By Laraine Anne Barker
If you use a computer for much of your day you MUST take steps to prevent the crippling pain this can cause. The first thing to consider is the correct (ergonomic) set-up of your computer desk and chair.
Both the chair seat and its back should be adjustable. The chair back should have good lumbar support and you should be able to adjust it to fit neatly into your back while you're sitting in the chair. The seat should have gas lift to make adjusting its height easy and should slope down at the front so that the back of your thighs are not put under pressure. With your back against the chair back you should be able to sit up STRAIGHT--not slumped either backwards or forwards--and your feet should rest firmly on the floor. If you feel the need for a footstool, your chair height is definitely too high. With your fingers on the keyboard, your forearms should be level or sloping slightly down. Your wrists should be straight, not sloping upwards. If they slope up, the keyboard is too high. This is why you need a FULLY ADJUSTABLE computer desk, i.e., the monitor and the keyboard should have their own platforms that can be raised or lowered separately as required. The top of the monitor should be about level with the top of your head, i.e., you should be looking straight into the screen, not with your head bowed.
You could build a desk specially to your measurements, but this doesn't make allowance for computer upgrades (for instance, going from a desktop machine, where the monitor can sit on top of the computer, to a tower model, or switching from a 15" to a 21" monitor). The monitor distance from your seat, BTW, should be about arms length.
Set up your computer in a position that doesn't allow reflections in the monitor from windows or overhead lights. Reflections will create eyestrain and tend to make you tense because you can't read what's on the monitor properly.
Even with ergonomic furniture it's STILL possible to suffer neck, shoulder, arm, wrist and finger pain. By the time it reaches your wrists and hands, of course, you're in a really bad way. However, there are some exercises you can do. Preferably do them to PREVENT pain. Unfortunately, most need demonstrating with photos or graphics, but my favourite is easy to describe. Stretch out on your bed with your shoulders positioned so your head hangs over the edge. Support your head with both hands and slowly lower it over the edge of the bed as far as you can. Take away your hands and rotate your head an inch or two to both left and right, trying to see as much of the floor as you can. Then gently lift your head with your hands until it's level with the rest of your body. Do the exercise a few more times. Try doing it every morning as part of your dressing ritual, or every night before getting into bed. Certainly you should do it as soon as you notice the slightest pain.
This exercise works on the same principle as the best exercise for back pain (bending yourself backwards as far as you can). Backache, especially unexplainable backache, is usually caused by doing things that force you to bend forward for long periods. Slouching in your chair (particularly in a way that forces your body into a ³banana² shape) is another cause of backache.
Armchairs and sofas shouldn't need cushions. If they do they're badly designed. Cushions are difficult to arrange for proper lumbar support, so if the chair in which you sit to watch TV doesn't have good lumbar support, a special back roll for the purpose is probably your best bet. And don't forget the seats in your car!
Laraine Anne Barker writes fantasy for young people. Visit
her web site at
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By Anonymous
Portland, OR June 5, 2004 -- On Friday, June 18, City Club of Portland will hear State of the County addresses by two of the region's leaders: Diane M. Linn, chair of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners; and Tom Brian, chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners.
In many metropolitan regions, county government takes a back seat to big-picture state legislatures and narrowly defined city ordinances. But Oregon is different. From leading the national debate on same-sex marriage to building new and unique collaborations with cities and nonprofit organizations to deliver human services, county commissioners like Brian and Linn have become household names. On June 18, these two proactive commissioners will describe how Multnomah and Washington counties have fared over the past year-and what they see for the future of county government.
(The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners was invited but unable to participate in this forum. Commissioners Bill Kennemer and Martha Schrader are facing re-election, and Club rules limit their appearance while campaigning; Commissioner Larry Sowa's schedule precluded him from attending.)
This week's Friday Forum, which is open to the public, will be held at the Multnomah Athletic Club (1849 S.W. Salmon St.). Doors open at 11:30 AM. The program begins at 12:15 PM and concludes at 1:15 PM. Lunch reservations can be made online at www.pdxcityclub.org or by calling (503) 228-7231 by 2 PM Wednesday, June 16. Lunch tickets are $16 for members of City Club, $18 for nonmembers. Coffee/tea tickets are $5 at the door. General seating is free for members and $5 for nonmembers.
Note to Media: Media are encouraged to attend. Sign in at the registration table on the day of the forum.
About City Club of Portland
City Club of Portland is a nonprofit, nonpartisan education- and research-based civic organization dedicated to community service, public affairs and leadership development. Through weekly Friday Forums, citizen-based research reports, special programs and issue committees, City Club examines issues of importance to the Portland metropolitan region, the state and society as a whole. Membership is open to everyone. For more information about City Club of Portland, visit www.pdxcityclub.org or call (503) 228-7231.
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By Joan Bramsch & Vicki Metzger
Miniature Tropical Peacock Chair
Materials needed: Tools required: Instructions: JOAN BRAMSCH is a family person, educator, writer and E-publisher. Her articles appear internationally in print and online. Six of her best-selling adult novels - near one million copies - have worldwide distribution. Her
1. 18-count needlepoint canvas, 2-inches square.
2. small piece heavy cardboard
3. small piece seatcover fabric or paint to match.
4. bunka or thin ribbon for trim.
1. Scissors
2. Tacky glue
1. Trace pattern onto another piece of paper so you don't have to cut original pattern from instructions.
2. Trace duplicate pattern onto needlepoint canvas.
3. Cut out pattern from needlepoint canvas.
4. Glue tab "A" inside area "B", creating a circle to hold chair seat.
5. Cut out circle seat from heavy cardboard.
6. Paint or fabric cover circle seat.
7. Glue circle seat onto chair circle.
8. Cover raw edges of chair and trim around seat with matching bunka or thin ribbon.
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