It’s been quite a week in the video gaming industry for redefining the way in which we interact with our games consoles.

Nintendo have released the Wii MotionPlus which plugs into your existing Wii Remote the more accurately captures your movements. When the Wii was originally launched it was an exciting time for ergonomists as it showed the way towards a more mobile set of gamers, having to interact with the game using larger motor movements than the sedentary limited movement traditionally seen in video games. There is a problem with the Wii Remote though, after using it for a period of time, you discover that the wild motions you have been flaying across the living room when trying to hit a ball or knock someone out, actually require only the smallest flick of the wrist. Demoting the player once again to lounging on the couch whilst playing. The MotionPlus addon gets you back off your backside, because of the fidelity of the device, it can tell “how much” you have moved forcing you to take those larger swings and motions once again. Well done Nintendo!

Playstation and the XBOX 360 refuse to be outdone however! Although Nintendo seem to consistently steal the march on innovation with the gaming interface market, both Sony and Microsoft had some pretty game changing announcements to talk up at the gaming exhibition E3.

Sony announced their Motion Controller using a camera to detect the motion of handheld wands allowing you to interact with objects onscreen. Scheduled for a Spring 2010 release, this could really provide Nintendo with a challenge as Sony’s offering combines “motion gaming” with HD quality.

And lastly, Microsoft announced their Project Natal. Breathtaking videos showing levels of interactivity we’ve not seen before. This concept does away with controllers altogether, not only getting you off the sofa to play certain games, but also as you have nothing to hold, squeeze or operate with you hands, this could work wonders on our current ergonomic problem with video games.

With Sony and especially Microsoft, I think the main question remains amongst most people excited about it, as to whether the staged and scripted demonstrations where the controllers never left employees hands can turn into the revolutionary reality we all hope for.

We have just published the new Posturite catalogue for 2009/10. You can download a copy from our website or a request a hard copy.

Here you’ll find all the world-leading, innovative products – chairs, desks and workstation accessories – that have helped to establish Posturite as the nation’s leading provider of ergonomic solutions for the workplace. Since 1991 our Curative Sales division has been creating healthier and more productive environments for Britain’s office and home workers, giving us a hugely dominant share of the UK market.

These days, though, Posturite offers a whole lot more – a single source solution to your essential health, safety and First Aid services, training and equipment needs.

WorkRite provides multi-level e-learning, consultancy and training packages to help you meet the ever-increasing demands of health and safety legislation.

Posturite Office Environments delivers a range of services – from design and planning to full project management – to ensure you make the most of refurbished or new-build office space.

MediRite, our Occupational Health and First Aid supplies division, brings you all the products and training services you need to meet your First Aid, medical equipment and emergency care obligations.

Assistive Technology Solutions, our recently formed partnership with iansyst Ltd, gives you access to an extensive portfolio of products and services for those with disabilities such as visual impairment and dyslexia.

Posturite is unique in our sector in offering customers a truly local service through our nationwide network of strategically-located Account Managers and Client Support Executives, each of whom is a fully-qualified DSE assessor. You’ll find their contact details listed on the back cover of the catalogue. Please give any of your local team a call if you need advice or would like to have an on-site demonstration of any of our products.

I would also like to point you in the direction of our website – www.posturite.co.uk – where you can find additional help and information, shop online and keep up to date with any new products and services.

We look forward to working with you over the coming months. Meanwhile, if you know of someone else who would like to receive a catalogue, or you need extra copies yourself, please call us on 0845 345 0010, email support@posturite.co.uk or request a catalogue online.

Yours sincerely

Ian Fletcher-Price
CEO, Posturite Ltd.

Our friends at body in action have written a great article this week on improving posture.

Written by physio Paul Read, it covers the causes of poor posture, improving our posture and has a list of top tips for good posture.

The full article is a very good read with some great advice.

To book an appointment to see a well respected corrective exercise specialist for a full postural assessment, a highly individual exercise plan or for more details, contact paul@bodyinaction.co.uk or visit the body in action website.

With the release of Microsoft Windows 7 on the horizon and with one of it's main features being that it supports a multitouch user-interface (similar to an iPhone or a Tablet PC), alongside an N-trig screen, it got me thinking about the potential usability and ergonomic issues that may arise.

Touchscreens are already in use on a few popular mainsteam systems, such as the HP TouchSmart and the Dell Lattitude XT. If, eventually, every computer has a touchscreen, what would the ergonomic implications be?

For PDAs and mobiles a touchscreen isn't a problem, as they are designed to be carried and moving your hand to touch the screen is no different to touching the adjacent buttons. However, for desktop PCs, or even conventional laptops, it may prove a little more awkward. For starters, vertical touchscreens will force your arm/s to hang in the air instead of resting on a desk or a wrist rest. This would put immense pressure on your shoulders, arms and wrists throughout the day and could cause serious problems in the long term.

Simply putting touchscreens on conventional computers without altering their design is not practical, so new products would have to be designed to cater for this and existing products will eventually become redundant.

So, for all you budding product designers out there, get your thinking caps on. Maybe your product will feature on our site someday.

Recently, I read an article that touched on a very important topic in the Ergonomic office world: Can ergonomic chairs also be comfortable?

Read the full article

Having tried and tested many ergonomic chairs myself, I would have to agree that initially they can feel a little strange and even uncomfortable. This is not such a bad thing though, as it shows that your body is getting used to adopting the correct posture or variety of postures that will have massive benefits in the long run.

You will get instant benefits too, including better circulation and feeling less fatigued at the end of the day. In the longer term, proper support means you are less likely to experience any health problems associated with incorrect posture. After a few days, you should get used to the new chair setup, so you will feel more comfortable. Reverting to your old, incorrect posture will invariably now feel uncomfortable.

Comfort is merely what we're used to; if we're used to slouching, we wouldn't be comfortable sitting up straight, but something would still need to be done to stop future injuries. Essentially, we all need to realise that our health is more important than our deluded sense of initial comfort.

Most of us have or will experience back pain at some point in our lives. A lot of back pain is caused at work and since we spend most of our lives at work, it makes sense to ensure you're doing all you can to avoid getting it.

The Mail on Sunday recently published an article on beating back pain at work. It includes a list of simple steps you can take to save your back from any trouble.

See here for the article.

In ergonomics, work environments and systems are designed to maximize safety and efficiency, while protecting the health and vitality of individuals involved. Ergonomics plays a part in everything involving people: Work systems, sports, leisure and daily activities. Unfortunately, occupational injuries still occur, even among the most ergonomically aware companies.

Recently, Pilates (a series of non-impact exercises designed to develop strength, flexibility, balance and inner awareness) has become a widely used method of rehabilitation amongst Occupational Health specialists. Using Pilates and understanding body mechanics can enhance the patient's participation in all the aforementioned activities. In particular, functional fitness programs utilising Pilates based exercises can reduce ergonomic risks, prevent injury, and enhance function for the job of living.

The main reasons for the rise in its popularity are that Pilates can be used for a wide range of occupational injuries and the integration of physical therapy, Pilates and bodywork is rewarding and yields lasting results, meaning patients can enjoy the rehab experience. When they then go back to work they can be more confident that the injury won’t recur.

Of course, it is not just for those who have been injured; Pilates can be used along with Ergonomics as a preventative measure. So get your lycra on...

Here at Posturite we are not just concerned with ergonomics in the office environment; many of our workers spend a lot of their time driving, as do a great deal of the population. So this week the focus will be on ergonomics at the wheel.

Here is some advice from the experts:

Lower pressure on your back by sitting in a slightly reclined position (about 105 degrees) with the seat fully supporting your back.
The lower part of your back (the lumbar region) should always feel supported, as this helps maintain the natural ‘s’ shape of the back. If it’s not fully supported by your car seat, you can use a lumbar roll or a seat wedge.

Make sure your knees are slightly below your hips, increasing circulation to the legs and taking strain off of the lower back. Most cars have the ability to tilt the seat pan to allow for this.

Keep all items that you may need at hand but never keep them in your back pockets, as this will decrease circulation.

It may sound like your taking your first driving lesson again, but ensure that your mirrors are positioned so you don’t have to stretch or twist to see. If you are struggling to see any areas, invest in some blind spot mirrors.

Remember, driving shouldn’t be stressful; your shoulders should be relaxed and the steering wheel should be less than arms length away so you don’t have to lean forward and lose the support of the back of your seat.

Posturite will be holding their first Advanced DSE course on 24th September in Telecom House, Brighton.

The Advanced Display Screen Equipment Assessor course is designed for those people who have attended a Display Screen Equipment assessor course before or who have suitable experience of Display Screen Equipment assessments and issues and want further advice, a deeper understanding of the subject area and a chance to bring to the table areas of concern/difficulties in the presence of qualified Ergonomists and other experienced DSE assessors.

The course is a great opportunity for delegates to share their experiences of being DSE assessors and gain a broader understanding of Anatomy and Physiology, common musculoskeletal disorders, as well as an update on the Regulations and a review of ergonomic office accessories.

The half-day course is comprised of the following areas:

• Introduction
• Recap of DSE regulations, including expansion on problematic areas
• Review of assessment methods
• Advanced Anatomy and Physiology of neck, upper limbs and back
• In-depth look at common health problems, their relation to the anatomy and possible causes
• Review of ergonomic products, including practical session
• Home/mobile working
• Management of upper limb disorders
• Questions

To book or for more information on future courses, please call 0845 345 0010 and ask for Emma Dann.

So you’ve seen a product that claims it is “ergonomic”, but what exactly are the benefits and how do you know which product to choose?

See this article for a comprehensive guide to ergonomic hand tools and how to choose the best one for you:

How to Choose - and Use - Ergonomic Hand Tools

A recent study that increased the daily physical activity within an office showed that workers can lose weight without losing productivity.

Changes to the office included encouraging staff to conduct walking meetings, adding desks attached to treadmills and removing chairs and traditional desk seating.

The results showed the participants’ average weight loss to be 8.8lbs, with 90% of this being fat. Those participants who wanted to lose weight lost around double this figure!
All of this and an increase in productivity over the first three months of the study!

See the full article here for more information.

During the hot summer months outdoor workers most cope with the heat that they often can’t escape. Due to this, outdoor workers are susceptible to serious “heat illnesses” including heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

But it’s not only those who work outdoors who are vulnerable to such illnesses; indoor workers can be affected too, especially if temperatures aren’t regulated or workers consume caffeinated drinks, overwork or don’t consume enough water. Dehydration and “heat illnesses” can be extremely serious, so follow the below link and take a read of this article that details the causes and effects of such illnesses, what to look out for and how to avoid them.

Usernomics article on working and playing in the heat

Trackbar Emotion, the centred pointing device that is helping UK office workers to combat repetitive strain injuries, has been voted Best Product at the show by those attending the National Ergonomics Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas – one of the world’s biggest and most important ergonomics events.

Posturite has exclusive UK marketing rights for the Trackbar Emotion which was developed in Sweden by specialist company Euro Office. Big advantages of the Trackbar Emotion over other centred pointing devices are its small size (ideal for use with the increasingly popular short keyboards or laptops); its clickable roll bar that is thicker, smoother and more precise than most other roll-using peripherals; larger buttons that require two to three times less pressure than most mice; and its ability to be rotated through 180 degrees so that the user can choose whether the buttons are close to him/her or close to the keyboard.

Schools still have a lot to learn when it comes to choosing the furniture for their classrooms. Very few invest in the sort of ergonomic seating that could provide developing bodies with a degree of protection against future problems.

But that could all be about to change...

This week, our MD, Ian Fletcher-Price, talks about the increasing awareness of the benefits of sit/stand desking...

One of Posturite’s most popular products, the Evoluent Vertical Mouse, appeared last week in the Daily Mail’s Good Health supplement (Pg.57, Daily Mail, Tuesday, March 18, 2008,).

Spotted an interesting article from the other side of the pond that suggests a different view to the causes of this common syndrome.

http://www.presstelegram.com/business/ci_8454857

Carpal-tunnel injury drop puzzles analysts

DEBATE: Some believe that the syndrome was overdiagnosed, while others credit prevention efforts.