|
 With children using computers more and
more, it's never been more important to encourage them into good posture
habits from a young age
A recent study by the University of Edinburgh of over 4000 Scottish
schoolchildren found that 60% of regular computer users reported frequent
headaches, over 40% frequent neck pain or shoulder pain, and around 15%
frequent back pain (source: Alexander and Currie 2003)
Meanwhile, the ViewSonic @Work @Risk survey 2007 found that 71% of
computer workers reported suffering back pain, but this rose to a staggering
80% of 16-24 year old computer workers
Clearly, the increase in computer use and sedentary lifestyles are leading to
an increase in musculoskeletal problems. Such problems are painful,
restrictive, and in extreme cases, life- and career-affecting
Although some schools are beginning to wake up to their ergonomic
responsibilities, in practice the majority of young people go through school,
college, university and even their first jobs before ever receiving ergonomic
training
Small wonder that many of us enter the world of work already suffering from
minor health problems and deeply-ingrained bad habits!
If you're a parent, you want to give your children the best possible start
in life. Countless generations of parents have implored their children to
"sit up straight," but that advice has never been more important
By installing PostureMinder on your family's computer(s), you can make good
posture habits a core part of computer use. By using PostureMinder yourself you
can also lead by example
Similarly, educating students in good posture habits should be a small but key
aspect of ICT teaching to prepare students for a healthy working life
|
Using PostureMinder with
children
|
|
With both Home and Education Editions of PostureMinder, you should
first lead children through the ergonomic advice carefully so that they
understand the value of good posture
Then help them to set up their chair and computer according to the ergonomic
advice, and use the webcam to capture a reference image of them sitting in a
good posture. PostureMinder will then work in the background, using the webcam
to continually check their posture compared to the reference and providing
reminders whenever they sit badly for an extended period
You may also find it helpful to reinforce the importance of good posture and
encourage children to keep by discussing their posture statistics at regular
intervals to encourage them to keep improving
Each student or member of the family can set up PostureMinder to suit their
needs and personalise the appearance of all
reminders to reflect their personality
If you have a webcam in your home, why not
purchase PostureMinder Home Edition now and start protecting your
family's health right away?
|
