions as an excuse to give up

21. Things to remember

22. Working at a computer can
cause back, neck and shoulder
pains, headache, eyestrain and
overuse injuries of the upper
limbs

23. The risks can be reduced or
eliminated with proper
workstation design, improved
posture and good working
habits

24. Take baby steps
and don't give up.

25. References
• http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Computer_related_injuries
• http://karim-ouda.blogspot.com/2012/04/computer-related-health-problems-and.html
• http://www.bhj.org/journal/2004_4505_jan/html/computer_37.htm
• http://www.rsiprevention.com/rsi_prevention.php
• http://www.rsi-relief.com/2008/11/a-list-of-rsi-prevention-tips/
• http://www.healthycomputing.com/office/setup/index.html
• http://www.healthycomputing.com/health/index.html
• http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hp-information/ergo/
• http://www.medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/computer-related-injuries.htm
• http://www.rsi-solutions.co.uk/
• http://www.keytools.co.uk/rsi-stats.html
• http://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/irritated.htm
• http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/ten-ways-that-computer-can-ruins-your-health.html
• http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/8-reasons-why-you-fail-at-creating-new-habits/
• http://zenhabits.net/fail/
• http://www.workrave.org/