Adsmarket ErgoTip #5 – How big is your keyboard

Are you sure your ergonomic keyboard is good for you?

Many heavy computer users like to use the Microsoft Split ergonomic keyboard.

It is a great keyboard in that it positions your wrists and hands in proper ergonomic posture, but it has one big disadvantage:  it is too big!  The main consequence is a faulty position of the mouse with bad alignment of the shoulder and arm.

In simple words it is just too far away.

So the big ergonomic keyboard is good mainly for users who spend most of their computer time working with it alone and without a mouse.  Users who spend their time at the computer in a combination of 50/50 (keyboard/mouse) are better off with a smaller keyboard that allows them to position the mouse in a healthier place.

Here are some good options for an ergonomic split size mini keyboard:

http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/max-spec.htm

http://www.goldtouch.com/

Mini keyboard:

http://www.fentek-ind.com/minikb.htm

ErgoTips are provided by Dalit Ben Tovim, a renowned ergonomic consultant and trainer who serves Fortune 500 companies as well as smaller corporations and organizations.  Contact her at DalitATergo4u.com, and please visit the ergo4u website.

Affiliate ErgoTip #4: Affiliates, win the fight against low back pain!

Many of us high-tech types invest in an "orthopedic" or "ergonomic" chair, just to find out that our new chair feels very comfortable for the first hour but after a few hours of sitting, yes…the back is aching again.
The honest truth is that no chair as good and supportive as it might be, and can’t really solve your backaches.
So how can a pro-active affiliate marketer who is chained to the chair, really win this battle?

From my experience there are 3 guiding principles:

• Exercise!  Yes, it is vital to your back.  What kind of exercise doesn’t really matter, just get moving!  Don’t go sign up for a marathon, but just doing something with your body will help maintain flexibility and prevent injury.
• Try to adopt a sitting posture that is as dynamic and symmetrical as possible, i.e. without a back rest, crossing legs first on the left and then changing to the right, or sitting on a fitness ball or a knees stool.
  Only for illustration take a look at this link and see what I mean:
  http://www.shevtov.com/Site/pages/inPageCat.asp?catID=15&id=2&docID=56
• Lose weight if you are overweight, and know that every extra kilo you carry on you is needless pressure on your low back.  

Dalit Ben Tovim is a renowned ergonomic consultant and trainer who serves Fortune 500 companies as well as smaller corporations and organizations.  For more information about Dalit Ben Tovim, contact her at DalitATergo4u.com,  and please visit the ergo4u  website. Make sure you check out the Ergocloud, an ergonomic forearm support by ergo4u Ltd.

Affiliate ErgoTip #3: Do you need an ergonomic mouse?

For people like affiliate marketers and those who spend a lot of time in front of laptops and desktop computers, spastically clicking away, the question arises: is an ergonomic mouse really better than a regular mouse? That is, would an ergonomic mouse helps in preventing carpal tunnel syndrome and inflammations of the wrist, two very common complaints of the deskbound? What turns a computer mouse into an “ergonomic” accessory?  And last but not least, given the huge assortment of ergonomic mouse devices on the market, how do we know which would be the best and the most appropriate for us?

You might be surprised to know, but the design process of any product involves certain ergonomic considerations, meaning basically any product can be called “ergonomic”.

Confused? So am I, but the answer is simple – ergonomic means “suited to the user”. That’s right – Suited to You. That’s the greatest secret of ergonomics.

This means that whatever mouse model you choose, it should be chosen first and foremost according to your body size, work needs and desk format.

So, we understand that we need to choose a mouse that is appropriate to our structure and needs, and have arranged our sitting position and desk to enable us to create the right arm and hand position. The question still remains: Should we buy a mouse defined as ergonomic or can we be satisfied with a simple mouse?

The answer is not that simple. Our best advice would be to try out several mouse devices for a period of time, to feel if there’s any change. I believe some of the ergonomic mouse devices sold today have a structure that definitely lessens the pressure on the hand. Those are worth trying first.

Here are some that I personally recommend:

• Microsoft wireless ergonomic laser mouse 6000
• Evoluent vertical mouse

The first one takes the “natural posture of the wrist” approach and the second one the “Vertical posture of the wrist approach”, both are very good and they are both wireless, so all you laptop addicts can take it anywhere and do something good for their wrists.

Dalit Ben Tovim is a renowned ergonomic consultant and trainer who serves Fortune 500 companies as well as smaller corporations and organizations.  For more information about Dalit Ben Tovim, contact her at DalitATergo4u.com,  and please visit the ergo4u  website. Make sure you check out the Ergocloud, an ergonomic forearm support by ergo4u Ltd.

Laptops and Notebooks and Bears, oh my!

Updated global data show that about a third of all computer users have a laptop. Laptops may look friendly and inviting, but in fact they have become a first-rate ergonomic hazard. Dalit Ben-Tovim, an ergonomic consultant and trainer, who specializes in creating and adapting working environments for better health and safety, offers a variety of tips for using your laptop safely.  And you may want to look into that smartphone… (but that’s a different article).  We at Adsmarket are definitely listening.

Why is the laptop so damaging?

Structure – The laptop’s structure does not allow for a separate adjustment of the keyboard and screen. As a result, if the screen is adjusted to the desired height – and the recommendation is for the upper limit of the screen to be at eye level – we will find ourselves with the keyboard at a position that is destructive for the hands and wrists. On the other hand, placing the laptop for convenient typing will create strain and damage the eyes and the neck muscles.

Mouse – the integrated mouse or touchpad is another ergonomic nightmare we should be aware of. The posture required when working with a touchpad creates a constant, incremental tension on the hand tendons and in the shoulder, with devastating results.

Posture – prolonged usage of a laptop, coupled with an incorrect sitting posture, with no support of complementary ergonomic accessories, could lead to serious orthopedic problems in the neck and shoulder belt, pain and inflammation of the wrists and back aches. In addition to all the problems mentioned, the infamous warming of the laptops has already been proven to increase the risk of testicular cancer and fertility problems.

Not all is negative. It is possible and even recommended to use a laptop safely, if you adopt the correct habits that will prevent damages.

Tips for casual/infrequent users:
Those who do not use a laptop as a main working tool, but occasionally find themselves using a laptop, would do well to adopt a few rules:

• Try to find a comfortable chair, one that enables you to lean back comfortably. Remember that the head and the neck are supported by large muscles. You need to protect the hand muscles, which are more sensitive. Place the laptop on your legs, with the hands in a relaxed posture, neither bent nor stretched.
• Keep your shoulders relaxed.
• Tilt and adjust the screen to allow for a minimal neck tilt.
• Use a laptop ventilation tray to prevent heating.
• Carry as few additional peripherals as possible, keeping the laptop’s weight minimal.
• Use a backpack with wide shoulder straps to carry the laptop.

Tips for heavy users:

• Place your laptop on the table so that its upper edge is at your eye level. There are several laptop stands designed specifically for this purpose.
• Use an external keyboard and position it directly in front of you, at a convenient height allowing your hands to rest at a neutral posture – neither bent nor stretched.
• Connect an external mouse and place it at your side at a height that keeps your hand relaxed and at a neutral posture.
• The keyboard and the mouse can be connected directly to the laptop or through a docking station.
• Place the screen at a straight arm length away from you. Nevertheless, you should take into consideration the screen size, in order to allow for effortless reading.
• Minimize any sources of reflected screen glare.

Tips for all users

Besides the mobility and convenience, using laptops carries many health hazards which users are not aware of. We have divided our recommendations into different types of users, but our most important recommendation is: Listen to your body! Pain is a sure sign that you should stop your work to stretch, change your posture, relax and rest your eyes and hands.

Integrate physical activity in your life. An hour of aerobic exercise once a day will work wonders for your painful back and stiff neck.

Gil and Dalit Ben Tovim are renowned ergonomic consultants and trainers who serve Fortune 500 companies as well as smaller corporations and organizations. They are the official Google Israel ergonomic consultants and they work with other global corporations including; NDC of Newscorp and Johnson & Johnson. The team has also partnered with hi-tech companies such as ECI, Aladdin and Nice and government institutions.

For more information about Dalit Ben Tovim, contact her at DalitATergo4u.com,  and please visit the ergo4u  website. Make sure you check out the Ergocloud, an ergonomic forearm support by ergo4u Ltd.

Time for an ergonomic keyboard? – Tips for a healthier affiliate lifestyle.

A few months ago Adsmarket welcomed Dalit BenTovim, an Ergonomic Consultant at ergo4u Ltd to our headquarters in Tel Aviv.  She gave a great lecture on proper ergonomics in the workplace (ergonomics simply defined: proper body positioning to avoid strain and injury), and then visited each Adsmarketeer individually and corrected any ergonomic problems we had.

I invited Dalit to share her expertise in ergonomic positioning with us for our readers who, without a doubt, are as sedentary as we are, optimizing traffic, running campaigns, and being busy affiliate marketers!

Each week Dalit will share a short “ergonomic tip” with you, which we hope will help you with any discomfort you are having, and make you a more successful online marketer!

Here is her full length post:

Are you in the business of affiliate marketing or online advertising, or work at an affiliate network, and suffer from migraines, shoulder pains, herniated discs, or eye strain?   These are just some of the symptoms of what can easily be considered as the Millennium’s syndrome – “Computer pains”.

If these symptoms sound painfully familiar, take heart.  There is no need to rush to the medicine cabinet, make an appointment with the family doctor or even see your physical therapist!

Sometimes even minor adjustments to your workstation can do wonders – eradicate your pain and save you money.

So here’s a Complete Guide to Ergonomics, which may help you chair-bound moneymakers feel better and therefore, be more productive!

1. Elevated computer screen – Working online, whether in online advertising, affiliate marketing, or whatever, and sitting for hours in front of an elevated computer screen puts a lot of strain on the neck vertebrae – an effort that causes ongoing pain. The neck is a sensitive area and neck pain can radiate to other body parts such as shoulders, elbows, hands and wrists. Lessening the pressure on neck muscles may also resolve apparently unconnected body aches.

   Solution: The computer screen should be placed at eye level and lower to allow the neck vertebrae to be in neutral posture and rest.

2. Lateral posture – In my work assisting companies like Adsmarket, I see computer screens located not straight in front of the user but sideways, often due to the need to communicate with clients face to face, or in order to make room on a crowded desk. Working in a lateral posture for long periods of time, sometimes for many hours, puts an enormous amount of strain and pressure on the neck vertebrae. This can cause headaches, migraines and pain in other parts of the body. Angled screens and lateral postures put a constant load of strain on the spine and cause the body to be organized unnaturally with every part turned in a different direction.

   Solution: The best solution for such a situation is placing the computer screen directly in front of the user whenever possible, moving it aside when the user has to serve clients. This can be achieved by using a          multi-directional arm that allows for shifting the screen easily from one position to the other when necessary.

3. Screen distance – too close or too far – a small work area, sight problems, or a smallish desk may result in a computer screen placed too close to the user, causing eye damage and headaches.  On the other hand, placing the screen too far away strains the eyes and causes fatigue, irritability and anxiety.

   Solution: the computer screen should be positioned at a distance of 3 times the screen diagonal, or more simply, sitting at a straight-arm distance from the center of the screen.

4. Prolonged Sitting – Prolonged sitting when working can cause physical degeneration as well as a variety of back, shoulders and neck problems. Sitting for long stretches of time without movement compresses the vertebrae, which in turn exert pressure on the nerves. The muscles surrounding the vertebrae suffer from degeneration and blood flow is also impaired.

   Solution: It is recommended to change posture occasionally, stand up and stretch out at least once every half an hour, and incorporate into your working hours some sort of physical activity that is compatible with    working in front of a computer. The most recommended exercises are strengthening the abdomen and back muscles and performing back rotations.

5. The Correct Sitting Posture Myth– there is a myth that you should sit with your upper body straight up at 90 degrees toward the feet. This is a serious mistake. Actually it’s much better to sit with a 100 to 110 degrees angle – some sort of leaning back or reclining. The reason for that is that when you sit at 90 degrees, your entire upper body weight is exerted directly on your lower back vertebrae. Reclining at 100 to 110 degrees decreases significantly the pressure on the vertebrae.

   Solution: Recline!And the best solution of all:

6. Physical awareness – the most effective tool in preventing ergonomic damages is the development of physical awareness. Developing such awareness under professional guidance can help you purchase cost effective equipment suited to your needs, and may improve your productivity, and prevent health issues.

Gil and Dalit Ben Tovim are renowned ergonomic consultants and trainers who serve Fortune 500 companies as well as smaller corporations and organizations. They are the official Google Israel ergonomic consultants and they work with other global corporations including; NDC of Newscorp and Johnson & Johnson. The team has also partnered with hi-tech companies such as ECI, Aladdin and Nice and government institutions.

For more information about Dalit Ben Tovim, contact her at DalitATergo4u.com,  and please visit the ergo4u website. Make sure you check out the Ergocloud, an ergonomic forearm support by ergo4u Ltd.

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