|
Computers may be
stimulating kids' minds, but what are they doing to
their bodies? Researchers at Cornell University, in
Ithaca, New York, have been looking at the effects of
all of those hours at the keyboard on kids' hands, arms
and shoulders.
In a recent study, middle-school students were given
a typing test, then played a game requiring a mouse.
The researchers found that there is less stress on the
joints and muscles when the keyboard and mouse are not
on top of the desk, but on a lower platform. "Imagine
that you're sitting back in your chair, working with
the keyboard almost in your lap - that is the kind of
posture that poses the least risk of injury for both
kids and adults," says researcher Alan Hedge, a
professor of ergonomics.
-Ann Kellan, Science and
Technology Week
|
