Computer related RSI Literature review (theoretical background)

Catherine Doyle from the website ‘natural bloom’ (naturalbloom, Doyle, 2003) has stated that RSI is caused by the repetitive movements made by such people as musicians, sports people and increasingly, computers users, she goes onto list the following as potential warning signs that RSI from computer use maybe setting in:

• Pain
• numbness
• tingling
• weakness, and/or
• stiffness

She states that noticing any of the above issues in a computer user’s thumbs, fingers, hands, wrists, arms, elbows, shoulders, upper back/neck should prompt them to stop the activity and to seek relevant medical advice to stop the issue becoming a bigger problem. Along with listing taking regular breaks as a way of preventing RSI, and should the users begin to feel RSI related pain to leave the work area, stand up, walk around and generally loosen the body. She also states that the user should research into ergonomics to be sure their computer is setup correctly for them interms of monitor height, chair position’s e.t.c, and to take note of forearms, arms, wrists, neck and back positions. Radhika Meganathan from the website ‘Writers-World’ (Writing-World, Meganathan, 2004) agrees with Catherine Doyle in ensuring that user’s take regular breaks from their computer. In Radhika’s report he states that at least 10-15 minutes of every hour should be spent away from the mouse and keyboard, and that like Catherine Doyle, the users should also get up from the workstation and move around. Geoff Hart, again from the ‘Writers-World’ website (Writing-World, Hart, 2004) has listed that many computers users have their chairs set incorrectly. This agrees with Catherine Doyle and Radhika Meganathan interms of incorrect ergonomics. He states that when the chair position is set incorrectly it can cause the user to slouch and put strain onto a user’s muscles, bones, ligaments and tendons. The book ‘Women’s Work’ (Women’s Work, Nussbaum, p.177, 1994) states that many office workers who have suffered similar RSI injuries to those stated by Catherine Doyle in the neck, shoulders, back, hands and fingers have infact sued computer equipment manufacture’s in connection with the RSI they contracted whilst using their computer products. The journal ‘Conservative treatment for repetitive strain injury’ (Conservative treatment for repetitive strain injury, Konijnenberg et al., p.300 p.305, 2001) also agree with Catherine Doyle and Geoff Hart on the benefit of correct ergonomics in terms of specially designed office furniture, keyboards and computer mice. A table is provided within the journal (Appendix2.) of a ergonomic trial approach with four keyboards designed for RSI sufferers involving 44 males and 34 females with suspected carpal tunnel syndrome or wrist/forearm tendonitis with the suggested results showing a significant drop in RSI pain and a gain in movement for two of the keyboards used over the 6 months period, once again agreeing with Catherine Doyle and Geoff Hart that improved/correct economics can improve RSI.