Dr Marie Shieh, director of the Family Medicine Department at Beijing United Family Hospital, said her clinic is seeing an increasing number of health problems related to the use of computers.

When using computers "people get stuck to their chair," she said.

If workers don't remember to periodically get up and move they can easily develop strains in their backs, heads and necks.

Excessive use of laptop computers is especially pernicious since their placement cannot easily be modified. With laptops, users are forced to always look down at their screens, fixing their necks at an awkward angle.

Dr Loretta Dobbelsteyn, a physiotherapist and manager of physical and alternative medicine at Beijing United Family Hospital, said: "It's incredibly difficult to maintain good posture with a laptop."

Computer usage requires maintaining an unnatural "forward-flexed position" which can lead to repetitive strain injury, Dobbelsteyn added.

"Most people aren't aware of what that does to their posture and their health."

She recommends that patients stand at their computer stations if possible.

She also suggests that workers "change things up" and vary their physical activity or posture at work.

"The body loves movement," she said, adding that exercise is always good. "If you are stronger you cope better."

In an encouraging sign, Dobbelsteyn said that she is seeing a renewed interest among Beijing companies in improving office ergonomics. In the last year she has given five talks at company offices, though the majority of them have been foreign.

Health hazards in office environments also include overworking, which may be endemic to China as companies scramble to avail of business opportunities.

Wang, who has worked in white-collar environments in Beijing for eight years, said she once fell ill due to work-related stress and was hospitalized for half a day. Amazingly, even while lying in bed hooked up to an IV machine her boss called her up.

"The common practice is that companies push and push almost to the edge," she said.

"There is a lack of qualified professionals in Beijing. Markets are expanding so fast that companies aren't able to catch up. They don't have enough resources to provide sufficient training for their new employees so they end up pushing the ones they have," she said.

(China Daily 10/13/2006 page1)

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