All who suffer from back aches, shoulder pain, and/or wrist and hand pain, raise your hand. There’s gotta be a lot of you that do, at some point, even if it’s not on a regular basis due to working conditions. Perhaps you’ve never associated those pains to work, but they’re likely related if you spend much of your day working on a computer or mobile device. A recent Microsoft research study found that the number of people suffering from repetitive strain injuries is on the rise and this increase is causing over $600 million in lost working hours.
So what’s the specific cause of these problems? One cause is the lack of ergonomic hardware. According to the findings, not enough companies are spending the money needed to equip people with ergonomic chairs, mice, keyboards, and other types of equipment. Microsoft also says that this new trend to work wherever we are isn’t helping the cause either. If you’re slouched in a chair at the airport working on your laptop before your plane takes off, chances are, your back and wrists simply aren’t getting the support that they need.
How many of you think your miscellaneous pains could be due to repetitive strain injury?
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Tags: General
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hi i want to tell u an error in typing, in last line it shud be due not do.
The reason all these aches and pains come is from spending too much time with technology, being engrossed in it and unaware that 3 hours pass by without moving a muscle. Minus lying don, the body was never meant to be still in one spot too long, especially in a desk with your neck supporting your weight (in some positions).
Being a workaholic isn’t a good thing, despite what some think. Take a break…
I suffer from some RSI, wrist pain, neck pain, and back pain. I’m trying to stay away from the computer as often as possible and when I do get on the computer I use AntiRSI for the Mac to let me know when I should stretch.
I’ve tried to find a cool widget that reminds to take a break, but nothing so far. AntiRSI is mac only, and I prefer widgets (yahoo/Win gadgets) over installing yet another tray program. If anyone finds one….
this is funny. Poor babies!
Thanks for pointing out the error.
Sounds painful! I know both ryan and I end up with neck and back pain, but it’s largely our fault for slouching in our chairs while we work or simply for sitting too logn. Not a bad idea to stretch every once in a while to help!
I’ve had serious RSI problems in my wrist years ago and wasn’t allowed to use my wrist for 6 weeks. Still had to use the computer, so then I learned to mouse with my left hand
I’ve tried multiple things since then: trackballs, wrist supporters, gel pads, and anti-RSI software that reminds you/forces you to take breaks. Nothing of that helped and especially the anti-RSI software made it worse because I was getting stressed finishing things before the break would start, or being stressed because I couldn’t use the computer while someone was waiting for me to respond or if I had a stricts deadline.
In the end I managed to deal with it by changing my position often, mouse left and right, avoid being stressed too much and using a wacom pen tablet.
It’s interesting that you are able to easily switch between your right and left hand with the mouse. I’m left-handed and I still have to use my right hand for the mouse because that’s what I got used to. I suppose if I start having wrist problems, that might be something I’d have to do too. And the pen tablet? Not a bad idea!
Just force yourself not to use your right hand for mousing or using the keyboard 6 weeks in a row
In the beginning it was extremely difficult and frustrating, but after 6 weeks I could not only mouse (and even draw in Photoshop) with my left hand, but also type relatively fast with one hand 