Why is Office / Computer Ergonomics Important?  

Repetitive Stress Injuries and Cumulative Trauma Disorders are on the rise in the Computer Industry. If you use a computer---read this!

• Did you know that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data on Occupational Injuries, in the U.S., over 75% of Repetitive Motion Injuries are to the shoulder, arm, wrist and hand??  That 53% of the Repetitive Stress Injuries are to the Wrist and Hand?
• The majority of these Repetitive Stress Injuries occur to people using computers!
• Did you know that according to the Liberty Mutual Work Safety Index "Repetitive Motion" Injuries is the in the TOP TEN leading causes of workplace injuries?
• Did you know that the median number of lost work days due to injury from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is 28 Days? (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

The use of a computer mouse or poor ergonomic computer set-up is a growing source of lost productivity and even injury! 

Why? Because of the constant and repetitive motion involved and the stress and strain on joints and muscles when put in poor positioning for hours at end.  The continuous gripping and pressing of buttons on a computer mouse that does not fit your hand, can cause excessive stress on working finger and wrist tendons.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers' compensation claims have increased more than 150 percent since 1980 and repetitive stress injuries are in the top ten causes of work-related injuries.  These numbers translate into billions of dollars in lost productivity and medical costs. 

How pervasive is the problem? The answer is simple---- almost everyone today has at least 1 computer and more and more time is spent in both working and leisure time surfing the internet, shopping online or emailing!  Most days, just about everyone performs millions of keying, pointing and clicking functions on their computer! 

Computer Mouse and Repetitive Motion Injuries: the problem with computer mice and the drastic increase in repetitive motion injuries due to mouse functions is largely due to the problem that the generic, cheap, computer mouse that ships with most computers does not properly fit the computer users hand!  Hence, this generic computer mouse contributes to injuries that range from calloused hands and wrists, to trigger finger, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, cumulative trauma disorders and an overall loss of range of motion and loss of function! 

In fact, recent studies by Tech Dyne, International, Inc report that "computer mice may greatly contribute to the growth of Repetitive Stress Injuries, particularly among graphic artists, data entry specialists and CAD engineers who use the computer mouse heavily."

Tests conducted at a Tech Dyne facility determined that the use of a generic, poor-fitting computer mouse for a single four-hour period caused a loss of strength in the hand in arm of up to 60%!  They compared fatigue comparison tests that analyzed the computer mouse user's strength and function capabilities over nine areas (Grip, wrist flexion, extension, ulnar and radial deviation, pronation, supination and twist flexion and extension).  These tests measured the force with which the subject was able to grab and squeeze a dynamometer before and after using the generic computer mouse for 4-hour period, simulating a half of a day of work. "The loss of strength, up to 60%, was greater than expected".   The report concluded the problem with the motions associated with using a generic computer mouse, or one that does not properly fit the hand nor hold the wrist in the optimal position caused the muscles being used in these repetitive operations to get overused, casuing inflammation and injury, while surrounding the muscles tend to atrophy, get smaller and weaker.

 How can computer mice be potentially so harmful? There are three primary reasons:

1. Shape: the shape of an ordinary or generic computer mouse  that does not correctly fir the user's hand, requires the user to grip and hold, which over an extended period will cause tendon and muscle fatigue in the hand, wrist and even the elbow and arm. Read more about Computer Mouse designs, including the Contour Perfit computer mouse that comes in multiple sizes for left and right hand users.
2. Wrist Position: An ordinary, generic horizontal computer mouse requires your forearm to twist away from its natural position, this causes more strain on your carpal tunnel, wrist tendons and ligaments. Read more about how the Evoluent Vertical Mouse eliminates arm twisting. The Evoluent Vertical Mouse  supports your hand in a fully upright handshake position that eliminates the forearm twisting required by ordinary mice. Ergonomically, this is the power position for the wrist and hand. This power position is when the grip is strongest and the stress on the joints and tendons is least. Repetitive mouse activities out of the power position may result in cumulative trauma or pain. This power position is also the optimal position for computer mouse utilization and can maximize muscle strength and reduced muscle fatigue and injury.
3. Motion: The side-to-side swaying motion of a generic, ordinary computer mouse used to propel the cursor around the screen has been linked to several injuries, including tendonitis and friction burns from contact with the desk surface or mouse pad (make sure you use a gel-padded mouse pad wrist rest!!!!)  Contour RollerMouse Station and RollerMouse PRO offer incredible solutions to this problem that is the cause of so many injuries.

Computer Accessories Online Store.com offers comprehensive computer mouse designs and solutions that address and eliminate these three injury and pain causing culprits: shape, wrist position and motion, visit our Computer Mouse designs page to find the computer mouse that best-fits your needs, as well as the numerous clinical research studies, product endorsements, product reviews and product awards.