We spend many hours in front of the computer screen, whether playing, working, studying or in other situations. A series of important mistakes are usually made that affect our physical health, especially in the long term. We are going to give you a series of tips and recommendations based on ergonomics For protect you health when you spend hours and hours in front of the screen.
Ergonomics is a discipline focused on the design of workspaces, tools and tasks so that they do not affect the worker’s abilities. Although this field has always focused on workspaces, it is also necessary for the domestic user to adopt it to avoid any damage or inconvenience.
There is a subset of recommendations that should be considered when spending many hours in front of the computer screen. They all have the goal of preserving our muscles, bone structure and eyesight. The goal is to ensure that the user does not experience pain, which can become chronic.
Correct posture in front of the computer
This is undoubtedly the point where people tend to fail the most. We always look for the most comfortable position for us, but it does not have to be exactly the best for our physiology. There are a series of defined parameters that indicate what the correct posture is. They are as follows:
- Back: There should be an angle between 90º and 120º at hip height. This allows you to have a fairly straight back and avoid stressing the lumbar area, in particular by protecting the sciatic nerve.
- Legs: Our knee should have an angle between 90º and 120º. This is important to avoid knee pain and improve circulation.
- Pies: It is recommended to have a footrest with an adjustable inclination between 0º and 15º for greater comfort and non-slip material. Prevents leg thrombosis and ankle conditions.
- Arm: There should be an angle between the shoulder and the elbow between 90º and 120º. The goal is to avoid future discomfort such as shoulder pain.
- Dolls: The area between the elbow and wrist should be perpendicular to the table at all times. The hand should be elevated as little as possible when using the keyboard and mouse to avoid carpal tunnel problems in the wrist.
- Eyes: There should be a separation of the screen between 45 and 75 cm from the top and a tilt angle between 15 and 25º. In addition, it is recommended to stop every 50 minutes for a period of 5 to 10 minutes and look at a distant point to rest your eyes.
These are postural recommendations that fall under the heading of “postural hygiene”. But there are also other recommendations that can help us prevent diseases.
Recommendations to avoid physical damage
There is a set of additional actions that any user who spends many hours in front of the computer screen must perform. All these actions help prevent ailments and, for some, reduce the sedentary nature typical of activity in front of the computer. These are:
- Physical exercise: It is not necessary to go to a gym and lift irons if you spend many hours sitting, although it is recommended. The most basic and recommended thing is to walk at a normal pace for about an hour. This serves to improve our cardiorespiratory and vascular system, as well as relieve the back in its lower area.
- Stretching: What is not usually done and would be recommended is to perform a series of simple stretching and movement exercises. The most common are wrist rotation and flexion, as well as neck rotation to unload the upper back. There are others, more specific, to unload the main muscles that can be affected by prolonged sitting.
- To drink a lot of water: It may seem absurd to you, but what we forget is to hydrate ourselves properly, which can cause muscle cramps. It will also encourage us to take short walks that will be good for resting and disconnecting.
- Change your posture: It is generally recommended to periodically change your posture, including standing up. To do this, you will need a desk that can be raised, which not everyone can afford.
- Temperature: Maybe you don’t take this factor into account, but working in the cold or heat is bad, very bad. Not only physiologically, but also emotionally, generating frustration, irritability and dissatisfaction. This can lead to social isolation, which is also considered a health problem.
Here are some recommendations to avoid physical problems related to a sedentary lifestyle consisting of spending hours in front of the screen. You can do them or not, it depends on each user, but they are quite effective.