Joanne Dorion, a physiotherapist in Sunnybrook’s Occupational Health & Safety Department, has seen many injuries that develop over time from poor desk setup and posture. “We frequently see people with forearm pain including tennis elbow, when the muscles on the back of the forearm are strained from poor hand and wrist positioning on the keyboard. Shoulder and rotator cuff injuries are also common, which can be caused over time by holding your arms too far out to the side and forward while typing,” says Dorion.

Dorion has seven easy adjustments you can make to your workspace to make it as comfortable (and safe) as possible:

Raise or lower your keyboard tray

When you’re typing, your elbows should have an L-shaped (90 degree) bend and be at the same height as the keyboard. “Your arms and elbows should be by your side, with your arms bent at about 90 degrees and with straight wrists,” says Dorion. Don’t have a keyboard tray? Raise or lower your chair instead to allow your arms to naturally settle into a 90 degree position.

Keep your feet flat on the ground

If they aren’t, use a footrest, or grab a box or phonebook

Pull your keyboard toward you

Your keyboard should be close to the edge of your desk. “Doing this will naturally bring your posture in to a good position,” says Dorion.

Mind the position of your mouse

The mouse should be placed next to (and at the same height as) the keyboard

Adjust the height of your monitor

Your eyes should be in line with the top one-third of your computer monitor. “This will help to keep you sitting tall in your chair,” says Dorion

Get your monitor distance just right

The screen should be about one arm’s length (40-74 cm) away. If it’s too close, you’ll strain your eyes; too far, and you’ll bend forward, affecting your posture. “Poking your chin out puts a lot of strain on your neck,” says Dorion

Pay attention to your back and shoulders

Your back should be well supported, and your shoulders should be relaxed at all times

What if you spend most of your time on a laptop? Laptops are tricky because the screen and keyboard are close together, so you can’t get into a proper position. Dorion recommends changing the positioning of your laptop often, so as not to spend too long in one position. Type with the laptop near the edge of the table, which is better for the arms and wrists. While keeping the laptop further away is easier on your eyes, it is very hard on your arms and neck. “If you find your eyes fatiguing, look away from the screen on a regular basis to let the eyes rest,” says Dorion. If using a laptop away from a desk, prop it up on your lap with cushions to reduce the strain on the neck.

An even better solution to the laptop problem? If you can’t get a separate monitor, “get yourself a wireless keyboard and mouse. It will make a huge difference,” says Dorion.

After making the adjustments listed above, even if you do find a very comfortable position, it’s not a good idea to stay like that all day. “Change your position often, do some gentle stretches for tense muscles and take short breaks to stand up and walk around, “says Dorion.

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I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve nearly or completely passed out after getting a needle. First come the sweats, then the black spots, and finally, the floor. I know, how pathetic for a former health reporter and a current hospital employee! After giving birth twice, my tolerance to needles has increased slightly, but it’s game over if they keep jabbing it in trying to find the right spot.

This said, what could I possibly have in common with someone who makes a living giving needles? Apparently more than I thought. Sunnybrook anaesthesiologist Dr. Colin McCartney and I shared a good chuckle when he admitted he hates them, too. “I don’t mind giving them, but receiving them is another matter! I’m as frightened of needles as anybody!” (Just in case you were wondering, yes, the irony is duly noted.)

But that could partly be what has fuelled his passion to make the whole experience of receiving an anesthetic as pleasant as possible. Traditionally, to find the right spot to inject the needle, nerve stimulation would be used. But that’s an imprecise method, often leading to several tries while the patient starts feeling like a human pin cushion. It also leads to a higher risk of other complications, like bleeding, convulsions and even nerve injury.

Dr. McCartney has been a leader in studying and teaching a better method, which uses ultrasound to literally lay out a roadmap of where the needle and anesthetic need to go. It’s a brilliant concept that has been shown to work very well, and make patients like Stanley Hurst a lot happier.

To fill you in on Stanley’s story, in short, he’s had a rough go. He was doing some repairs on his cottage roof when he lost his footing and fell. Instead of landing on both feet, the impact was absorbed by only one, causing those ankle bones to shatter. When I met him, he was being prepped for surgery number 7 at Sunnybrook’s Holland Orthopedic and Arthritic Centre. Dr. McCartney administered his anesthesia using the ultrasound-guided technique, while Stanley looked on in interest. “Actually, it feels more comfortable knowing what’s going on.”

Knowing the lowly needle is up there among the most dreaded symbols of health care, Dr. McCartney says distraction can be a great thing for the patient. Stanley didn’t even flinch as the needle went in, too wrapped up in the black and white scene unfolding on the screen in front of him. And most importantly, he got the right dose in the right spot.

The ultrasound-guided technique is becoming more common in surgical suites across Ontario, but there are some bumps in the road. It takes a lot of training, and some ultrasound machines cost as much as a Lexus. That said, the benefits to the patient are amazing. I’ll go out on a limb and estimate fainting rates across the province will fall by 90% (myself included).

For a link to Dr. McCartney’s blog, click here.

The post Pain and ultrasound: guiding the hurt away appeared first on Your Health Matters.