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Posted By John Mac Carthy
My company has an employee who is apparently suffering significant pain in their right forearm (right handed).
They are stating it is from DSE and they find it difficult to write, use a laptop/computer and drive.
Are there any tell tale signs to determine it is DSE work-related please?
I'm not a doctor and the first protocol is for them to see their GP or company health surveillance.
I would appreciate some industry experience please to help determine the correct path to take and to aid identifying the type of injury for my own peace of mind.
Thanks
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Posted By Raymond Rapp
John
A GP is likely to refer the patient to a specialist occupational health provider, who will provide a report for the employer with recommendations for treatment and ergonomic equipment. There is a lot of equipment that can assist people with RSI or WRULDS. That said, it is still a difficult area to advise on and control.
Ray
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Posted By AMelrose
John
You don't mention what she does at the computer / whether she has one or more screens / keyboards etc and how often she uses it. Does she do anything else (lifting files etc) as it may not be quite as straightforward as blaming the computer completely...
If it's her right hand (and she has a right handed mouse) it could be its location - overstretching to use it and pressing down on the carpal tunnel. This could be compounded if her chair is too low - armrests interfering with the edge of the desk causing her to lower the chair height to compensate etc
Has a workstation assessment been undertaken with the individual? This should help to identify what may be aggrevating her condition. An ergonomist / OH person should be able to provide a report with recommendations if one hasn't been done (The Ergonomic Society can provide a list of qualified ergonomists in your area who would be happy to provide advice).
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Posted By Phil Rose
John
I have dealt with many similar cases. People are very quick to 'self diagnose' and blame their computer or whatever. In fairness I have dealt with a number of cases where it has been pretty obvious that the workstation may well be causative to problems being experienced and I have had a pretty good success rate at sorting postural and layout problems and resolving the various 'aches and pains'.
But, a word of warning. Not all 'aches and pains' are work related, and I have found that GPs themselves are eager to blame workstations etc. Some of our employees 'demand' referral to OH and they haven't even been to see their GP! My view is that the GP is responsible for the clinical care of their patient. It is important then that the GP has the chance of examining the patient to determine if there may be any non occupational indicators forts.
Sorry to have rambled.
Phil
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Posted By safetyamateur
John, as commente above, you don't mention their duties at the DSE.
If the computer is a key part of their job, then a DSE Assessment may be appropriate. This can help identify anything that might be expected to result in fatigue/pain in the area mentioned.
Two things to do; take care of the injured party (OH/GP/whatever) and get the work and workstation assessed. No, three things to do; take care of the injured party (OH/GP/whatever), get the work and workstation assessed and ask them whether they use computer at home. Four things......
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Posted By David Bannister
Also consider that many people spend long poeriods online at home so this may be another issue to explore if the injury is "mouse" related.
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Posted By Kieran J Duignan
John
'Work-related upper limb disorders' (WRULDs) come in many forms and arise from many possible causes.
Unfortunately, by the time an employee complains of symptoms of injury, the time may have long passed when his or her employer has failed to carry out appropriate preventative measures.
If your employee's complaints persist, you are well advised to cut your losses and ask a CMIOSH qualified in ergonomics for assistance; there are several on the IOSH Consultants' Register.
Meanwhile, a good website with a useful free weekly newsletter is available at www.ergoweb.com. Occasionally, some of the world's leading ergonomists chip in to their discusssions.
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Posted By Peter Spence
From my experience a small proportion of PC users suffer from a form of RSI as a result of prolonged mouse usage. This is caused by making repeated very precise movements of the hand whilst holding the forearm fractionally off the desk for long periods. It usually manifests itself as a tightness of the forearm which can feel bruised and painful when picking things up (like a teapot). There may be some aching of the wrist.
A wrist support may help but the best and simplest solution is usually to replace a conventional mouse with a track / roller ball. I personally prefer the type in which the ball is operated with the thumb (rather than the finger). The trick is to ensure that the whole forearm is supported by the desk during use (which means having the desk at the right height). The user may take an hour or so to get use to the new pointing device but it has the potential to cure the symptoms within a few days.
Obviously every case is different, but if the above sounds promising it is worth a try in any case. Good luck.
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