Ergaerobics: Why Does Working at My Computer Hurt So Much?

ErgAerobics:Why does working @ my computer hurt so much? is a comprehensive guide to help computer users prevent and treat Computer Induced Repetitive Stress Injuries (CIRSIs) such as carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain, neck pain, headaches, TMJ, etc. Computer use has dramatically increased in the last ten years with no sign of decline in sight. With increased use, the likelihood of a computer user experiencing one or more CIRSIs is greater. Everyone knows someone who has had carpal tunnel syndrome or severe back pain. The US Department of Labor estimates that one-half of the workforce will experience a repetitive stress injury at some point in their career. You may or may not feel the effects yet, but chances are that after years, or even just months of computer use, you will become a victim, too.

This book can help you avoid a potentially chronic situation. CIRSIs are explained, causes are examined, and treatment and prevention options are discussed. A comprehensive checklist of proper workstation arrangement is included. Proper posture and human interaction with a computer is explained. In addition, an extensive index of ErgErcises--exercises to be done at your computer to prevent CIRSIs--provides detailed descriptions of these effective, inconspicuous and time-effective exercises. This comprehensive system will greatly aid the computer user prevent CIRSIs.

Many books on this subject are very scientific in nature, often written by engineers. ErgAerobics:Why does working @ my computer hurt so much? was written for the average computer user, not technicians. The information is presented in a very easy to follow format. Thanks to the presence of Ergle, Ergella, and Cirsi Boy, the presentation is light and entertaining. These animated characters guide the reader through the potential dangers of working at a computer and give helpful tips on how to avoid them.

The authors are both physical therapists who are very experienced at treating patients with CIRSIs. Their methods are proven to work. Most importantly they have learned that the most effective method of treating CIRSIs is to prevent them. ErgAerobics:Why does working @ my computer hurt so much? provides the reader with the ammunition to fight the war against CIRSIs.

Produced by physical therapists Perry Bonomo and Daniel Seidler, this video demonstrates 42 exercises aimed at preventing and treating computer-induced repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) such as carpal tunnel syndrome and back pain. The exercises, though given cutesy names like "Frankenstein" and "Abra Cadabra," are well worth learning. However, the video, while instructional, is not paced to accompany a full set of exercises; viewers are told to do several repetitions of an exercise but are not given ample time to accomplish them. Rather, the program seems aimed at teaching the exercises so people can later do them at their desks. However, to learn the exercises fully, viewers would be helped even more by reading the more comprehensive (but equally cutesy) companion book, ErgAerobics, which, a bit confusingly, does not follow the pacing of the video. Recommended only as a supplement to the book.ANorman Oder, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.