NW BT UNION HEALTH & SAFETY
 
 
     

 


Intensive Mouse Use Greater Health Risk

Intensive computer use appears to be associated with hand, arm, neck and shoulder symptoms, with mouse work worse for health then general computer use.

A review of the occupational health literature by Dutch researchers found nine relevant articles, of which six were rated as high quality.

On the basis of the evidence presented in these papers, the researchers concluded there was moderate evidence linking mouse use and hand-arm symptoms, with the likelihood of symptoms increasing with use in a 'dose-response' relationship.

The evidence was less strong for neck and shoulder symptoms and for total computer and keyboard use.

The study, published online last month in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, concludes more research is needed "to improve our understanding of safe levels of computer use by measuring the duration of computer use in a more objective way, differentiating between total computer use, mouse use and keyboard use, attaining sufficient exposure contrast, and collecting data on disability caused by symptoms."

The Occup Environ Med section of the British Medical Journal website reports on the research:

"Worldwide, millions of office workers use a computer. Reports of adverse health effects due to computer use have received considerable media attention.

This systematic review summarises the evidence for a relation between the duration of work time spent using the computer and the incidence of hand-arm and neck-shoulder symptoms and disorders. Several databases were systematically searched up to 6 November 2005.

Two reviewers independently selected articles that presented a risk estimate for the duration of computer use, included an outcome measure related to hand-arm or neck-shoulder symptoms or disorders, and had a longitudinal study design.

The strength of the evidence was based on methodological quality and consistency of the results. Nine relevant articles were identified, of which six were rated as high quality. Moderate evidence was concluded for a positive association between the duration of mouse use and hand-arm symptoms. For this association, indications for a dose-response relationship were found. Risk estimates were in general stronger for the hand-arm region than for the neck-shoulder region, and stronger for mouse use than for total computer use and keyboard use. A pathophysiological model focusing on the overuse of muscles during computer use supports these differences.

Future studies are needed to improve our understanding of safe levels of computer use by measuring the duration of computer use in a more objective way, differentiating between total computer use, mouse use and keyboard use, attaining sufficient exposure contrast, and collecting data on disability caused by symptoms."

Alternative mouse configuration such as left handed mouse buttons, track-ball mouse where the mouse itself does not move, and even speech recognition has been promoted for some time by many in the health and safety community.

However, hardly any companies give their staff a choice of mouse equipment and very little regard is made to mouse use in DSE training, where it actually takes place.

Source: BMJ


 


Designed, Hosted and Maintained by Oasis Heath & Safety Ltd
www.oasissafety.eu