Does any one have any constructive advice that can be given to a DSE user who has had operations to both wrists to sort out carpal tunnel problems. The user also suffers from upper arm pains and is being provided with an ergonomic keyboard, at their request. Our Occupational Health Advisors are involved however any other guidance that assists in helping this individual would be appreciated. Thanks.

Chas You and your OH Adviser would do well to carefully assess the employee's vulnerability to further musculoskeletal disorder. Your options include 1. monthly monitoring, keeping a copy of the employee's replies to an A4 questionnaire on the symptoms of the previous month 2. ensure what you call 'an ergonomic keyboard' (an expression that now has a numerous meanings, several of time misleading or false) permits comfortable lateral flexion of the wrists and at the same time an adaptive wrist and forearm posture 3. provide him/her with written instructions on how to do appropriate gentle exercises during regular rests ('pause gymnastik' in orthopaedic ergonomic jargon) 4. if severe pain symptoms recur, consider the possibility that the vulnerability is so hazardous that no amount of adjustment to the equipment, task-breaks or exercises can be made to safeguard her from further severe injury: in this case, the options to consider include negotiated transfer to another role or voidance of contract. From my experience as an expert witness in a claim where the employer (who employed a full-time medical doctor and 2 OH nurses) failed to control the WRULDS appropriately, you could end up paying many ££; £100K in this particular case (settled before a court hearing, after the employer chose not to challenge liability attributed to them in the ergonomic assessment).

Hi, We've also supplied DSE Users with voice recognition software which has been useful. in other instances, we've also tried a tablet computer which has allowed them to write, rather than type. This has been found useful in some cases but it may not be suitable for all.

Very true, but an area where you may need to tread warily. As an off the wall observation it seems odd to me than many people can spend hours on computers at home but it's always the one at work that seems to be the root of any issues.

Someone once said " a repetitive movement is a repetitive movement by any other name".

Safetyamateur Its the problem of a half closed hand when gripping. A trackball or mousepad uses a flat hand and finegr movement - these do not cause restriction in the carpal tunnel area Bob

As the world's leading orthopaedic researchers, e.g. Don Chaffin, still indicate there remain many unresolved problems about prescribing equipment that guarantee control of risks of musculoskeletal injuries, their research guides court decisions as well as practitioners who respect relevant research. One of the options for reducing risks of MSDs including carpal tunnel syndrome is the 'Ortho Wrist' mouse designed by an orthopaedic surgeon and a bio-medical engineer after about a decade's research. It has the advantage of enabling users to assemble it to suit any quirks of their own individual hand size, and a combination of controls that balance the biomechanical demands on the user's fingers, wrist and arm and shoulder. A review should be still available at www.ergoweb.com.