Physiotherapy

The computer is a vital tool in many different occupations. However, long periods of working at a computer can increase the chance of developing an injury. Muscle and joint pain, overuse injuries of the upper limbs and eyestrain can result from inappropriate computer use. Regular computer users run the risk of several health problems. The risks can be reduced or eliminated with proper work space design, improved posture and good working habits. 

Posture-related injuries

Back and neck pain, headaches, and shoulder and arm pain are common computer-related injuries. Such muscle and joint problems can be caused or made worse by poor workstation design, bad posture and sitting for extended periods of time.
Although sitting requires less muscular effort, it still causes fatigue and requires parts of the body to be held steady for long periods of time. This reduces circulation to the muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments and can result in stiffness and pain. If a workstation is not set up properly, these steady positions can put even greater stress on muscles and joints. 

Overuse injuries of the upper limbs
Muscles and tendons can become painful with repetitive movements and awkward postures. This is known as ‘overuse injury’ and these typically occur in the elbow, wrist or hand of computer users. Symptoms of overuse injuries in the upper limbs include pain, swelling, stiffness of the joints, weakness and numbness.

Eyestrain
Focusing your eyes at the same distance point for extended periods of time causes fatigue. The human eye structurally prefers to look at objects further than six metres away, so any work performed close-up puts extra demands on the eye muscles. The illuminated computer screen can also contribute to eye fatigue. While there is no evidence that eye fatigue is associated with damage to the eyesight, computer users may experience symptoms such as blurred vision, temporary inability to focus on faraway objects and headaches.