| The explosive growth of computers and the | | | | (Ergonomie;1993). "Start with a good chair," |
| home means that more people are being sidelined | | | | Windsor said. "It should have as much adjustability |
| with repetitive strain injuries, although exact | | | | as possible and be easy to" adjust. The chair |
| numbers are not available. According to a | | | | should not be so long that it digs into the back of |
| three-year study by the National Institute for | | | | the legs, and the chair's height should be adjusted |
| Occupational Safety and Health, about 20 percent | | | | so that the feet can touch the floor without |
| of people who work primarily on computers | | | | dangling, he said. To help improve posture, make |
| suffer from RSI. They spend millions of dollars | | | | a simple adjustment to the keyboard. Slip a |
| each year searching for ergonomic devices that | | | | board, about three-quarters to one inch thick, |
| enable them to work without pain. "There has | | | | beneath the lowest side of the keyboard. This |
| been a complete lack of proper and authoritative | | | | provides a "negative" tilt, taking some strain off |
| research" said Russell Windsor, who treats people | | | | the wrists, and "it encourages you to sit up a little |
| with RSI at the Hospital for Special Surgery in | | | | straighter," Windsor said. "Sufferers of RSI can be |
| New York. "There has been little actual proper | | | | aided by the correct climate with which to |
| scientific research." But incorrect seating, poor | | | | operate from at work." said Edward Rankin, Chief |
| work regimes and appalling physical fitness can | | | | of Orthopaedic surgery at Providence Hospital in |
| also play a role, which is why many experts often | | | | Washington and a spokesman for the American |
| prescribe special exercises to help lessen the | | | | College of Orthopaedic Surgeons. "They could |
| effects of long hours at the computer. "People | | | | change the desk height, change the seat, use a |
| who use computers are essentially upper-body | | | | foam wrist rest." However there are certain |
| athletes," Windsor said. "They are making | | | | experts out there who believe that the best way |
| hundreds of thousands of key strokes." While | | | | to treat RSI is keep the tendons supple and |
| these movements may be small, they carry the | | | | moving. "Tendons that move heal better," |
| risks and dangers of any athletic activity. "A | | | | Windsor said. "They have to be able to remain |
| shoulder or a thigh can take a great deal more | | | | supple." By limiting how much hands and wrists |
| use and abuse than can a tiny tendon in your | | | | move, "you can cause muscles to contract and |
| hand," said Stephanie Brown, a concert pianist | | | | tendons to shrink," he said. "People end up |
| who is author of a method for preventing RSI | | | | alleviating some of the pain, but they tend to put |
| from computer use, which is contained in "The | | | | added stress on some of the other muscle |
| Hand Book: Preventing Computer Injury." | | | | groups. You really want a range of motion. |