Archive-name: typing-injury-faq/general Version: $Revision: 4.28 $ $Date: 1993/04/13 04:17:58 $  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------          Answers To Frequently Asked Questions about Typing Injuries -------------------------------------------------------------------------------  The Typing Injury FAQ -- sources of information for people with typing injuries, repetitive stress injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc.  Copyright 1992,1993 by Dan Wallach <dwallach@cs.berkeley.edu>  Many FAQs, including this one, are available on the archive site pit-manager.mit.edu (alias rtfm.mit.edu) [18.172.1.27] in the directory pub/usenet/news.answers.  The name under which a FAQ is archived appears in the Archive-name line at the top of the article.  This FAQ is archived as typing-injury-faq/general.Z  There's a mail server also.  Just e-mail mail-server@pit-manager.mit.edu with the word 'help' on a line by itself in the body.  The opinions in here are my own, unless otherwise mentioned, and do not represent the opinions of any organization or vendor.  I'm not a medical doctor, so my advice should be taken with many grains of salt.  [Current distribution: sci.med.occupational, sci.med, comp.human-factors,  {news,sci,comp}.answers, and e-mail to c+health@iubvm.ucs.indiana.edu,  sorehand@vm.ucsf.edu, and cstg-L@vtvm1.cc.vt.edu]  Changes since previously distributed versions are marked with change        || bars to the right of the text, as is this paragraph.                        ||  Table of Contents:     ==1== Mailing lists, newsgroups, etc.     ==2== The soda.berkeley.edu archive     ==3== General info on injuries     ==4== Typing posture, ergonomics, prevention, treatment     ==5== Requests for more info     ==6== References  ==1== Mailing lists, newsgroups, etc.  USENET News: ----------- comp.human-factors occasionally has discussion about alternative input devices. comp.risks has an occasional posting relevant to injuries via computers. sci.med and misc.handicap also tend to have relevant traffic.  There's a Brand New newsgroup, sci.med.occupational, chartered specifically to discuss these things.  This would be the recommended place to post.  Mailing lists: ------------- The RSI Network: Available both on paper and via e-mail, this publication     covers issues relevant to those with repetitive stress injuries.  For     a sample issue and subscription information, send a stamped, self-     addressed business envelope to Caroline Rose, 970 Paradise Way, Palo     Alto CA 94306.      E-mail to <crose@applelink.apple.com>      $2 donation, requested.      All RSI Network newsletters are available via anonymous ftp from     soda.berkeley.edu (see below for details).  c+health and sorehand are both IBM Listserv things.  For those familiar     with Listserv, here's the quick info:      c+health -- subscribe to listserv@iubvm.ucs.indiana.edu 		post to c+health@iubvm.ucs.indiana.edu      sorehand -- subscribe to listserv@vm.ucsf.edu 		post to sorehand@vm.ucsf.edu  Quick tutorial on subscribing to a Listserv:     % mail listserv@vm.ucsf.edu     Subject: Total Listserv Mania!      SUBSCRIBE SOREHAND J. Random Hacker     INFO ?     . That's all there is to it.  You'll get bunches of mail back from the Listserv, including a list of other possible commands you can mail.  Cool, huh?  What'll those BITNET people think of, next?  ==2== The soda.berkeley.edu archive  I've started an archive site for info related to typing injuries.  Just anonymous ftp to soda.berkeley.edu:pub/typing-injury.  (128.32.149.19) Currently, you'll find:  Informative files:     typing-injury-faq/         general           -- information about typing injuries         keyboards         -- products to replace your keyboard         software          -- software to watch your keyboard usage 	changes		  -- changes since last month's edition (new!)	    ||      keyboard-commentary   -- Dan's opinions on the keyboard replacements     amt.advice		  -- about Adverse Mechanical Tension     caringforwrists.sit.hqx -- PageMaker4 document about your wrists     caringforwrists.ps	  -- PostScript converted version of above...     carpal.info           -- info on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome     carpal.explained	  -- very detailed information about CTS     carpal.surgery	  -- JAMA article on CTS surgery     carpal.tidbits	  -- TidBITS article on CTS     tendonitis.info       -- info on Tendonitis     rsi.biblio		  -- bibliography of RSI-related publications      rsi-network/*         -- archive of the RSI Network newsletter 			     (currently, containing issues 1 through 11)    ||          rsi.details		  -- long detailed information about RSI     rsi.physical	  -- study showing RSI isn't just psychological      Various product literature:      apple-press		  -- press release on the Apple Adjustable Keyboard     apple-tidbits	  -- extensive info about Apple's Adjustable Keybd     bat-info		  -- MacWeek review on the Bat			    ||     comfort-*		  -- marketing info on the Comfort Keyboard     datahand-review	  -- detailed opinions of the DataHand     datahand-review2	  -- follow-up to above     datahand-desc	  -- description of the DataHand's appearance     kinesis-review	  -- one user's personal opinions     maltron-*		  -- marketing info on various Maltron products     maltron-review	  -- one user's personal opinions     vertical-info	  -- marketing info on the Vertical (new!)	    ||  Programs:     (With the exception of accpak.exe, everything here is distributed as      source to be compiled with a Unix system.  Some programs take advantage      of the X window system, also.)      hsh.shar		  -- a program for one-handed usage of normal keyboards     typewatch.shar	  -- tells you when to take a break     xdvorak.c		  -- turns your QWERTY keyboard into Dvorak     xidle.shar		  -- keeps track of how long you've been typing     rest-reminder.sh      -- yet another idle watcher     kt15.tar  		  -- generates fake X keyboard events from the 			     serial port -- use a PC keyboard on anything! 			     (new improved version!)     accpak.exe		  -- a serial port keyboard spoofer for MS Windows      (Note: a2x.tar and rk.tar are both from export.lcs.mit.edu:contrib/      so they may have a more current version than soda.)      a2x.tar  		  -- a more sophisticated X keyboard/mouse spoofing 			     program.  Supports DragonDictate. 			     (note: a new version is now available)	    ||     rk.tar  		  -- the reactive keyboard -- predicts what you'll 			     type next -- saves typing  Pictures (in the gifs subdirectory):     howtosit.gif	  -- picture of good sitting posture 			     (the caringforwrists document is better for this)      accukey1.gif	  -- fuzzy picture     accukey2.gif	  -- fuzzy picture with somebody using it     apple.gif		  -- the Apple Adjustable Keyboard		    ||     bat.gif               -- the InfoGrip Bat     comfort.gif           -- the Health Care Comfort Keyboard     datahand1.gif	  -- fuzzy picture     datahand2.gif	  -- key layout schematic     datahand3.gif	  -- a much better picture of the datahand     flexpro.gif		  -- the Key Tronic FlexPro keyboard		    ||     kinesis1.gif          -- the Kinesis Ergonomic Keyboard     kinesis2.gif	  -- multiple views of the Kinesis		    ||     maltron[1-4].gif      -- several pictures of Maltron products     mikey1.gif            -- the MIKey     mikey2.gif            -- Schematic Picture of the MIKey     tony.gif		  -- The Tony! Ergonomic Keysystem		    ||     twiddler1.gif	  -- "front" view     twiddler2.gif	  -- "side" view     vertical.gif	  -- the Vertical keyboard			    ||     wave.gif		  -- the Iocomm `Wave' keyboard  Many files are compressed (have a .Z ending).  If you can't uncompress a file locally, soda will do it.  Just ask for the file, without the .Z extension.  If you're unable to ftp to soda, send me e-mail and we'll see what we can arrange.  ==3== General info on injuries  First, and foremost of importance: if you experience pain at all, then you absolutely need to go see a doctor.  As soon as you possibly can.  The difference of a day or two can mean the difference between a short recovery and a long, drawn-out ordeal.  GO SEE A DOCTOR.  Now, your garden-variety doctor may not necessarily be familiar with this sort of injury.  Generally, any hospital with an occupational therapy clinic will offer specialists in these kinds of problems.  DON'T WAIT, THOUGH.  GO SEE A DOCTOR.  The remainder of this information is paraphrased, without permission, from a wonderful report by New Zealand's Department of Labour (Occupational Safety and Health Service): "Occupational Overuse Syndrome. Treatment and Rehabilitation: A Practitioner's Guide".  First, a glossary (or, fancy names for how you shouldn't have your hands): (note: you're likely to hear these terms from doctors and keyboard vendors :)    RSI: Repetitive Strain Injury - a general term for many kinds of injuries   OOS: Occupational Overuse Syndrome -- synonym for RSI   CTD: Cumulative Trauma Disorder -- another synonym for RSI   WRULD: Work-Related Upper Limb Disorders -- yet another synonym for RSI   CTS: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (see below)   Hyperextension:  Marked bending at a joint.   Pronation: Turning the palm down.   Wrist extension: Bending the wrist up.   Supination: Turning the palm up.   Wrist flexion: Bending the wrist down.   Pinch grip: The grip used for a pencil.   Ulnar deviation: Bending the wrist towards the little finger.   Power grip: The grip used for a hammer.   Radial Deviation: Bending the wrist toward the thumb.   Abduction: Moving away from the body.   Overspanning: Opening the fingers out wide.  Now then, problems come in two main types: Local conditions and diffuse conditions.  Local problems are what you'd expect: specific muscles, tendons, tendon sheaths, nerves, etc. being inflamed or otherwise hurt. Diffuse conditions, often mistaken for local problems, can involve muscle discomfort, pain, burning and/or tingling; with identifiable areas of tenderness in muscles, although they're not necessarily "the problem."  --- Why does Occupational Overuse Syndrome occur?  Here's the theory.  Normally, your muscles and tendons get blood through capillaries which pass among the muscle fibers.  When you tense a muscle, you restrict the blood flow.  By the time you're exerting 50% of your full power, you're completely restricting your blood flow.  Without fresh blood, your muscles use stored energy until they run out, then they switch to anaerobic (without oxygen) metabolism, which generates nasty by-products like lactic acid, which cause pain.  Once one muscle hurts, all its neighbors tense up, perhaps to relieve the load.  This makes sense for your normal sort of injury, but it only makes things worse with repetitive motion.  More tension means less blood flow, and the cycle continues.  Another by-product of the lack of blood flow is tingling and numbness from your nerves.  They need blood too.  Anyway, when you're typing too much, you're never really giving a change for the blood to get back where it belongs, because your muscles never relax enough to let the blood through.  Stress, poor posture, and poor ergonomics, only make things worse.  --- Specific injuries you may have heard of:  (note: most injuries come in two flavors: acute and chronic.  Acute injuries are severely painful and noticable.  Chronic conditions have less pronounced symptoms but are every bit as real.)  Tenosynovitis -- an inflamation of the tendon sheath.  Chronic tenosynovitis occurs when the repetitive activity is mild or intermittent: not enough to cause acute inflamation, but enough to exceed the tendon sheath's ability to lubricate the tendon.  As a result, the tendon sheath thickens, gets inflamed, and you've got your problem.  Tendonitis -- an inflammation of a tendon.  Repeated tensing of a tendon can cause inflamation.  Eventually, the fibers of the tendon start separating, and can even break, leaving behind debris which induces more friction, more swelling, and more pain.  "Sub-acute" tendonitis is more common, which entails a dull ache over the wrist and forearm, some tenderness, and it gets worse with repetitive activity.  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome -- the nerves that run through your wrist into your fingers get trapped by the inflamed muscles around them.  Symptoms include feeling "pins and needles", tingling, numbness, and even loss of sensation. CTS is often confused for a diffuse condition.  Adverse Mechanical Tension -- also known as 'neural tension', this is where the nerves running down to your arm have become contracted and possibly compressed as a result of muscle spasms in the shoulders and elsewhere. AMT can often misdiagnosed as or associated with one of the other OOS  disorders.  It is largely reversible and can be treated with physiotherapy  (brachial plexus stretches and trigger point therapy).  Others: for just about every part of your body, there's a fancy name for a way to injure it.  By now, you should be getting an idea of how OOS conditions occur and why.  Just be careful: many inexperienced doctors misdiagnose problems as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, when in reality, you may have a completely different problem.  Always get a second opinion before somebody does something drastic to you (like surgery).  ==4== Typing posture, ergonomics, prevention, treatment  The most important element of both prevention and recovery is to reduce tension in the muscles and tendons.  This requires learning how to relax. If you're under a load of stress, this is doubly important.  Tune out the world and breath deep and regular.  Relaxing should become a guiding principle in your work: every three minutes take a three second break. EVERY THREE MINUTES, TAKE A THREE SECOND BREAK.  Really, do it every three minutes.  It's also helpful to work in comfortable surroundings, calm down, and relax.  If you can't sleep, you really need to focus on this.  Rest, sleep, and relaxation are really a big deal.  There are all kinds of other treatments, of course.  Drugs can reduce inflamation and pain.  Custom-molded splints can forcefully prevent bad posture.  Surgery can fix some problems.  Exercise can help strengthen your muscles.  Regular stretching can help prevent injury.  Good posture and a good ergonomic workspace promote reduced tension.  Ice or hot-cold contrast baths also reduce swelling.  Only your doctor can say what's best for you.  --- Posture -- here are some basic guidelines.  [I so liked the way this was written in the New Zealand book that I'm lifting it almost verbatim from Appendix 10. -- dwallach]  . Let your shoulders relax. . Let your elbows swing free. . Keep your wrists straight. . Pull your chin in to look down - don't flop your head forward. . Keep the hollow in the base of your spine. . Try leaning back in the chair. . Don't slouch or slump forward. . Alter your posture from time to time. . Every 20 minutes, get up and bend your spine backward.  Set the seat height, first.  Your feet should be flat on the floor.  There  should be no undue pressure on the underside of your thighs near the knees, and your thighs should not slope too much.  Now, draw yourself up to your desk and see that its height is comfortable to work at.  If you are short, this may be impossible.  The beest remedy is to raise the seat height and prevent your legs from dangling by using a footrest.  Now, adjust the backrest height so that your buttocks fit into the space between the backrest and the seat pan.  The backrest should support you in the hollow of your back, so adjust its tilt to give firm support in this area.  If you operate a keyboard, you will be able to spend more time leaning back, so experiment with a chair with a taller backrest, if available.  [Now, I diverge a little from the text]  A good chair makes a big difference.  If you don't like your chair, go find a better one.  You really want adjustments for height, back angle, back height, and maybe even seat tilt.  Most arm rests seem to get in the way, although some more expensive chairs have height adjustable arm rests which you can also rotate out of the way.  You should find a good store and play with all these chairs -- pick one that's right for you. In the San Francisco Bay Area, I highly recommend "Just Chairs."  The name says it all.  --- Keyboard drawers, wrist pads, and keyboard replacements:  There is a fair amount of controvery on how to get this right.  For some people, wrist pads seem to work wonders.  However, with good posture, you shouldn't be resting your wrists on anything -- you would prefer your keyboard to be "right there".  If you drop your arms at your side and then lift your hands up at the elbow, you want your keyboard under your hands when your elbows are at about 90 degrees.  Of course, you want to avoid pronation, wrist extension, and ulnar deviation at all costs.  Wrist pads may or may not help at this.  You should get somebody else to come and look at how you work: how you sit, how you type, and how you relax.  It's often easier for somebody else to notice your hunched shoulders or deviated hands.  Some argue that the normal, flat keyboard is antiquated and poorly designed.  A number of replacements are available, on the market, today. Check out the accompanying typing-injury-faq/keyboards for much detail.  ==5== Requests for more info  Clearly, the above information is incomplete.  The typing-injury archive is incomplete.  There's always more information out there.  If you'd like to submit something, please send me mail, and I'll gladly throw it in.  If you'd like to maintain a list of products or vendors, that would be wonderful!  I'd love somebody to make a list of chair/desk vendors.  I'd love somebody to make a list of doctors.  I'd love somebody to edit the above sections, looking for places where I've obviously goofed.  ==6== References  I completely rewrote the information section here, using a wonderful guide produced in New Zealand by their Occupational Safety & Health Service, a service of their Department of Labour.  Special thanks to the authors: Wigley, Turner, Blake, Darby, McInnes, and Harding.  Semi-bibliographic reference:     . Occupational Overuse Syndrome     . Treatment and Rehabilitation:       A Practitioner's Guide          Published by the Occupational Safety and Health Service     Department of Labour     Wellington,     New Zealand.      First Edition: June 1992     ISBN 0-477-3499-3      Price: $9.95 (New Zealand $'s, of course)  Thanks to Richard Donkin <richardd@hoskyns.co.uk> for reviewing this posting.