TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Pointing Devices and Repetitive Trauma Injuries From:"Bob Lord, DTN 522-6614," <lord -at- CXCAD -dot- ENET -dot- DEC -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 14 Mar 1995 08:55:27 PST
Patrick.
You might try a touch pad "mouse". It's a little pad, about 3/8"x2"x3", on
which you rest a finger to control the cursor on your machine. Only the
slightest touch is required to move the cursor around, and you lightly tap to
perform the normal mouse button functions. I just got one, and after a little
readjustment, really like it. (PC Zone, GlidePoint, by Cirque. About $70.)
The bottom line in all of this is that no _one_ device or "ergonomic" office
environment will ever prevent _repetitive_ trauma injuries. The very name of
the problem says it all. We need to periodically break up the way we do things
to defeat the "repetitive" part of the mechanism of injury.
My wife's a neuro-muscular therapist, and she's seen lots of supposed carpal
tunnel and tennis elbow problems that were easily mitigated with deep-tissue
massage techniques. For what it's worth, I'd really recommend you try a good,
licensed massage therapist trained in NMT for relief of the problem that's
already there.
Bob
From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000====
>>>Date: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 17:14:00 PST
>>>From: Patrick O'Connell <patricko -at- EICON -dot- COM>
>>>Subject: Brand/model of keyboard w/trackball below space bar,
>>> func. keys on left?
>>>I'm looking for the above to take the strain off of my right elbow -- I've
>>>been told I have tennis elbow and it's due to repetitive strain. Methinks
>>>Mr. Mouse, combined with the not-at-all-ergonomic office furniture we have
>>>here, is to blame! A [whatsitcalled?], the pointing device on IBM Thinkpads,
>>>might do in place of a trackball -- the only problem I can see would be
>>>precision, WRT technical drawings.
>snipped<
Bob Lord
Contract Information Designer
Digital Equipment Corporation "Kindly practice random acts
LORD -at- CXCAD -dot- ENET -dot- DEC -dot- COM of senselessness!" b.l.
719.548.6614
)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
