August 3, 2012
The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. by President Chuck Horner. Lola Hunter at the Ticket Table has raffle tickets, door prize tickets, and 3" x 5" cards to write questions for discussions/answers at the end of the Meeting. This month we have 2 separate raffle prizes: a 16 GB flash drive and a Maxell wireless mouse.
We need folks willing to help out coordinating programs and with publicity.
SIG Announcements:
The Spectacular Linux SIG meets at 2 p.m. on the last Saturday of the month. In August that will be the 25th. There is no agenda for August yet. In the fast-moving world of Linux, there will be late-breaking developments. Stay tuned to your email box to get news closer to the meeting date.
The PCC Mobile SIG is on vacation.
As usual, the Hardware SIG will meet the evening after the Main Meeting at 8 p.m. at the Smith's house. Come to get help with your hardware or learn how to fix someone else's if your world is running with no glitches. Be sure to bring all the documentation you can find. Even when it's a hardware problem, software is usually involved. Call the Smiths if you need directions. The phone number is in your Newsletter.
Diane George said that the PCC Web site is set up with a content management system called Joomla. She would like to set up a class/short-term SIG 1)because it's fun and 2)because she'd like to have some backup for managing the Web site.
Presentation:
Manu Kalia is a physical therapist. His topic is how to not get hurt while using your computer.
He will email Elsie a chart that shows proper positioning of the keyboard, monitor, etc. An audience member asked about use of hormone supplementation. Manu explained that low testosterone can lead to increased body fat and decreased muscle mass. Oral supplementation is not very effective; a qualified physician needs to monitor intramuscular administration.
Another person asked about working with a laptop on your lap. Manu said that the radiation is probably unhealthy.
The biomechanics of hunching over a laptop are definitely unhealthy.
The common orthopedic and neurological issues that Manu sees in his work at St. Rose Hospital are neck, shoulder, back, carpal tunnel and other hand/arm problems up the arm to the elbow and shoulder. Prolonged sitting is a major cause of problems. People need to do something that reverses the hunching over posture encouraged by staring at the monitor.
The second issue that Manu finds is that prolonged sitting leads to stiffness in the hips. This causes hunching and the head tipping up, pinching the back of the neck.
Stress plays a huge role in injuries. Underlying physical and psychological stressors need to be addressed. It is not just the external event, but also the individual response and resilience. Psychological stress impacts the ability to heal.
Workload, stress, and regular exercise need to be addressed. Manu discussed sitting. No one kind of chair works for everybody. Trial and error is the only way to identify physical solutions. He likes "ball" chairs.
An audience member described slow deep breathing as a way to relieve stress. Manu noted that this supports getting the nervous system out of sympathetic fight or flight mode to relaxed parasympathetic mode as a goal. He recommended a book, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, by Robert M. Sapolsky.
The goal is not to be like someone else but to be the best you can be. From their parents, people have different basic genetic gifts. We cannot all handle the same level of work or stressors.
A weak body leads to a sluggish mind. People need to get moving and get their circulation going.
The basic seating position includes sitting all the way back in the chair and having feet flat on the floor. The top of the screen should be at eye level. After a while a computer user begins to slump and the upper body joints get stiff. The head-forward position becomes exaggerated and nerves in the neck and shoulders can be compromised. Standing for computer work or varying between sitting and standing helps some people. Working at home, you can put the computer on a counter and put something under it to raise it high enough.
When seated, hips should be higher than knees. That puts the load on the legs. Sitting with the knees higher than the hips makes slumping inevitable. Strengthening and flexibility exercises will prevent or postpone injuries. Sit with the feet apart widens the base and tilts the pelvis forward. This causes the middle and upper back to straighten and the head to move more over the shoulders and torso instead of thrust in front. Crossing legs or sitting with the feet together is a bad idea. The keyboard should be close enough so that the elbows never leave your side. Lower arms should be parallel to the floor.
Get up and move around at least every 30 minutes. If you can, move for 5 minutes. If not, at least get a glass of water or go to the bathroom.
Many people slump back when they drive, resulting in the head-forward position. This predisposes your disks to herniate. It also makes you more vulnerable to injury in case of an accident.
Adjustable keyboard trays can be added to a desk to position a keyboard properly. Dycem© or nonskid shelf paper will keep a keyboard and mouse from sliding. You can put a keyboard in your lap, on a pillow if necessary, to get it to the right height.
Manu showed using his chair to stretch the front of the hips.
Search for his name in YouTube to find demonstrations of exercises. He suggested alternate nostril breathing to relax the nervous system. Squatting as much as possible will help to build strength. Think of football players and sumo wrestlers who stand with their feet wide apart to give a wide base. Knees are slightly bent and their back is relatively straight, avoiding hyperextension of the low back and keeping the head in line with the spine.
Relax your hands. Float your fingers above the keys. That will keep your wrists flat and relaxed. Then gravity will help your fingers strike the keys and you will be able to use less force.
See his Web site: www.tridoshawellness.com
Q&A:
There was a question from someone who installed a new program and is getting a report from the system that the system is Windows 2000, although it is an XP system. This is because of a Registry problem. Cleaning out the Temp directory in each account might help. If the problem is the result of a conflict with a Microsoft update, going back several System Restores might also help, but that will wipe out any installations including updates and patches.
Back up the Registry before starting anything with it.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:47 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bayle Emlein, Secretary
