HP OmniBook XE2-DB Notebook PC - Manual (Page 43)

Using the OmniBook
Working in Comfort
Setup Guide 43
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Arms: Make sure your arms and elbows are relaxed and loose, with your upper
arm perpendicular to the floor or slightly forward. Keep your forearms and
hands approximately parallel with the floor with elbows bent between 70 and
115 degrees. Keep your elbows close to your sides (less than 20 degrees away
from your body).
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Legs: Your thighs should be horizontal or angled slightly downward. Your lower
legs should be near a right angle to your thighs. Make sure there is sufficient
room under the work surface for your legs.
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Feet: If after adjusting your chair you cannot rest your feet comfortably on the
floor, use a footrest, preferably one that can be adjusted in height and angle.
Overall
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Look away from the screen from time-to-time to help reduce eyestrain. Focus on
distant objects briefly, and blink periodically to lubricate your eyes. You also
should have your eyes checked on a regular basis and ensure your eyeglass
prescription is suitable for working on a monitor screen.
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Remember to occasionally shift position and move your body. Keeping your
body in one position for long periods is unnatural and stressful. When prolonged
work is required, take frequent short breaks. As a rule of thumb, a five- or ten-
minute break every hour is a good idea. Short, frequent breaks are more
beneficial than longer less frequent breaks. Data show that people who work for
long periods of time without a break may be more prone to injury.
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Changing tasks frequently will help prevent muscle stiffness. Examples:
alternating between keyboarding, reading, writing, filing, and moving around in
your work environment, helps you maintain a relaxed posture. Occasionally
stretch the muscles in your hands, arms, shoulders, neck, and back. You should
stretch at least as often as you take brief task breaks—at least once every hour.
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Discomfort may be alleviated by using alternative ergonomic designs and
accessories such as ergonomically personalized chairs, palm rests, keyboard
trays, alternative input devices, prescription eyeglasses, anti-glare screens, and
more. Seek additional information from the sources available to you, including
your employer, doctor, local office supply store, and the information sources
listed in the online version of Working in Comfort, which is preloaded on the
hard disk of your HP computing equipment.