Nearly all of our physical connection with the office computer on which we depend comes through the keyboard and mouse. Choosing the wrong keyboard and/or mouse, or settling for whatever is shipped with the computer, or placing it incorrectly, can be a mistake. For example, the wrong keyboard can make text input tiring at best, and physically damaging at worst. The wrong type of mouse can also cause considerable pain from a repetitive stress injury.

Choose the right keyboard for you: There are two basic types of keyboards - split and straight. Nearly all new computers come standard with a straight keyboard. A straight keyboard has its rows of keys lined up in a straight line from side to side. A split keyboard offsets the rows of keys at an angle, with the left side and the right side of the keyboard forming a noticeable "V" shape. Microsoft pioneered the split design and designated it as the "natural" keyboard. Whether this design is truly natural or ergonomic will vary from user to user.

If you experience hand, wrist, or arm pain using a standard straight keyboard, consider a split keyboard. The gentle inward slant may allow you to type in a more natural position. This will reduce strain on your wrist's carpal nerves, reducing pain and inflammation.

The split keyboard design works better for broader, large frame individuals or pregnant women because it allows them to put their arms in a better position to reach around the front of the body. It works less well for hunt and peck typists. Also, split keyboards can be larger and wider than straight keyboard, which could force the mouse too far to the side for optimal use.

Split keyboards can vary greatly from one another. The well-known Microsoft Natural keyboard is a fixed- angle keyboard. There are also adjustable angle keyboards and completely split keyboards where the left side and the right side are entirely detached from one another.

Changing keyboards will not produce immediate results. And there will be an adjustment period that can be frustrating while you get used to a new keyboard design. It could take several weeks before you know if a new keyboard is right for you. Finally, a keyboard change is not a substitute for medical attention if you suffer from persistent hand or wrist pain.

Position the keyboard properly: Keyboard placement is also critical to typing comfort. Do not align yourself with the physical center of the keyboard. Most keyboards have a numeric keypad on the far right that skews the center position. If you line up with the physical center of the keyboard, your right hand will be more bent because the alphabetic part of the keyboard will be to your left. If you use a straight keyboard, align yourself so that your body is centered on the "H" key.

Another consideration is the slope of the keyboard. Most keyboards slope upward from front to rear. As a result, you bend your hands upward when typing. This posture is called wrist extension. It can lead to pain and injury. You should adjust your keyboard so you type as flat a possible. The best way to do this with a standard keyboard is to place it on a height adjustable keyboard tray that tilts downward from front to rear (known as a negative or reverse slope). Adjust the height so that the keyboard is below the user's elbow height, perhaps an inch or two above the user's thighs. Most computer users have their keyboards much higher than this, risking pain and injury. If your keyboard is sitting on your regular working (desktop) surface, it is almost certainly too high. If it is in a desktop drawer, it is probably even higher and needs to be lowered to an under-desk tray, especially one that permits angle adjustments to achieve the downward slope.

Mouse placement: Use of a computer mouse can also cause repetitive stress injuries. Reaching for the mouse causes you to lean forward in your chair, extend your arm and support the weight of your body through your extended arm. If your mouse is not positioned close enough to your body, you will have to reach for it. Reaching for your mouse stresses your back. Placing the mouse too far away, too low, or too much on one side can cause shoulder, wrist, elbow, and forearm discomfort.

Try to place your mouse directly in your immediate reach zone. Use a platform for the mouse that places it just to the side of your properly adjusted keyboard. Just as with your keyboard, your wrist should be either in a neutral position or flexed slightly downward when operating your mouse.

Make sure that the upper arm and elbow are as close to the body and as relaxed as possible for mouse use - avoid overreaching. Hold the mouse lightly, don't grip it hard or squeeze it. Place the mouse where you don't have to reach up or over very far to use it. The closer you can place it to your body the better.

Get the right mouse: There is more to mouse comfort than proper positioning. A mouse that does not track well will cause you to repeat movements over and over, adding to the risk of injury. If you are still using a mechanical mouse (the kind with a small rubber ball inside), it is time to switch. The ball can get dirty, preventing proper pointer or cursor tracking. Even when clean, a ball mouse is not as smooth or precise as an optical or laser mouse.

Mouse cords are also a nuisance. They get tangled around items on your desk, creating unwanted drag. This drag or friction further increasing stress on your fingers, hand, arm, and shoulder. Once you try a cordless mouse, you will be hooked and never go back. The unfettered freedom of movement is refreshing and far less fatigue inducing.

When you consider how much time you spend using your keyboard and mouse, the small additional investment in finding the right one for you, then placing it properly, is a no-brainer. It is also important for your staff. We've heard of cases where a valued staff member left a law firm because the firm refused to make the small investment in computer ergonomics that would have reduced the staff person's fatigue and pain. Don't let this happen to you.

 

In most law firms, the lawyers and staff are expected to multitask. In fact, the more technologically advanced the firm, the more multitasking must be done. Firms that use practice management or document management systems depend on the ability of the lawyer or staff person to talk on the telephone while simultaneously using the computer keyboard and/or mouse. Without a telephone headset, this task is uncomfortable, if not impossible. It is in the use of the telephone handset that the most significant work-related disorders of the neck occur. When the seemingly simple act of squeezing the handset against the shoulder and neck is performed routinely, or held for long periods of time, anything ranging from discomfort to structural tissue damage can occur. The use of a telephone headset can reduce headaches and pains in the shoulder and neck areas by allowing the head to stay centered on the spinal column while using the phone. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that forcing a staff person to talk on the telephone and use a computer simultaneously without a headset borders on abuse.

Nearly all modern office telephones can be retrofitted with corded or cordless headsets. If you opt for a cordless headset (or cordless telephone), select one that does not operate in the 2.4 GHZ radio frequency band. Most wireless computer networks also use that frequency range and interference is possible.

Corded headsets are fine if you or the staff person does not need to use the phone away from the desk. However, anyone who is frequently away from his/her desk should have a cordless headset.

There are many choices. A good place to start is Hello Direct, an on-line store with a wide selection of telephone headsets and accessories. Also, most office superstores, such as Staples and Office Depot sell a variety of telephone headsets.

 

While you are using your keyboard, mouse, and telephone headset, you are almost certainly looking at your computer screen. The quality of the image on that screen can greatly impact your workplace comfort.

Choose the right monitor: Old style cathode ray tube (CRT) computer monitors are subject to screen flicker, hot spots and geometry problems. These issues are virtually eliminated in liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor technology. LCD monitors use much less power than CRTs - about 60% less energy. You can make up the now marginally higher cost of an LCD monitor in energy savings.

Technically, screen Flicker is visible fading between image frames displayed on a CRT monitor. Flicker occurs when the monitor's CRT is driven at a low refresh rate, allowing the screen's phosphors to lose their excitation (afterglow) between sweeps of the electron gun. Flicker is most noticeable at the edge of the user's field of view. As a practical matter, this effect creates eyestrain that can cause fatigue and headaches.

Once you've decided on an LCD monitor, make sure you get one that is large enough. Unless space is at a premium, rule out 15" LCD's. Get at least a 17" and preferably a 19" LCD monitor.

Monitor placement: Placing your monitor properly is crucial to good ergonomics. For most users, the best position for your monitor is directly in front of you. Putting the monitor off-center (i.e., to the left or right of your body) can cause neck and shoulder pain due to twisting and awkward posture.

Your monitor should be about arm's length away when you're sitting back in your chair. (Sitting too close or too far from your screen can cause eyestrain). If you have a large monitor - 20" or larger - you should sit slightly further back.

The ideal viewing height is to have your eyes level with an imaginary line across the screen, about 2"-3" below the top of the monitor. This can be accomplished in one of two ways - either by either lowering your monitor or raising your chair. If your screen is too low, you'll find yourself tilting your head forward to view the monitor (a common cause of neck pain). If it's too high, you may have to tilt your head back, leading to neck and shoulder pain - and increasing the likelihood of glare from overhead lights (a common cause of headaches).

Tilt the screen so that the base is slightly closer to you than the top. This enables you to view the entire screen and the display more clearly. Tilting the monitor downward isn't recommended unless necessary to reduce the glare of overhead lights or if your monitor is too high and can't be adjusted.

Windows are a common source of glare on the monitor. If you work in a room with windows, be sensitive to any reflections (or glare) that may show on your monitor and cause you to squint. A great way to check for glare is to turn your monitor off and examine any reflections visible on it. Also, placing your monitor directly in front of a window can create an uncomfortable viewing situation if the brightness of the window is greater than that of the monitor. You should adjust your monitor so that its brightness is approximately equal to the area directly behind it. The goal is to eliminate any contrast between the brightness of the screen and the area behind it. This assumes that your workplace is properly lit. Uneven brightness can cause headaches and vision issues (such as fatigue and squinting). You may need to adjust your screen brightness throughout the day if your workspace is lit by natural light.

If you frequently interact with others, such as a lawyer who works on a computer and conducts client conferences from the same desk, consider using a swivel arm monitor mount. Swivel arms enable users to maintain proper monitor location while in use and easily swing their monitors out of the way when not in use.

 

Below is a list of the current versions of important law office software supported by Cooperative Network Integrators, Inc..

Amicus Attorney Downloads

• Amicus Attorney 7: build 7.0.1.5
• Amicus Attorney V: v 5.1.1
• Amicus Attorney V+: v. 5.5.1
• Amicus Attorney V+ with Accounting Integration ONLY: v. 5.8.x
• Amicus Attorney X: v. SP1.1
• Amicus Small Firm: v. 5.7.x

 

Amicus Accounting

• Amicus Accounting: release 2006.1.0

 

Microsoft Office:

• Click here and select Check for Updates.

 

 

Amicus Accounting demos will be available the month of October. Contact Carmen Relatores to schedule a time. Have as many staff members as you want gathered in front of your computer. But, unfortunately, phone conferences will be limited to the demonstrator and only one person from your firm.

Demos are expected to run 30 minutes. Call (513) 368-0042 or email at crelatores@cni- incorporated.com. Emails should contain a specific request for an Amicus Accounting Demo.

If you'd prefer a demo at your office, please don't hesitate to call. We'll do our best to accommodate your busy schedule.

 

Amicus Small Firm Edition Demos will also be available the month of October. Contact Carmen Relatores to schedule a time. Have as many staff members as you want gathered in front of your computer. But, unfortunately, phone conferences will be limited to the demonstrator and only one person from your firm.

Demos are expected to run 30 minutes. Call (513) 368-0042 or email at crelatores@cni- incorporated.com. Emails should contain a specific request for an Amicus Small Firm Edition Demo.

If you'd prefer a demo at your office, please don't hesitate to call. We'll do our best to accommodate your busy schedule.

 

During the last several months we've conducted several free on-line demonstrations of Amicus Attorney 7, the latest version of the leading practice management software. Space at these demos was necessarily limited so that we could effectively answer your questions. That meant that not everyone who wanted to participate and learn about this new software was able to do so.

We can schedule Amicus Attorney 7 "newbie" demos and "Amicus veteran" demos during the month of October. So that we can make the demos even more helpful, we will tailor the "newbie" demo for those who have never before seen or used Amicus Attorney. This restriction lets us tailor the presentation to better answer your questions.

For those using prior versions (V+ and earlier) of Amicus Attorney, the "Amicus veteran" demo will be used.

Have as many staff members as you want gathered in front of your computer. But, unfortunately, phone conferences will be limited to the demonstrator and only one person from your firm.

Demos will last 30 minutes. Send an email or call Carmen Relatores at crelatores@cni-incorporated.com or (513) 368- 0042 to schedule a demo. Make sure your message indicates which demo ("Amicus newbie" or "Amicus veteran") you wish to schedule. We will send you the log-in information for the web demo via return email.

email: rcarter@cni-incorporated.com

phone: 513-755-1377

web: http://www.cni-incorporated.com