Football and Ergonomics
Sunday, January 10th, 2010
It’s that season again! NFL Playoffs are here. We all have our favorite teams and congrats if your team is still playing.
Being a Charger fan, I am expecting big things this year. Has our time finally come?
Most of us enjoy sitting in front of the tube, watching the games, eating and drinking and having fun with friends and family.
How does this all relate to ergonomics? Because, in reality everything we do relates to ergonomics. Here are some guidelines to help you through the perilous dangers of watching your teams on TV.
• Don’t drink too much and pass out in the snow.
• Remember to get up out of your chair to let your body circulate the blood and oxygen. If you are drinking beer, this won’t be a problem, but remember the previous warning about drinking too much.
• Don’t go out at half time and start running full speed passing routes without warming up first. My neighbor did this a few years back, snapped his Achilles’ tendon and wore a cast for the next 9 months.
• If you are a very enthusiastic and vocal fan, remember to keep your voice in the lower sound range rather that straining your vocal cords with high-pitched screams.
• If you are lucky enough to have playoff tickets, take along your own stadium seat with lower back support and buttocks support. You’ll be glad you did!
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• Bring along some hand warmer and foot warmer packs. They stay warm for hours.
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• If you can, position your chair so that you face the TV directly instead of watching the entire with your head and neck twisted to one side.
• When mixing up guacamole and other dips, use your entire body weight rather that only wrist and hand force. ☺☺
• If you are tailgating or taking stuff to a friend’s house to watch the game, remember “Don’t lift with your back”. Instead, bend your knees, using your leg power (keeping your back straight) when you take out the coolers and supplies from your vehicle.
• If you are eating or computing while watching the game, use a laptop tray or a very light, stand-alone table that you can position directly in front of you when you need it and easily move it out of the way when you don’t.
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• Good luck to all! Go Chargers
