Do you worry about your work space and what all that typing is doing to your hands and arms? Do you use a brace or a wrist rest? Is your office concerned about ergonomics and work related injuries?

Have you had a serious problem with RSI's? Have you had surgery? Share your stories.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

Answers

Oh, I certainly do, Beth! I've dealt with tendonitis in various joints, numbness and tingling in my hands and fingers, various aches and pains, and occasional flare-ups of fibromyalgia.

I've been using ergo keyboards at work and at home for a while now, along with a track ball (at work) to alleviate the strain. I have gel wrist rests for my keyboards, and the trackball actually sits up on a foam mouse wrist rest. Lately, though, my right elbow's been starting to hurt where it rests on the desk when I use the trackball, so I bought a little gel mouse wrist rest and put that under my elbow. It's all helped a lot with the aches and pain, especially the trackball. (I really need to get one for home.)

My bosses at current and previous workplaces have never raised a fuss about getting the ergo equipment, including a wrist brace (which, unfortunately makes using the trackball difficult).

So far, I've not had to have surgery. I usually just end up taking anti-inflammatories.

But, whenever that ache starts up, it scares me.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

Beth - get a wrist brace at your local drugstore. They're $20. Wear it to bed. People do funny things with their hands in their sleep (sleeping with their wrists curled, for example) and it causes more damage. Wear it during the day occasionally when you're on the computer. I did this and noticed almost immediate improvement in my hands.

Also, take about 1500 milligrams of Tylenol or Motrin everyday while the pain lasts - these are anti-inflammatories and will help reduce the soreness in your wrist.

A few weeks ago my right wrist was hurting so bad that I panicked, thinking that my livelihood was threatened. I followed the above advice from a coworker, and after about two weeks I could leave off the brace altogether (which I try not to do, since I don't want the pain coming back). My office was very accomodating, purchasing a wrist rest and ergonomic keyboard for me, both helped.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

Funny you mentioned this. My wrist just started to hurt as I was searching another page. It's happening more and more often. I use a wrist wrest for typing, but I'm thinking of ordering a mouse one, too. and my elbows hurt where I rest them on the desk, too.

I'll try that wrist guard idea, as I know that I curl my wrists when I sleep.

I'm off to take some Advil right now for the pain in my arm. Then I'll find something to do here ar work that doesn't involve computers for a while.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

My wrists do hurt a lot -- I wouldn't be surprised if it were carpal tunnel syndrome. It started less than two years into my legal practice. I started doing a lot of twisting and stretching exercises with my wrists, which relieves the pain. My comfort level hasn't gotten any worse in the last four to five years. I wonder if anyone knows whether there is any link between the stretching exercise and the pain relief?

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

I don't have any RSIs, but about six years ago I developed tendinitis in my right thumb. I made the mistake of going to an osteopath rather than directly to a hand specialist, and she put me in a brace for about six weeks. Because of the immobility caused by the brace, I then developed reflex sympathetic dystrophy in my right hand and arm.

RSD is something you never want to get. To "cure" me (I'm 95 percent back to normal, which is the best I'm going to get) required months of physical therapy, a TENS unit, and stellate ganglion blocks (which are shots in your neck that are performed as an outpatient). I could not put rings back on my right hand for about a year and a half after I developed the RSD.

At the time I lived in Louisville, where just about the best hand surgeons in the world are located (Kleinert & Kutz). Had I gone to them in the first place, rather than waiting till I was bad off, I'd just have had to deal with the tendinitis and a touch of arthritis in my thumb. By waiting, I ended up with RSD, which is a debilitating condition that can cost you the use of whatever limb is affected. But I guess I was lucky in that the RSD itself was caught early, thereby allowing me to be almost cured.

If your hand, leg, or any other body part ever swells up and becomes immobilized following an injury, go immediately to a hand surgeon or appropriate specialist who treats RSD. Unbelievably, some doctors don't even believe that this condition exists, preferring to think of it as a "yuppie" disease like chronic fatigue syndrome.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

I've had CTS going on for about 2 years now. It sucks royally. I haven't had surgery, since it only helps about 50% of the time, and I really didn't have the money for it.

Things that I have found that helped:

* Proper equipment. This includes a good chair, good mice, a good keyboard, a decent desk, a keyboard tray (this was a big one... I'm so short that I can't reach normal desk heights without having to bend my wrists), so on, so forth. Wrist rests, I've found, are something of a double-edged blade. A lot of people want to rest their wrists on the rests while typing, which increases pressure on the forearm area and makes the RSI worse. However, if you can keep yourself from trying to rest your wrists while typing or mousing, they're a wonderful help.

* Breaks. If my wrists hurt, I get off. No questions. No excuses. If I'm at work, I go for a short walk. If I'm at home, I turn off the machine and do something else.

* Braces. To counteract what was previously said... DO NOT use drug store braces, and DO NOT wear them all day unless specifically instructed to by a orthopedist or hand doctor. Drug store braces rarely fit well (they can cut off circulation and damage the nerves in your arm even further), and wearing them all day causes atrophy in your forearm muscles. If your forearm muscles atrophy, then the RSI WILL get worse. I learned both tidbits the hard way -- from experience. However, wearing properly fitted braces at night to keep your wrists from curling up helps immensely.

* NSAID's. Non-Steroidial Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. Asprin, Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin), or Naproxen Sodium (Aleve) are NSAID's. NSAID's reduce swelling as well as reducing pain. Tylenol is not an NSAID, and, therefore, won't help as much. Try taking Ibuprofen or Naproxen on a schedule -- it helps a lot.

* Physical Therapy. Exercises, massage, and, if things get really bad, paying a licensed physical therapist all help.

* And most important:

IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE AN RSI, GO TO A DOCTOR. I can't emphasize this enough. I would have gone through a lot less suffering and spent a lot less money if I had gone to a doctor when I first suspected I had an RSI. Please, I urge everyone here who thinks that they might have an RSI to go see a doctor. You're not being heroic. You're not saving money. You're being stupid. You're being a clueless fucking moron if you think you can treat an RSI with drugstore braces and OTC medication.

(I say this not to be rude, but to be honest. I thought I could. I thought I didn't need to see a doctor. I paid for it -- not only with my money but with my health and my job. I can't do a lot of the things that I love to do anymore. I don't want anyone else going through what I have to go through.)

RSI's like CTS and tendonitis are incurable. Once you have them, you have them for life. I'll never not have CTS. I'll always have to deal with the tingling, the burning, the pain, the numbness, the weakness. But if you get to a doctor early, you can stop it before it becomes a life altering situation.

(Go. See. A. Doctor. Please.)

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

Since I seemed to have pissed off the proletariat, let me add an obvious disclaimer to my above advice. First off, note that I didn't recommend wearing the brace 24-7, I suggested it for sleeping and occasional computer use. Second, I did not intend for that advice to preclude the oh-so obvious advice of seeing a doctor about it.

And lastly, "clueless fucking moron"? Really, I thought we were all adults here.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

I'll also point out that Jamie Zawinski (of Netscape fame) wrote an excellent article on RSI's. That is here:

http://www.jwz.org/grunt le/wrists.html

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

I have an RSI in my right hand. The pain is mostly in my pinky and ring finger, ny wrist, and up the outside of my arm to the elbow. It can be hideously painful at times. I used to have problems with my pinky and ring finger going numb -- that pins and needles sensation you get when your foot falls asleep. I haven't had that since I started wearing a brace at night.

I don't have the best posture while working. I tend to wrap my legs around the bottom of my chair and lean in on my elbow to read the computer screen.

My company cares not one bit about ergonomics and work related injuries. Well, they will spring for wrist rests, but that's the extent of it.

I second the brace idea for night. It does make a difference.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

I'd like to verify Dawn's comment that wearing a brace all the time will cause your forearm muscles to atrophy. That's what happened to me, and it's really weird to look down at your arm and see a dent at the top of it.

Also, going to the wrong doctor is the equivalent of not going to a doctor at all. Frankly, I'd have been better off not to go to a doctor at all, and let my tendinitis do whatever it was going to do, than to go to this osteopath who put me in a brace 24-7 for six weeks. Not only that, but she misdiagnosed me after the six weeks was up and told me I'd probably have to have surgery. I never had surgery; it was the physical therapy that saved me.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

Okay, I am seriously depressed after reading this... Last winter, for the first time ever (I had a week where I had pages and pages and pages due at once) I started to have slight pain in my arms. I freaked and went to the "best" doctor at my HMO, who said "take 9 Advil a day for six weeks, and if that doesn't cure it, you're getting braces at night." In all honesty, I was not at all comfortable with his 5-second analysis (or taking that much damn Advil), but took it anyway. It didn't really do anything, but I can't recall the last time my arms hurt anyway. They feel kinda tight (akin to when I was in ballet), but that's about it. I have not returned to that guy since. I am horrible about all egonomics, though. I am seriously uncomfortable sitting with feet flat on the floor and legs together. I hate it, hate it, hate it, I feel like I'm about to burst out of my skin.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

I actually got tendonitis from working as a cashier at a grocery store. I worked there for a year and the last three months were terribly painful. I went to the doctor who told me to go to physio, which helped a little. It didn't stop hurting though, until I quit and went back to school. Archaeology was maybe not the best subject choice for me (a long day of troweling usually sees me taking anti- inflamatories) but I'm not in nearly as much pain...

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

Oh lord, is this the thread for me.

I started with plantar fascitis in both heels from exercising about 5- 6 years ago. For most people it goes away with stretching, PT...or it just goes away on it's own.

Mine never went away, continual pain, until I now have bone spurs in both heels, I had surgery on my right foot 3 months ago, the pain has not only NOT gone away it's WORSE in the right foot.

I am a nurse, and I just started in the ICU 6/1--sucks to be me. I'm really afraid I am going to have to leave my job.

HuaHuaville

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

Since I seemed to have pissed off the proletariat, let me add an obvious disclaimer to my above advice. First off, note that I didn't recommend wearing the brace 24-7, I suggested it for sleeping and occasional computer use. Second, I did not intend for that advice to preclude the oh-so obvious advice of seeing a doctor about it.

And lastly, "clueless fucking moron"? Really, I thought we were all adults here.

Working class! Whoohoo!

Okay, I admit I was a bit... blunt. There's a point there, however, which is the fact that braces aren't a cure-all, and ill fitting braces can actually make things worse. I wore ill-fitting drug store braces for about a month before I saw a doctor. They ended up causing severe nerve damage in my right hand -- I have little feeling in my thumb now. When I got the braces from my hand doctor, I started wearing them 24/7, which, again, caused more harm than good. It was only after a physical therapist explained to me that wearing the braces for so long was causing my forearm muscles to atrophy did I take them off again. My wrists hurt like hell for a few days, and then sloooowly started getting better. I, personally, advocate not wearing them except at night.

Seeing a doctor, while it sounds obvious, is a step that many people completely ignore. Some people just think the pain will go away. Some people don't think they have the money for it. Some just think it's "wimpy" to go to a doctor. Some think that by buying a pair of braces and stocking up on the Advil, they're doing all a doctor could do. While it's true that there isn't much a doctor can do in certain cases, they can help in ways that most people don't think of. They have good drugs and wonderful machines that make the pain go away. ;) They can properly fit you for braces. They can give you advice on ergonomics, help you find a physical therapist, provide proof that you've actually got an RSI (which helps in work/school related tangles. Saying "I've got a pain," doesn't do much for a lot of places, but saying "I've been diagnosed with an RSI" does), so on, so forth. And in the end, it's much cheaper to go see a doctor early on than to see one when you've gotten to the point where you need expensive treatments and surgery.

I'll second Jane's sentiment about finding a good doctor. For many years, pretty much the only people who got RSI's were lower-class blue collar workers. Now, with recent growth of the computer industry, doctors are experiencing an influx of upper-class, white collar workers who RSI's. Some doctors refuse to treat it, some offer sub-standard care at best, and some are great. The ones that are great will monitor you for several months and try help you on a day to day basis. When it comes to RSI docs, you've really got to shop around. Find one that you're comfortable with, that pays attention to you and wants to help you out. Ditch the "$300 for 10 minutes/now go see the nurse" doctor.

RSI's are a strange thing. No one really knows what causes an RSI. There are factors that contribute, sure, but there's no one thing that you can point to and say, "This is why you have an RSI." When you're diagnosed, you can't cut out the cause. You can modify the contributing factors, and that's one of the big ways a doctor can help -- by finding a ergonomic setup that's right for you.

RSI's are one of the things that I'm extremely passionate about. My life will never be the same, and that saddens me. I've spent thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours, and missed out on parts of my life because of it. I wish someone had told me when I first started having pains, when I bought those drug store braces, when I said, "Well, seeing a doctor is too expensive and I don't have the time...." that I was a "clueless fucking moron." Because I was. Anyone who takes such fundamental risks with their health is.

People look on RSI's as "not a big deal." It may not be on the level with something like AIDS or cancer, but it is a big deal. It's debilitating. It can affect your life in every way -- from no longer being able to use a can opener or write with a pen to causing you to lose your job or have to drop out of school.

When I see people treating RSI's as "not a big deal" (or, worse yet, spreading information that may cause more harm than good), I get angry. Very angry. Because to me it is a big deal, and I'd so much rather people didn't have to go through what I did. I'll do whatever I have to to change their minds. If that includes calling them "clueless fucking morons" because they're acting stupid, then so be it. I've said worse things to people. In the end, if it saves them the pain, then it's worth it.

(goodness. I don't think I say this much in a day on my own site)

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

I am a graphic design artist and I own my own business so I spend about 8 hours a day working on a computer and then once I come home I spend at least another 3 hours doing internet things. Needless to say, I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists. I wear braces all the time. I wrap my wrists with soft ace bandages (on the advice of my doctor) while I sleep. I also live on Vicodan or Advil.

Recently, I have had a lot of pain on the right side of my neck area (like right underneath the collarbone). It hurts so bad that if I twist it just right, I can't catch my breath for a few seconds. Sucks to be me.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

This topic got me out of the dark corner where I usually sit and watch posts go by....I developed CTS in both hands last year around September. It started with numbness and tingling in my thumbs and index fingers. It gradually spread through the rest of my fingers and into my wrists. It didn't bother me too much at first, but over time (about 4 months) even the smallest tasks were driving me crazy. I was to the point where I had to switch the phone back and forth between hands because of the pain. I was constantly dropping things. I HAD to see a doctor. I went to my regular family physician, he told me it was most likely CTS, and sent me to a neurosurgeon to have the standard tests done. Once I had a diagnosis, I got the carpal tunnel braces and my doctor started me on prescription arthritis medication. Over the course of about eight weeks I tried four different medications, none of which helped. So my doctor sent me to a plastic surgeon who has seen hundreds of CTS patients.

During all these months, I had talked to several people who had dealt with CTS or knew someone who had. It's amazing how common these problems are. Two people I talked to had done the surgery, and were happy with the results. So I relented and scheduled the surgery. I had my right hand done in early March, and my left hand in mid May. I also had two physical therapy sessions with each hand. This was one of the BEST decisions I ever made. I had immediate relief from my symptoms, very little pain after the surgery, and was back to all normal activity in about 3-4 weeks. As of today I have had no pain and no return of my symptoms. I have been absolutely amazed at the results. There's no need for anyone to suffer. Find a good doctor. They can do incredible things.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

I'm lucky. I've never had any problems with RSI, which is rampant among journalists. I attribute this to the use of an ergo keyboard, good mouse, gel mousepad and regular stretching exercises for my hands.

I'm troubled by the advice to take "1500 mg of Advil". Doing that on a regular basis is not healthy, and can cause kidney and stomach problems.

IMO, Mac keyboards and mice seem to be specially designed to cause RSI.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

Get the book "Office Yoga" by Darrin Zeer. It offers excellent advice about prevent RSI's, shoulder pain from stress, sitting improperly, and a million other things... Stretch your hands often. I've did data entry for years before I did web work. I think that's the only thing that's saved me so far - I'm forever massaging my hands, bending them backwards, making fists and releasing, flexing my wrists, etc... Its almost like a nervous twitch!

The book, by the way, also says to go to the dr. ASAP!

Highly recommended - isn't flakey or too out there. Very practicle advice to keep you in good form during the work week.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

"I've did"??? Whatta dork! I mean, "I did" (at least I think that's what I meant - I can't go back and look now.... I should really go to bed & rest, which is one of the other things the book mentions :-)

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

About four years ago, my partner started having RSI-type problems with his right arm and shoulder. He somehow taught himself to use a right-handed mouse with his left hand. His right arm got better after he stopped using the mouse with it, and he has yet to develop any problems with his left--although we fight a great deal about what side of the desk the mouse should be on!

I have DeQuervain's tendinitis (right thumb and wrist). My problems began when I sprained my thumb badly and aggravated the injury by not doing any of the right things (icing, elevating, rest, etc.) and by doing all the wrong things (e.g., writing a great deal even though I was in pain). The first doctor I saw misdiagnosed the tendinitis as CTS and fitted me for a night brace to immobolize the wrist. He also ok'd wearing it as needed during the day, so I wore it almost constantly at work since it lessened the pain. Luckily, I don't seem to have sustained any significant atrophy.

The brace was made of some sort of white plaster material, and it broke after a couple years of hard use. By this time I had relocated and so went to a different doctor (Kaiser South, BTW) to get a new brace. This doctor immediately questioned the original diagnosis and eventually got me to a good orthopedic surgeon, who performed a tendon release as a 20-minute outpatient deal. The surgery and the subsequent physical therapy got me back to about 85-90% normal usage and a vast reduction in pain, although I still have to be careful about overuse, egronomics (sp.?). etc.

I am very lucky I never had surgery for CTS; the original doctor had mentioned it several times. (This guy was a jerk; he discounted my questions about why my symptoms didn't match classic CTS symptoms and also strongly implied that I was a wimp because I couldn't "just live with the pain.".) Also, both the orthopedic surgeon and the therapist told me that immobilizing the wrist with a brace was one of the worst things you can do for this type of tendinitis. And I'd done it under a doctor's orders--bleah!

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

One underlying theme I'd like to pull out here, is: "go to a doctor, but don't let her/him push you around." haven't had CTS or any other RSI's (knock wood and excepting minor shinsplints), but for many things. Have to emphasize if a doctor won't answer ALL the questions you ask, or leaves you feeling as if you WOULD have asked more questions if his/her manner had allowed it, etc etc, then get a second opinion. I know HMOs suck, but somehow try to get to someone who will really listen to you.

(tangent)HMOs also suck for doctors, and (though that's not the only reason)they are under pressure to save money, avoid lawsuits, recommend specific treatments/laboratories.. all of this prevents some of them from being able to hear you. However, you can find some who will. it takes more effort but it's worth it. (end of tangent)

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

No injuries of that kind whatsoever. My darling boss has supplied me with this huge, extremely comfortable desk chair. First order of business when I start working: make sure I'm sitting comfortably and relaxed. It made all the difference for me.

Sometimes my eyes start tearing up from staring at the screen, though. It only happens once every few months, and it's probably just a sign that it's time for a ten minute break. Not looking at the screen for a short while always makes it go away.

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Getting a Natural Keyboard, both at work and at home, has helped me more than I can even tell you. I am their biggest cheerleader. It takes about a week to learn to type on one, and during that week you will want to throw the keyboard through the nearest window out of frustration as it feels so funny to type on one. But try and last out the week and then ... ahhhhh. Happy hands.

Here's a link to a photo of a natural keyboard. Damn, they're cool.

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

I'm starting to have problems with hand and wrist pain. I tried to talk to my doctor about this, but he told me not to worry, to keep popping the Aleve in large doses, and to use the computer less often (but he was sure I wouldn't, ha ha).

So I swallowed a lot of skepticism and went to a chiropractor that several good friends and coworkers had recommended. It's too early to tell yet if this will help, but the man actually listens to me when I describe problems, he gives me stretching exercises to do, and he doesn't tell me to take tons of painkillers. This is an improvement already.

I got a lot of advice, mostly helpful, when I mentioned my RSI problems on my own journal page. After doing some research and dealing with some personal trial-and-error, I must agree with the advice to be careful of drugstore/sporting goods braces. I had trouble with an elbow brace that was recommended by my (bloody useless) doctor after I fell off my bike. However, the leg wrap that my orthopedic surgeon *provided* for my torn muscle has been very helpful.

I know it's not always possible to shop around for doctors, but if you can, please do. Some doctors will not take this problem seriously.

The best advice I got from a reader was that I shouldn't do a lot of computer work when I was stressed or upset -- it would only make the problem worse. She was absolutely right. If you're having a horrible day and you're under deadline pressure, do be careful and try to take breaks whenever you can. Stretching and relaxation exercises help too. It's hard to remember that your health is more important than a work deadline everyone's screaming about, but you have to make it a priority.

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2000

I am a facialist, and do alot of repetitive moves with my hands. I have developed tendonitis in my left hand, which sometimes sends those shooting pains up my arm. One time it was so bad that I couldn't lift myself out of the bath tub and now I know what it must feel like to be 80! When it flares up, I try to wear a brace when I'm not working. I have a physical therapist that works with me (my insurance pays...thank God) and she also spends alot of time on my neck, as I am constantly looking down somewhat, and it is all connected. SHe has truly been a lifesaver! It wigs me out whenever I have these flare ups...Like you mentioned, it is my life's work and I work for the mo-mo. We have to take care of ourselves, because no one else will! Advil is my drug of choice these days, as it is easier to score than heroin...

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2000

I started to get some funny symptoms a couple of years ago. Numbness in my pinky and ring fingers, especially. But it's totally gone away. I asked my yoga teacher what to do about it. There are still some stretches that I do every single day, often while I'm sitting in my office and thinking restless thoughts. If anyone's interested, I can post a list of yoga poses that may help out on my website (disclaimer: this is not a substitute for medical advice!!!!!) This book is excellent, has very clear illustrations of all of the standard poses and how you can do them with props if you're not so flexible to start out with.

Also, make sure that you're not sleeping on your hands at night. I had to train myself not to curl my hands up at night and not to sleep with them under me. If you're sleeping on a hard surface (like a futon that's gotten too thin) you can aggravate your arms just by lying on them.

If you're just hanging out in front of the TV, hang out with your hands flat and your fingers spread wide. While you're working, sit with your shoulders back and down, your spine straight, your sternum lifted. It's a little more work, but it benefits your posture, tones your back and abdominal muscles, and supposedly even burns a few calories (because you're not just letting the chair hold you up).

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2000

I type for eight hours a day. Needless to say, in my line of work there are a LOT of people who end up with braces/surgery/workers comp. We have access to ergonomic keyboards, but I've found that my wrist/ forearm posture is actually *worse* on them than on a straight keyboard -- I have an odd style of typing where I'm able to keep my wrists perfectly straight on a regular keyboard, but they start curving in if I'm on an ergo board. So before replacing your equipment, check how you type and try to keep your wrists straight. Whatever equipment helps you do that the easiest is what you should be using. Don't rest your wrists on wrist wrests *while* typing. Etc etc, all the usual ergo tips, you can find a brochure at the doctor's office or online I'm sure. The one big thing I pay attention to is Keep Wrists Straight. It seems to work for me.

Also, I do wrist/hand/arm warm-up and stretching exercises. I began to have some forearm pain after I'd started neglecting them, so I went right back to them and it went away. I guess they must do some good. There are wrist-strengthening exercises I do during slow periods as well. I stop and shake out my arms a little after I've been typing intensely for a while.

Maybe I'm mostly lucky, but I've managed to survive two years of ceaselessly typing my fingers to the bone so there must be something to some of this...

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2000

Karen, see a podiatrist about your plantar fasciatis. They can prescribe orthotics that may help. I had bad PF in both feet and orthotics helped me immediately. I'm now pain free. Good luck.

A friend with RSI has gotten voice recognition software and says it's helping a lot.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2000

About voice recognition software - I have it, and I love it. Yes, it is a big pain to first set up, and you do have to do a lot of initial testing - mainly by reading preset stories - but once you get the hang of it, the software is just great.

Not only do you get to feel like you are on the Starship Enterprise (computer: engage!) but sometimes the mistakes it makes in voice translation are so funny that it is worth it for the humour value alone.

The drawback is that in order to make it really work smoothly for you, you do have to memorize all of the commands, but there are a lot of cheats, like saying "What can I say for text edit" will give you a pop up menu of ..well, of ways to edit text. The only real problem I have with it is that I do a fair bit of writing in french, and the program cannot do foreign languages.

I can't believe more people do not use these programs....they are just a lifesaver if you have to write, but are in too much pain to type.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2000

Lizzie, I have tried everything. Did surgery 4/12 which is a last resort. Like I posted before the pain is worse, the foot is blown up like a balloon, esp. when I work. The surgeon claims he has never has had a posp op complication like this, he has been doing surgery for ~15 yrs., and that is hard to believe, and will totally not deal with the aftermath(The Pain). Go to a pain clinic, and they sent me home with a new NSAID after I tried to exlplain I have taken a whole slew. They mentioned a TENS unit.

Has anyone ever used a TENS unit??? Did they work? Does it get in the way when trying to work, etc....

Thanks Lizzie for the reply.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2000

(in reference to a TENS unit)

My Mother-in-Law has two of these. Both of the systems are internal (installed through surgery) and have helped her immensely. She suffers from "RSD". I can't remember the specifics of the dieases but it has something to do with her nerve endings causing her to feel constant pain.

One is installed in her lower back, and one in her neck. She has manual controls that hook up into the surgically installed units.

From my understanding, a TENS unit sends small electrical pulses to the nerve endings in an attempt to confuse them and help the user avoid pain sensations. I don't think it takes away all of the pain, but my Mother-in-law has come a long way.

Incidently, the RSD was "set off" by a foot injury that was never allowed to heal. She had a job that put her on her feet constantly and they wouldn't deter her duties. She kept her job until she filed a lawsuit aginst the place. Worker's Comp is footing a lot of the bills, and they are trying to reach a settlement.

Good insurance is a big plus if it's not a job related injury. The surgeries were very expensive!

Let me know if you have any questions....

Angie

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2000

Quick addendum to my TENS unit post...
Not all units have to be surgically implanted. They do have units that just attatch to your skin with (for lack of a better word) round patches. These are similar to the round patches they put on your chest for an EKG.
Angie

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2000

Please check out Cornell's ergo site...http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/ and specifically check out their Ergonomic Guidelines for arranging a Computer Workstation.

I got a lot of good and useful information from their site and I don't have the shooting pains down my arm any more and I just get a little sore once in a while if I'm stressed or mousing a lot.

I have an ergonomic board with a negative tilt. I mouse with my left hand instead of my right at home and I had a trackball at work. I also bought a wrist brace, but my rotten evil co-worker husband stole it for himself.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2000

did anyone suggest voice entry software yet? (sorry, didn't real whole thread)

you can make a passable journal entry -- the last one I used wasn't super great, but it would do in a pinch.

I assume the latest versions are at least a little better than what I used.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2000

I'm thinking about voice software. I could really see doing journal entries that way.

This ergo keyboard is pretty cool. I'm just testing it out at home -- I bought it for work, and if I like this one I'll buy the same one for home. (My office is reimbursing me for this one, because they're cool like that.)

I haven't tried the touchpad yet because I didn't feel like installing it, but the keyboard is really comfortable and easy to use. I expected it to be much harder. But the only thing that's hard is to sit up straight and keep good posture, because I prefer to slump and put my feet up.

The 6 key is on the wrong side, though. I know this fits with what I learned in typing class, but I always hit the 6 with my left hand, and this annoys me.

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2000

I am a secretary in a very busy High School department. I am off for the summer (since around 6/19/00) and lo and behold, that sore right arm of mine is not sore anymore! It began hurting in March and by June, I could barely lift my arm to drink my tea in the morning. I suspected it was because of my computer set up at school...non- computer desk from the 1960's, keyboard and mouse on a different table at a right angle to my desk, etc. I told my coworkers that I was going to request that my computer be moved around so that I didn't have to stretch from here to Illinois to point my mouse and was sheepishly told that my boss had set the desk up that way and it probably would not be a good idea to move things around. Harumph. From reading your emails, I 've gotten up the nerve to say to the boss, "Hey, this set up just isn't right and it needs to be changed, damnit!" All right, maybe I'll omit the damnit. Thanks for letting me see I am not the hypochondriac I think I am!

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000