Conclusions : Neck pain was not significantly associated with high job dem and s , low skill discretion , low decision authority , or low peer support .
However , when these variables were combined with increased duration of computing tasks , or ergonomic dem and s , they reached significance .
Supervisor support was found to be the only significant buffer capable of preventing these variables reaching significance in female office workers
Introduction : The purpose of this systematic review was to examine literature on workplace factors associated with  neck pain or symptoms in computer users performing clerical functions .
During computing tasks symptomatic female office workers demonstrate a trend towards higher cervical postural muscle load than asymptomatic office workers: an experimental study.
QUESTIONS Do symptomatic female office workers perform computing tasks with higher cervical postural muscle loads ( in terms of higher amplitudes and less muscular rest ) and more discomfort compared with asymptomatic individuals ? Are these differences in postural muscle loads consistent across bilateral ( typing ) and unilateral ( mousing ) conditions ? DESIGN an experimental case-control study . PARTICIPANTS 18 symptomatic female office workers and 21 asymptomatic female office workers . INTERVENTION Three conditions ( typing , mousing , and type- and -mouse ) were performed in r and om order . OUTCOME MEASURES Muscle load was measured as median amplitude and gap frequency using surface EMG of bilateral cervical erector spinae and upper trapezius . Discomfort was measured using a numerical rating scale . RESULTS The case group demonstrated 4.3 % ( 95 % CI 0.1 to 8.4 ) higher amplitude during typing and 3.5 % ( 95 % CI 0.1 to 6.9 ) higher amplitude during type- and -mouse in the right cervical erector spinae compared with the control group . There was a similar difference between groups in the left cervical erector spinae which also demonstrated a 1.2 gaps/min ( 95 % CI -2.3 to 0.0 ) lower frequency during typing . The case group had significantly higher discomfort during all conditions compared with the control group . The case group demonstrated higher median amplitudes and lower gap frequencies than the control group during bilateral conditions ( typing and type- and -mouse ) compared with unilateral conditions ( mousing ) for both muscle groups . CONCLUSION There was increased amplitude and decreased muscular rest in the cervical erector spinae of office workers performing typing and mousing tasks . These findings may represent a mechanism underlying computer-related musculoskeletal disorders
Conclusions : Neck pain was not significantly associated with high job dem and s , low skill discretion , low decision authority , or low peer support .
However , when these variables were combined with increased duration of computing tasks , or ergonomic dem and s , they reached significance .
Supervisor support was found to be the only significant buffer capable of preventing these variables reaching significance in female office workers
Introduction : The purpose of this systematic review was to examine literature on workplace factors associated with  neck pain or symptoms in computer users performing clerical functions .