Repetitive_Stress_Injuries : Repetitive Stress Injuries

RSIs are caused by repeating the same task over and over again, such as constantly clicking your mouse or striking your keys too hard. These tasks can cause wear and tear on your body's soft tissues (tendons, nerves, etc). If care isn't taken to rest these parts, permanent damage can result.

Some of the more common RSIs are:

• Tenosynovitis – inflammation of the tendon sheath
• Tendonitis – inflammation of a tendon
• Epicondylitis – an inflamed tendon that attaches itself to the bones at the elbow
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – the compression of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel
• Cubital Tunnel Syndrome – compression of the ulnar nerve where it passes the elbow near the "funny bone."
• Thoracic Outlet Syndrome – affectation of the nerves and blood vessels of the neck and shoulder

• Tightness or soreness
• Throbbing or sharp pain
• Numbness / tingling / burning sensation
• Loss of strength in the hands, arms, shoulders or neck

Some of these symptoms may not reveal themselves while you're at work. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, for instance, sometimes manifests as hand numbness or tingling while you are trying to sleep. Usually, however, your first symptom of an RSI will be localized fatigue (aches, pains, loss of strength or trembling) in the affected limb. These sensations will increase if you continue the damaging activity, but usually decrease after stopping the task. If you begin to experience any of these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. A day or two could make a significant difference.

Factors known to contribute to RSIs:

• Monotonous or Repetitive Tasks – performing the same action with the same body part
• Posture – placing a joint toward its extreme end of movement in any direction away from its neutral or centered position
• Force – performing a task with excessive muscular exertion
• Static Exertion – holding an object or part of the body in the same position for an extended period of time
• Contact Stress – direct pressure on nerves or tendons from resting a body part on a hard or angled surface
• Exhaustion – infrequent or inflexible breaks while performing repetitive tasks

• Keep frequently-used items within arm's reach so that you needn't stretch uncomfortably to get them
• Adjust your chair so that your feet lie flat and your thighs are parallel to the floor
• Be sure to have proper support for your hands and forearms when you use your keyboard (either on a tabletop, wrist rest or the arms of your chair)
• Avoid bending your wrists for any lengthy period of time
• Adjust your typing (you know that typing is a vital requirement is the job market) style and keyboard position to avoid striking the keys too hard
• Get up from your desk at regular intervals and move around for a few minutes
• Knowing the risk factors and symptoms of RSIs can go a long way toward preventing them. For more information on this topic, consult your physician.

The first six letters at the top left of your keyboard spell it out QWERTY. This arrangement of letters, along with the other 20 on the traditional keyboard were actually arranged that way to make the job of typing more difficult.

The first commercially successful typewriter was developed by Christopher Latham Sholes in 1873. Originally, the keys were arranged alphabetically. However, a problem soon arose. People became so adept at using the keyboard that the keys would stick or jam when struck in quick succession. In order to overcome this problem Sholes decided to make the job of typing as slow as he possibly could. His solution? He placed the most frequently used keys as far apart from each other as he could. His keyboard became known as the QWERTY keyboard.

So, that is the reason why your keyboard is formatted the way it is. Ironic, considering that every other aspect of your computer is streamlined for maximum efficiency and yet you have to labor over a 127 year old system designed specifically for inefficiency. And inefficient it certainly is. For one thing, QWERTY was not designed for touch typing, which came much later. For keys that (or this, whichever) are not in the middle or home row it is necessary to reach across diagonally. This is difficult and leads to a high error rate.

Some claim that there is a better system called the DVORAK keyboard format. It was designed by August Dvorak in the 1930s. Dvorak's keyboard put nine of the most used letters in the middle row of the keyboard. This allows the typist to write over 3,000 words without the fingers reaching. In comparison, only about 50 words can be typed on a keyboard without reaching on QWERTY's middle or home row. Another advantage of the DVORAK keyboard is that the workload is much reduced.

Does the DVORAK system really improve performance? In order to prove that it does August Dvorak retrained 14 Navy typists during World War Two. The result? After just one month their work productivity rate improved by an amazing 74 percent. Accuracy improved by 68 percent. So, you would think that people would be jumping over each other to switch over from QWERTY to DVORAK. Surprisingly, this has not proved to be the case. DVORAK keyboards are readily available for most computers and on typewriters, yet by and large they remain unaccepted.

Another supposedly better keyboard than the DVORAK version is the MALT keyboard devised by Lillian Malt. The Malt keyboard does away with staggered rows, gives greater use of the thumb and makes it easier to reach the backspace and other normally out of the way keys. Unlike the DVORAK keyboard, however, the MALT version will require special hardware I order to be installed onto your computer. Modern designs are also available on both the DVORAK and the MALT keyboards that are specially contoured to alleviate the physical problems associated with the traditional typewriter style keyboard. DVORAK have also put out one handed keyboards which give a free hand for other tasks while typing.