The Local geeks

Repetitive stress in the workplace....

I found a video based on a new invention that is supposed to stop people from getting carpel tunnel which I find strange.  In the video they claim the biggest reason for carpel tunnel is the amount of movement of your wrist.  Being a computer repair guy and a former Jr system admin I see things in the workplace or at home that cause things like strain in the wrists or headaches and I know ways to fix that without buying expensive things.

First off with the carpel tunnel try doing this
 
For windows Vista or windows 7

1. Click on the start menu button
2. Click on the Control Panel
3. Click on Hardware and Sound
4. Click on Mouse in Devices and Printers
5. Click on the tab at the top called Pointer Options
6. Under Motion  Select Pointer Speed move the slider bar all the way to fast.
7. Check Enhanced Pointer Precision 

For Windows XP

1.  Click on the start menu button
2.  Click on the Control Panel
3.  Click on Mouse
4.  Click on the tab at the top called Pointer Options
5.  Under Motion  Select Pointer Speed move the slider bar all the way to fast.
6.  Check Enhanced Pointer Precision

You may have to get used to the mouse being a bit fast on your screen but if you notice you don't have to move your mouse more than an inch to move the mouse across the whole screen, if you move the mouse slowly it will move slower.

This should  reduce the amount of movement of your hand and wrist so you won't have as much pain from too much movement.  I personally have been working with computers for more than 20 years and a majority of that has been with 16 hours or more each day and I have no problems with my wrists.

As for Headaches, most people don't even realize that they get headaches from staring at the monitor all day if you have an older CRT monitor (the older bigger type) quite a few of them are still set at 60hz refresh rate which gives a slight flicker most people don't notice but it gives quite a headache and people just relate that headache to stress on the job. The newer flat panel monitors still need to adjust the hertz rating its just not as noticeable as a CRT


To change the Hertz rating on the monitor

For Windows 7

1. Right click on the background screen  
2. Click on Screen Resolution
3. Once Screen Resolution is up you can click a link called Advanced Settings on the right
4. A new window should come up with tabs at the top click on Monitor
5. Under Monitor settings: Screen Refresh Rate, change that to 75hz or hertz

For Windows Vista

1. Right click on the background screen   
2. Click on Personalize 
3. A window called Hardware and Sound will come up
4. Under Personalization click on Adjust Screen resolution
5. A new window should come up with Display settings
6. Click on the Advanced Settings button 
7. A new window should come up with tabs at the top click on Monitor
8. Under Monitor settings: Screen Refresh Rate, change that to 75hz or hertz

For Windows XP

1. Right click on the background screen   
2. Click on Properties
3. Click on the top right tab usually called Video settings
4. On that window click on Advanced Settings
5. A new window should come up with tabs at the top click on Monitor
6.  Under Monitor settings: Screen Refresh Rate, change that to 75hz or hertz

If your settings were at 60hz that would be a major reason why you would get headaches and not like to sit at the computer all day.


As I have said in the past I am no writer... just a tech trying to help out the world
one computer at a time.

Chris Long
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