We are happy to answer as many ergonomic questions as possible. Please submit your question via e-mail by clicking on the word "mail" at left. Questions of a general nature will be answered here and this page will be updated regularly. Will an ergonomic evaluation take away my pain? The actual evaluation won't take away your pain, but following recommendations and task performance issues will most likely, with time, decrease and possibly eliminate pain associated with your workstation. Will the Microsoft keyboard help my carpal tunnel syndrome? Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is often accumulative from repetitive activities and poor posturing. Without an evaluation it is impossible to state the keyboard is your only contributing factor. Can an Ergonomist do more than tell me what to do about my injury other than what the doctor can? Yes, a doctor can't see how you interact with your equipment, where your equipment is located in relation to your positioning, or recommend ergonomic equipment to address your personal needs. Why doesn't my ergonomic chair relieve my back pain? Utilizing all of the adjustments and fitting the chair to each individual is very important. Different ergonomic chairs fit varying body types differently. Just being labeled ergonomic doesn't mean it will fit you properly or address your pain. What can Ergonomics do for Computer Users? Assess equipment / postures with potential to cause injury. Install/recommend ergonomic equipment, postures, and activities which will help prevent future injury or offload current injuries. What is the best ergonomic chair? See product critiques. What is the best ergonomic keyboard? See product critiques. What can ergonomics do for gardeners? Special ergonomic tools are available to address gripping, postures, and lever actions when gardening. Using proper body mechanics during all task performance can also help to prevent the onset of injury. What can ergonomics do for oyster shuckers? An Ergonomist can assess work activities and equipment, pinpointing the source of the injury and design tools to offload impact to a specific anatomical structure. Contact Ergonomics Inc.  to see what product we can develop for your business. How come I still have pain even though my workstation has been evaluated by an Ergonomist? Make sure your ergonomist is a professional, educated and qualified. Many people call themselves "ergonomists" who really are not. Assuming your ergonomist is for real, other things like home activities, fragile anatomy, or inappropriately adjusted equipment could be responsible. Without an in depth workstation evaluation AND follow-up, the source of the continued pain is uncertain. And even though evaluated by a real ergonomist, follow-up with actual implementation of worksite modifications is necessary. An evaluation without changes doesn't help anyone. My friend recommended a trackball - what is it and how can it help? A trackball is a replacement for a mouse. You move the cursor by rolling a ball with your fingers. Trackballs come in varying sizes and configurations. They eliminate the required gripping as required with a mouse, and can typically be programmed for left or right hand use. Driving my car hurts my wrists—can anything be done? Don't grip the steering wheel tightly and be aware of wrist posturing during driving activities. Special rubberized steering wheel covers with gripping nodules can be purchased at most auto parts shops and can help to decrease grip intensity while improving control of the steering wheel. Isn't tension and stress the cause of my neck pain when I use my use my computer at work? Typically cervical flexion/extension/rotation are the causes of neck pain. Stress and tension can add to your symptomology. A VDT screen located up high (particularly with bi-focal use) is often the source. (See next question.) What height should a computer monitor be so my neck won't hurt? The top of the VDT screen should be at or below the bridge of your nose. If you wear bi-focals the monitor should be about 5 inches lower allowing you to view the screen without bending your neck, or you could have reverse bi-focals and only use them as special "computer glasses". If your monitor is on top of your computer (CPU) it is probably too high. Have a co-worker check alignment with the bridge of your nose. Are there any simple things I can do to help myself? Learn how to adjust all of your equipment . Organize your desk, eliminating extended reach, spinal rotation/flexion, and take mini-breaks to stretch or walk. The most important thing to know is why you are adjusting your workstation. Usually there are a lot of things you can do yourself if you understand the reasons. It is not always necessary to go out and buy a bunch of "ergonomic" equipment. A basic understanding of posture and your own body can help maintain a healthy workstation on the cheap. Are the monitors recessed in the desktop supposed to be the best location? No. For certain jobs (standing) which require large amounts of desktop space or for privacy (banking or secret information or computer instruction in a classroom), the recessed monitor can be helpful, but typically it increases neck/torso flexion which can fatigue or strain spinal muscle with extensive/repetitive use. It also uses up valuable desktop real estate and often becomes frustrating to use since most people write on their desks in the same place the in-the-desk monitor is located. I have to wear wrist braces but can't work with them, what can I do? Wrist brace are to prevent wrist motion. Assess your posture during keyboarding activities and adjust your equipment to allow neutral (straight) wrist posture (supported at the palm, wrist, forearm and shoulder—not at the elbow). This should allow you to work with or without your braces and protect your delicate wrist structures. I have good posture, but my back still hurts. Your chair may not be adjusted correctly, providing appropriate lumbar support. Also, inadequate foot support can add strain to the spinal structures by dropping your knees lower than your hips. A good indication of needing a foot support is if you keep resting your feet on the chair base castors. I have wrist pain—do I have carpal tunnel syndrome? Not necessarily, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome affects the median nerve in the carpal tunnel, which can lead to weakness, tingling, and numbness in the hand / middle, ring and little fingers. You may be at the beginning stage and should address your symptomology by (at least) a visit to a physician and workstation modifications. Will an ergonomic workstation ensure I don't get Repetitive Motion Injury? An ergonomic workstation is only as good as the individuals adjustments. You may have the best equipment on the market and if it is not adjusted appropriately you may still be at risk for potential injury. What is the best long term solution for preventing Repetitive Motion Injury? Adjust your equipment allowing for neutral posturing. Pay attention to any signs of discomfort and address them by changing posture, equipment adjustments or equipment location. What does CPE mean? Certified Professional Ergonomist. What's the difference between a CPE and an Ergonomics Evaluator? A CPE must have a masters degree, 4 years experience in ergonomics and pass a test. An Ergonomics Evaluator is not required to pass any tests or required schooling, but generally has on the job training and can have a medical or engineering background. Does group training help to prevent Repetitive Motion Injury? Group training can be very helpful in preventing RMI's if the information comes from a knowledgeable source and is applied to each individual workstation.

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