Typing and clicking can cause or exacerbate damage to muscles, tendons and nerves. Sitting in static posture for hours with arms raised and fingers flying puts an unnatural load on the muscles of the upper back and arms. Almost everyone feels discomfort and stiffness while typing, and an alarming number of people are developing a painful condition called repetitive strain injury (RSI). Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most commonly known RSIs. However, RSI (also known as cumulative trauma disorder) can involve many other parts of your hands, arms, wrists, and upper body. They all involve strain and overuse of the delicate tissue of tendons and small muscles. Once damaged, these tissues are hard to heal. Most people who become injured in this way can go years before they can resume hand-intensive activities. The RSI problem is epidemic. Since 1981, the incidence of repetitive injuries has become the largest category of reported worker illness and injury. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, repetitive injuries resulted in the longest median absences from work (17 days) of any frequent type of work-related injury and cost the country billions of dollars in health care and lost productivity. While therapy and exercises can help many people with RSI recover basic functioning, going back to the keyboard and mouse brings back the same old problems. Speech recognition software can help people with RSI remain productive and employed. Perhaps more importantly, it can help prevent these injuries in the first place. Depending on your state's labor regulations, your employer may even be obligated to provide you with appropriate technology, including voice recognition software, to help address physical problems you experience that are precursors for signs of RSI. RSI happens to people like Oakland-based writer and editor Kristin Barendsen. "I had a repetitive strain injury caused by typing. I was temping as a word processor and typing six hours a day. I quickly got bad enough in my arms and shoulders so it really hurt to type or use a mouse. I stopped using the computer altogether, hoping my condition would improve." It didn't, and Kristin began investigating other possibilities. The price of computers was just beginning to drop (it was 1993) and she decided speech recognition was worth a try. So how did speech recognition software work out for Kristin? "My dictation software has allowed me to go back to work. I work close to full-time these days, including at least three hours a day on the computer. I wouldn't attempt to have the career that I have without speech recognition software." Her RSI hasn't gone away, though--it's something she lives with still. "RSI isn't something that seems to go away totally for most people. I still feel it when I type, although I can do most other things pretty well." Kristin has her frustrations with the speech recognition program she uses, but she says firmly, "I would recommend speech recognition software to anyone, even people with healthy arms, as it might help prevent RSI." |
|
|
Site and contents (c) 1999-2008 Say I Can. Say I Can is a trademark and EasyScribe is a registered trademark of Say I Can. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. How to Reach Us |