In an article published by Microsoft Canada in April, Dan Odell Ph.D., warned that discomfort while sitting at the computer can be an early warning sign of MSDs. Comfortable computing should be a priority at home and at the office, he explained, because when we work for prolonged periods in a non-ergonomic environment, we unconsciously train our bodies to accommodate discomfort.

As a product ergonomist and usability researcher with Microsoft, Dr. Odell is part of a team studying risk factors and designing computing equipment that both lessens the risk and helps people be more productive. He offers these tips for creating an ergonomic workspace:

- Always be aware of your posture and avoid non-neutral bending and twisting. A comfortable workstation is a flexible workstation - especially in the home environment, where it must scale to fit both adults and children.

- Invest in a chair that allows you to adjust the backrest, armrests and height. Adjust your chair height so that your feet are firmly planted on the floor, or use a foot stool.

- Also invest in an adjustable height desk or keyboard tray. After your chair height has been set, adjust your mouse and keyboard height so that they are at approximately the same height as your elbows and are centered on your body.

- Use properly designed ergonomic products, such as a split keyboard with a gull wing design. These products encourage a more natural computing posture, which can help reduce the risk for repetitive strain injuries.

- To avoid neck strain, position the top of the computer screen at eye level directly in front of you, and centered with your body. Try placing a monitor stand beneath the monitor that can be adjusted to provide the appropriate monitor height for the various members of your family.

- Reduce glare on the computer screen, which can lead to visual fatigue.

Just as we've taught our children good TV habits, like not sitting too close to the screen or cranking the volume up to ear-splitting decibels, so too we need to ensure our computing environments are ergonomically healthy.

Sources: Microsoft Canada; CCN Matthews