Do headaches and cramped, sore muscles plague you after long hours in front of a computer? A Border health professional and three Charles Sturt University graduates have developed a way to deal with the pain.

Albury physiotherapist Luke Spetch has joined with third year information technology (IT) students Paul Drummond, Angus Florance and Shane Gibb to develop software to help computer operators prevent those aches and pains.

“Over the past 15 years, I have noticed a steady rise in computer related injuries, shown by tiredness, neck, wrist and back pains and headaches. These are symptoms of Occupational Oversue Injury, or OOI,” Mr Spetch said.

“In NSW, employers have to ensure that they do as much as they can to protect the health and safety of others in the workplace. OOI is responsible for almost 1 500 Australian workers each year taking time off from work. According to NSW WorkCover, the average cost of OOI is $18 000 per claim, so there is a real incentive for employers to reduce the incidence of these injuries.”

The group has developed innovative software, titled P@WS or Physio @ Work Station, to help reduce OOI by: 

• giving simple instructions on how computer operators can set up a “painless” workstation; 
• reminding operators to exercise regularly and presenting examples of the exercises; and 
• demonstrating the correct sitting position for operators at their work situations.

The software can also be adapted to give operators regular messages on improving health and maintaining better lifestyles.

P@WS was developed as a major project by final year CSU students in the IT degree at the Albury-Wodonga Campus.

Mr Spetch and the CSU students, who have since graduated with degrees in IT, are selling the program through their software development company, Top Dog Solutions. A number of Border companies, large and small, are now assessing the software for their businesses.

CSU IT lecturer and coordinator of the final year projects, Dr David Cornforth, said that projects such as these provided an excellent opportunity for students to hone their people and project management skills while providing relevant real world experience and quality software solutions for a local business or organisation.