Word: rsi
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Such a lifestyle is an invitation to RSI. Repetitive strain injury has long been associated with blue-collar jobs that required excessive force, awkward posture and repetitive actions -- like driving the same kind of screw hour after hour in an assembly line or slicing carcasses all day in a meat- processing plant. For the delicate muscles and tendons in the fingers and wrists, rapidly pushing buttons thousands of times an hour can be just as stressful. "When you're working eight hours a day at the same task, you're essentially an athlete," says Dr. Emil Pascarelli, director of ambulatory...
Doctors now know that RSI is not a single disease, but a cluster of syndromes. In computer users, the problem often starts in the muscles or tendons (the long pulley-like bundles of fiber that direct the movement of the fingers) and in the sheaths surrounding the tendons. Keyboards tend to force the upper body into unnatural positions -- hands bent, arms akimbo, wrists cocked -- straining the tendons and muscles and reducing circulation. Computer "mice" can be just as troublesome; users tend to grip the devices too hard, often with the wrist extended up, creating more work for the hands...
...tendons, which become inflamed. If the tissues aren't given time to heal properly, scarring can occur. Blood vessels that feed the arms and hands may become constricted, depriving tissues of vital nutrients and leaving toxins in place that would otherwise get washed away. In the late stages of RSI, the tendons and muscles can deteriorate and nerves become so hypersensitized that the slightest strain -- even opening a stubborn twist-off cap -- may set off a fresh round of pain...
Tension and stress can also play a role in RSI. People working under pressure tighten up; muscles cramp, shoulders hunch, necks get knotted -- further straining tendons and muscles. Deadlines, speedups and employee monitoring programs can exacerbate the trouble. RSI sufferers also must deal with the skepticism and resentment of co-workers (who may have to pick up the slack) and the knowledge that their productivity has been impaired. This can lead to a vicious cycle in which the victims are so worried about their jobs that they work even harder, making their hands and arms worse...
After a year and an investment of more than $50,000, Macworld's offices are still not RSI-proof, but they are ergonomically correct. Much of the computer industry, by contrast, still seems to be in denial. Even in advance of the osha proposals, the Computer and Business Equipment Manufacturers Association -- which represents two dozen computer makers -- petitioned the agency to back off, arguing that guidelines are premature because the link between computer keyboards and RSI has not yet been proved. But the companies know better, according to a lawyer representing RSI victims in the IBM and Atex lawsuits. Internal...