Ergo Q&A
Changing careers, office temperatures, splints, and handwriting
By Deborah Quilter
First published September 8, 1998

Time to Change Jobs?

Q: I spend approximately seven hours typing, five to six days a week. I have tendinitis in my right wrist and pain in my shoulder and neck. Physiotherapy does not seem to help much. Ergonomists looked at my workstation and concluded that I'm sitting properly. They suggested that I type more with my left hand to give my right arm a break. They also suggested I do other duties, but there really are no duties for me but typing. Aside from looking for different employment, do you have any suggestions?

A: Many injured computer users face the same dilemma you do: They are in chronic pain that is not alleviated by ergonomic changes or physical therapy. You cannot solve a medical problem with ergonomics. The time to invest in an adjustable workstation is before you become injured. Switching hands is not a good solution. Many people injure their nondominant hands by trying to carry a heavy workload after they have injured their dominant hand.

Unfortunately, continuing typing will only exacerbate your problems. Finding a non-computer job that does not require repetitive hand use is your best bet. Only use a computer if and when you can control the workload so you can avoid experiencing pain or soreness. I have seen too many injured people continue to work until their hands were crippled. They lost their jobs anyway—and were too injured to seek other positions.

Mouse Trapped

Q: I'm looking for a product to reduce strain in my right hand, which seems to come from pressing the mouse buttons. Some people suggested using my left hand, but I am used to drawing with my right hand. Is there a way I could move the mouse with my right hand and push the buttons with my left?

A: Considering its inherent dangers—poor design, overuse of the dominant hand, improper placement, and faulty user technique—I generally advise people to avoid mice altogether. If you can draw with a pencil and scan your design, do that. Programming your keyboard to click is also a good idea, but only if you can avoid awkward hand positions.

Unfortunately, the existing alternatives to the mouse raise new ergonomic issues. A pen-driven graphics tablet carries the risk of injury from poor pen-holding technique and does not address the issue of overusing the dominant hand. Foot pedals can lead to leg strain.

Furthermore, the click is only one part of mouse use. You still have to drag, circle, and point the mouse, all of which can lead to overusing the dominant hand.

RSI is rampant among intensive mouse users, many of whom become permanently disabled and unemployable. If you already have an injury, you must find ways to avoid the mouse and other stressors, including hand-intensive activities such as bowling or playing guitar. If your job involves drawing with the mouse, I strongly suggest you rethink your career.

Don't Brace Yourself

Q: Do you have any opinion about types of wrist and forearm braces and when they should be worn? How about the elastic gloves such as Handeze, SoftFlex, and Sof*Brace?

A: Splinting your wrist or forearm with a brace is a medical procedure that should never be done unless it is supervised by a competent physician. Gener ally it should only be done on a short-term basis.

Working at the computer while wearing splints or tight-fitting stretch gloves (which have a splint-like effect) can be particularly hazardous. Immobilized tissue may atrophy, and injured tissue may not heal properly. Worse, as you try to work around the immobility, the original injury could migrate to adjacent tissues. Wearing fingerless, loose-fitting cotton, wool, or fleece gloves for warmth is fine, though.

Note: Despite Sof*Brace's extensive quotations from one of my books on its Web site, I in no way endorse or condone the use of its product, nor have I authorized the use of my quotations.

Deep South Deep Freeze

Q: My company maintains the office temperature at about 76 degrees Fahren heit, which feels chilly to those of us who sit directly beneath the air vents. The main work area has an open floor plan, relatively spacious work cubicles, waist-high divider walls, a two-story ceiling, and open duct work. There are roughly 150 desktops plus various printers, faxes, and laptops.

What is the optimal temperature range for desktops? Would increasing the temperature to 79 degrees or 80 degrees impair their performance? And what are the health effects of going from the high heat of the Deep South into such cool, drafty conditions? Many of us have noticed an in crease in headaches, earaches, and summer colds since moving into the new offices.

A: According to Dr. Victor S. Roth, assistant professor of occupational and environmental medicine at the Uni ver sity of Alabama at Birmingham, those headaches, earaches, and summer colds are more likely due to either a "sick" building, where there are mold spores or high carbon dioxide/low oxygen levels, or a tightly insulated building with little fresh air.

Debra Janes, health scientist for the Occupational Safety and Health Admini stration (OSHA), further explains that indoor air with a relative humidity of less than 30 percent can lead to eye, nose, and throat irritation because it dries out the mucus membranes, leaving people more susceptible to bacteria. However, Janes cautions, "you don't want to bring in humidity from the outside. If condensation builds up in the vents and mixes with dust and dirt, it's a good substrate for bacterial and fungal growth, which can cause health problems."

Computers are far less susceptible to office temperature variations than people are. Phil Hester, chief technology officer of IBM Personal Systems Group, says the typical range for operating a desktop computer is between 60 degrees and 95 degrees. "More likely the individual working at the computer will become uncomfortable before the computer will," Hester says.

According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Condi tioning Engineers, if you keep the air temperature between 73 degrees and 79 degrees during summer months when folks wear light clothing, 80 percent of people in the office will be happy. Alas, that means the other 20 percent will be too hot or cold. Dr. Roth recommends dressing in layers. Vent deflectors can direct the air in different directions, thus sparing people who sit directly beneath drafts. Also have someone check the heating and air conditioning ducts regularly for dust, mold spores, and mildew.

Depending on where you live, you have several options for addressing office air quality and temperature issues. Check the government pages of your phone book; free air monitoring might be available through the health department.

You can also call your local OSHA office and request an inspection. OSHA will send a letter to your employer asking it to mitigate any problems and will investigate if you make a second complaint. The National Institute for Occu pational Safety and Health (NIOSH) does health hazard evaluations. It has done a lot of research on indoor air quality. For more information, call 800/356-4674.

Handwriting Hurts

Q: Do people with RSI experience pain when they write in longhand as well? This seems like a serious problem for students who must provide long handwritten answers on tests. Are there any RSI prevention or recovery techniques for plain old writer's cramp?

A: Writing-related muscle or tendon pain should not be confused with "writer's cramp," also known as focal dystonia, a painless but serious condition that leads to uncontrollable tremors.

Handwriting, like almost any intensive hand use, can indeed become painful for people with RSI. It can also lead to RSI. Proper writing and pen-holding techniques, frequent breaks, appropriate upper body strengthening, and stretching exercises can help you avoid problems. Cushioning your writing instrument with a foam hair curler or a triangular grip may help to relax your grasp.

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