Ow, My Back

Actually, it's my back, neck, wrists, head, and eyes that hurt, the product of too much hunching over a computer screen and too little discipline in maintaining good posture while working and developing good ergonomic habits.

eWeek recently produced this extensive piece about PC posture. A quick read-through could help you immensely. From the article: The most egregious ergonomic crimes I see include sitting without any back support for more than one hour at time; extended reaching in any direction, causing problems for the shoulders, neck and upper back area; awkward neck positioning and rotating the neck repeatedly; and people … pitch[ing] forward off their chairs," Deborah Read, MOTR/L ergonomics consultant and president of ErgoFit Consulting in Seattle, told eWEEK.

I've written about ergonomics before and this piece reinforces what I've heard from experts: Chronic, sustained pain is what you need to worry about, not the occasional ache in the arm.

The best thing you can do to improve ergonomics? Get a better chair. I recently invested in a used Aeron and it's made all the difference. Though I still have a tendency not to sit back in it properly, having a lumbar support and fully adjustable armrests make all the difference. Yeah, my back still hurts, but not nearly as much as it used to!

Got ergonomic tips? Share them in the forums!