Dear Barbara and histonetters,
In Australia, many histotechs stand to cut and many also use their
microtomes side-on. There appears to be an ergonomic advantage in this
method because we tend to move the whole body to accomplish the trimming,
cutting, floating and picking up. 

The action of turning the flywheel on the microtome while standing side-on
involves far less wrist action than the front-on posture. Maybe the ideal
would be to alternate between side-on and front-on, and between sitting and
standing so that we don't get locked into one position for any length of time.

Care must be taken to wear supportive footware and/or have padded flooring
so that you don't transfer your woes from your wrist to your feet.

         Regards,   Laurie.

  

At 03:21 PM 6/1/1999 -0400, you wrote:
>When I  was  taught  cutting  with the
>microtome (many years ago)  we  stood
>at  a  counter -
>
>I was told  by  my teacher  - she  had 
>always done it that  way - and  thought
>that  possibly her teacher  learned histology  in  England....
>
>So I have continued  to  do this  - no
>carpal  tunnel  -good  posture- weight
>contol  -
>
>But  I've been curious  - is it done this
>way  in UK? - does anyone else cut
>standing up-
>
>best regards to all  "histonetters"
>
>Barbara Webb HT(ASCP)HTL
>Dorchester General  Hospital
>Cambridge, Maryland  
>
>
>
Mr.Laurie Reilly                          Ph 07 4781 4468
Physiology & Pharmacology                 Fax  07 4781 5558 
Aust.Inst.of Tropical Vet.& Animal Sc.    
James Cook University                     laurie.reilly@jcu.edu.au
       Townsville  Qld. 4811                            
Australia.