[ILUG-Social] Social request rejected

[Brendan Kehoe]

> Well, I'm neither a techie nor an especially professional author, but I do
> type word (I know, I know) documents 3/4 hours a day plus a $#!+load of
> email. I have no discomfort, no twinges, and type very fast. So, it might be
> a techie thing if you're using function keys and stuff like that involving a
> lot of stretching... 

I've known friends who are writers, who are programmers, artists,
musicians, editors for magazines, you name it.  All of them have been
diagnosed with RSI and some with serious tunnel and nerve damage.  It's
all related to the way you posture yourself, even how your neck is
positioned while you work.

I was diganosed with serious RSI in 1995, and have had to try to find
ways to deal with it ever since.  Typing breaks every 20 minutes; never
ever use a laptop keyboard for more than 15 minutes at a time; use a
``Contour'' mouse; use the MS Natural keyboard; sit so if your arms are
in front of you, and you make a fist, when you unclench your wrist your
fingers are in their natural position to be typing; your screen should
be directly in front of your eyes with your neck straight up.  If you're
finding yourself feeling pain in your arms, shoulders, neck, tingling in
your fingertips, anything like that, definitely see a doctor.

My wife, a definite non-programmer, was also diagnosed with the same,
and hers was directly attributed to bad posture at her work (a producer
at a TV show).  Now she has to deal with this for the rest of her life,
all due to about a year and a half in a particular office.  Nasty, nasty
stuff.

B

-- 
Brendan Kehoe

Web page: http://www.zen.org/~brendan/