Ergonomic Tips (11/01)
Ergonomic telephone rules that work
by John R. Chait D.C., drchait@home.com
Member of the Sarasota Personal Computer Users Group, Inc.
Most people are
surprised to learn that misusing the telephone can lead to shoulder,
neck pain, headaches and other physical problems. If you use a telephone
while you work at your computer, you probably occasionally cradle the
telephone between your head 
and
your shoulder. Working with this posture can result in a spasm or
contracted muscle on the phone side that restricts blood supply and
becomes very irritated. Elongated muscles on opposite side may also
cause pain while being stretched.
The correct positioning of the base of a corded telephone relative to your position depends on how often you use it. If you frequently place or answer calls from a phone with a cord, it should be positioned in normal reach. To determine the area covered by your normal reach, put each arm out to the side of your body and move them from this position until the hands meet at the center of your body in front of you. Your phone, along with everything else you use frequently should be within this zone.
If you frequently make calls, consider using a cordless phone or one with the numeric pad on the receiver rather than the base. This will avoid having to extend your reach to dial a phone number. However, if you often make calls within voice mail and other automated systems, using a phone with numeric pad on its base will be more convenient.
Learn how to hold your phone in a proper position against your ear. Your head should remain straight and your shoulders in a relaxed state. Your shoulder and head can be bent slightly to one side to cradle the phone, though preferably not for prolonged periods of time to prevent any cramping. If you tend to use the phone for long periods, consider changing ears and supporting the hand on a regular basis. If your calls tend to be shorter, consider switching ears and your hands every other call.
Using a Headset allows hands-free conversations and will reduce the risk of any discomfort or injury associated with improper phone use. This is superior to a speakerphone because it will work well in a loud environment or with private conversations. If you use the phone frequently most of the day, a headset is your best option. Headsets can be purchased at most office supply stores for a price ranging from $20-$250. They are easily installed on any phone. If you do use a headset with a single earpiece, consider switching ears to eliminate any pain that may be caused by continuous pressure on only one ear.
Using a speaker phone permits hands-free telephone conversations,
eliminating the risk of any pain discomfort or spasm associated with
improper phone use. Speakerphones do have practical limitations.
Generally,
they won't work well in a noisy environment or for private
conversations, and may sometimes hinder the sound quality of the
conversation.
If your computer has a microphone and a sound card, and connects to the Internet, you can use one of the Internet-based phone Websites such as Dialpad.com. Using your computer as a phone has the same limitations as a speakerphone. It won't work well in a noisy environment or for private calls. The sound quality can be very disappointing if you do not have a good connection. As technology improves, the sound quality available for phone calls over the Internet will improve. :
Copyright 2001. This article is from the November 2001 issue of the Sarasota PC Monitor, the official monthly publication of the Sarasota Personal Computer Users Group, Inc., P.O. Box 15889, Sarasota, FL 34277-1889. Permission to reprint is granted only to other non-profit computer user groups, provided proper credit is given to the author and our publication. We would appreciate receiving a copy of the publication the reprint appears in, please send to above address, Attn: Editor. For further information about our group, email: admin@spcug.org/ Web: http://www.spcug.org/
The Sarasota Personal Computer Users Group, Inc. has 1,300+ members and was established in 1982. We are members of the Assoc. of PC User Groups (APCUG), the Florida Assoc. of PC Users Groups, Inc., and we are members of the America Online Ambassador Program.
See http://www.spcug.org for all reviews from the Sarasota PC Monitor, go to the Newsletter Section.