Did you know that you need to be careful when you are working or playing games on a computer? Here's some information about dealing with the risks.
Computers and game playing can injure you!
A physiotherapist examined children who regularly played computer games. She found that 15% of them suffered thumb injuries and that almost all of them had bad posture.
College students who play computer games were surveyed.
The survey found that:
55% of the students played games for 2 hours or more without a break
44% felt that eye strain could be a problem
77% thought that neck or shoulder pain could be a problem
Only 44% of the students said that discomfort would stop them from playing (so 56% of them would carry on despite the warning signs)
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Repetitive Strain Injury is damage to the fingers, wrists and other parts of the body, caused by repeated movements over a long period of time.
The science of designing safe and comfortable machines for humans is called ergonomics. The Ergonomics Society website has some useful information. www.ergonomics.org.uk
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Computers can damage your health, and not just when they crash! You can look after yourself by thinking carefully about your posture, your eyes and your wrists, and doing what is best for you.
Click next to find out how you can protect your health.
