Prevention

In Zap! How Your Computer Can Hurt You and What To Do, Don Sellers likens the office environment to an ecosystem (44). Ideally, the ecosystem is in balance, with happy, healthy employees with good stress management techniques working in an ergonomically sound environment. But in reality, most work settings fall short of this ideal, which means that the body must adapt and compensate accordingly.

The major causes that can lead to injury are the physical workplace, the psychological atmosphere of the work environment and the physical demands of the job (45). Workstations that cannot be adjusted to fit your body and coworkers who cause stress are more specific examples of possible contributing factors to an RSI.

As the old adage goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" - an axiom that holds equally true in regards to repetitive strain injuries. Ignoring the warning signs of a repetitive strain injury in the hopes that they will disappear on their own may cause further harm. Early intervention or prevention is the key to preventing long-term disability.

If possible, vary your work tasks.
Take breaks to stretch, relax and rest your eyes.
Get up and move periodically. If you are prone to forgetfulness, there are freeware programs available that will remind you to take breaks.
Consider moving the printer to a different room as it will require you to get up and walk to retrieve the document.
Go for a short walk on your lunch break.
Increase the font size to avoid eyestrain and poor posture associated with hunching over your computer.
Wear layered clothing so you can adapt to any temperature changes.
Because offices are more likely to be air-conditioned and cold muscles are more prone to injury, wear a sweater or keep one at work.
Use every opportunity to relax your muscles, whether its during a phone call or while thinking and planning.

Take a microbreak. What is a microbreak? It is a very short (1-2 second) relaxation of tense muscles. How to take a microbreak:

"Every 30 to 45 seconds while working at the keyboard or mouse drop your hands to your lap, your sides, or on your desk next to the keyboard and let your arms, shoulders and hands go limp. Breathe evenly in and out through the nose while keeping your eyes open with relaxed lids. Put on a little smile (stretch your lips horizontally while slightly drawing the corners up and back), and slightly tilt your head sideways while relaxing the body. After 1-2 second break, return to work." (46).

Erik Peper and Katherine Hughes Gibney have the following suggestions for healthy computing (47):

Develop work habits that help to maintain health and avoid injury, i.e. taking breaks and pacing your workload.
Adjust your workspace and equipment to your needs.
Learn to sense muscle tension and reactivity ‚ let go physically, mentally and emotionally.
Manage your stress at work and at home.
Allow your body to rebuild and restore, which prevents burnout.
Protect your eyes from strain and dryness and wear appropriate prescription glasses if necessary.
Keep fit to avoid injury.