FASTBACKPOWISS52STITCHERUSER’SMANUAL3
SAFETY & COMFORT (continued)
I
Inrecentyears,medicalattentiononoccupationalinjurieshasidentied
common,seeminglyharmlessactivitiesaspotentialcausesofawide
rangeofproblemscollectivelyknownasRepetitiveStressInjuriesor
CumulativeTraumaDisorders.Itisnowrecognizedthatanyrepetitive
motionmaycontributetothesehealthproblems.Dependingonhowitis
used,theprolongedorrepetitiveuseofalmostanymachinemighthavea
potentialfordiscomfortorinjury.AsauserofthisStitcher,youmightalso
be at risk.
The most commonly accepted causes of this type of disorder are
repeated,forcefulactions,usuallyinanawkwardpositionorposture,
withoutsufcientresttoallowthebodytorecover.Theserepetitive
actionsmaycausenerves,tendons,ligaments,andothersoftbodyparts
tobecomeirritatedandinamed.
Bypayingattentiontothewayyouperformyourwork,anddoother
activities,youcanidentifythebehaviorsthatcouldputyouatrisk.The
precautionsoutlinedbelowareexamplesyoucantaketohelpreduce
thelikelihoodofdevelopingtheseproblemsandworkmorecomfortably
withyournewStitcher.Keepinmind,however,thattheseareonly
suggestions.Comfortispersonalandonlyyoumaybeabletojudgewhat
worksbestforyou.
• Youmayndthatyourbodywillbemostcomfortableandrelaxed
withtheStitcherplaceddirectlyinfrontofyou.TheStitcher
andyoursuppliesshouldbewithineasyreach—avoidexcessive
stretching.
• TheStitchermaybeusedineitherastandingorseatedposition.
Ifyouarestanding,makesurethattheworksurfaceheightthat
theStitcherisondoesnotrequireyoutobendoverinawaythat
wouldstrainyourbackorarms.
• Ifyouareseated,adjusttheheightofyourchairtoyourtableso
yourbodyisnaturallyalignedandmakesureyouhaveadequate
legroom.Stayrelaxedandrelativelyupright.Don’tforceyourself
into an uncomfortable position.
• Donotbendyourwristsunnaturallyduringuse.
• Don’tstayinonepositionfortoolong.Trychanginghandsand
varying your posture.
• Takebreaks.Frequentshortbreaksareprobablybetterthanafew
long ones.
Manyfactorsgointocreatingacomfortableworkspace,includingproper
placementandadjustmentoffurnitureandequipment.Athoroughwork
siteanalysisbyaqualiedexpertisimportantinordertoreducetherisk
ofrepetitivemotioninjuries.Ifyouexperiencepain,throbbing,aching,
tingling,stiffness,aburningsensation,swelling,numbness,orweaknessin
yourwrists,hands,armsorlegs,seeyourphysicianimmediately.
DO NOT IGNORE THESE WARNING SIGNS. Even if symptoms occur
whenyouarenotusingtheStitcher,theycanbeassociatedwithpainful
andsometimespermanentlydisablinginjuriesordisordersofthenerves,
muscles,tendons,orotherpartsofthebody.Thesesymptomscould
meanthatyouaredevelopingarepetitivestressinjurythatrequires
promptmedicalattention.Formoredetailedinformation,consultyour
doctor.