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Health Hazards

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Mon, 01/01/2001 - 1:00am

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

This is the most widely recognized medical diagnosis of repetitive strain injury. Sufferers often experience swelling of membrane linings and the surrounding tendons in the base of the palm of the hand. This inflammation compresses the nerve that supplies most of the feeling to the hand, causing numbness and aching in the inflamed area.  Read more

Janice's story

Mon, 01/01/2001 - 1:00am
RSI - Janice's story | Health Hazards

RSI - Janice's story

'It all happened very fast. It began with a very sore arm which my doctor diagnosed as tennis elbow. I took some anti-inflammatory drugs and by the time I returned from a scheduled holiday, it all felt fine.  Read more

Health Hazards

Mon, 01/01/2001 - 1:00am
In the past writer's cramp and eye problems plagued writers. A writer these days is going to spend a lot of time at their computer. These pages are designed to help.

These pages assemble the available advice and will include:  Read more


Your Working Environment

Mon, 01/01/2001 - 1:00am

Setting Up your Office:

Desk

Be realistic about the desk, file and shelf space you will need when designing your desk

Is there enough room for your research material and the notes you need? Use shelving and magazine racks to stop paperwork encroaching on the space in front of your computer monitor.   Read more

Input devices

Mon, 01/01/2001 - 1:00am
Keyboards and Mice

Keyboards:

Your keyboard should be just above the level of your lap, which is probably lower than you might expect. It leaves your elbows at a comfortable angle and minimises the pressure on wrists and fingers. Your forearms should be roughly parallel to the floor.  Read more

Visual Display

Mon, 01/01/2001 - 1:00am
Monitors and laptops
Positioning your monitor

A position away from a window is normally best, although there will still be some problems with reflections. You also need to be able to relax your eyes and stare into the distance so a nearby window is handy.  Read more

Your Computer Chair

Mon, 01/01/2001 - 1:00am

Your chair is probably the single most important component of your working environment. You should select and adjust your chair first as it will affect how you position your keyboard and monitor.  Read more

Looking after your eyes

Mon, 01/01/2001 - 1:00am

Humans were not designed to sit and stare at computer screens. The good news is that there is no evidence that prolonged computer use causes any eye damage. The bad news is that if you do not accept the limits imposed by physics and physiology you could induce numerous painful problems.  Read more


Things to check

Repetitive Strain Injury

Mon, 01/01/2001 - 1:00am
Repetitive Strain Injury


Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is an umbrella term, used to refer to various musculo-skeletal injuries.   Read more

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Linked items...

'When I was five, I thought I was a writer'

10 August 2020

‘We say to girls, "you can have ambition, but not too much" When I was five, I thought I was a writer. I didn't just want to be, I thought I was.  Read more

6 August 2020 - What's new

August 2020
  • 'Well, the first six weeks I was not doing any writing at all. It was all about making sure the kids were all right and everyone was in a good mental state. Then, I thought maybe I can work for an hour or two a day and it was really hard work getting back in the groove. But, hey, the books aren't going to write themselves.
  Read more

2020 Manchester Writing Competition

Information

Closing date: 
18 September 2020
Entry: 
Open to writers across the world. Entry fee £18
Prize: 
Two £10,000 prizes are awarded: the Manchester Poetry Prize for best portfolio of poems and the Manchester Fiction Prize for best short story

The Manchester Writing Competition offers the UK's biggest literary awards for unpublished work, offered by the country's most successful writing school. The Competition was established in 2008 by Carol Ann Duffy (UK Poet Laureate 2009-19) and has awarded more than £195,000 to writers.  Read more