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Computer use is seeing an increasing number people in doctors’ offices or in the emergency room, according to a study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. In the study, researchers found that emergency room visits for computer-related injuries rose from 1,267 to 9,279 from 1994 to 2006. The highest rate of injuries occurred among children under 5, the study’s author said.
As an ergonomic assessment specialist, my job is to identify the risk of injury from cumulative use and to eliminate the risk.  …

In working with Workers Compensation patients, I often manage patients diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).  This condition occurs when the median nerve becomes squeezed at the wrist. The carpal tunnel – a narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand - houses the median nerve and tendons. Sometimes, thickening from irritated tendons or other swelling narrows the tunnel and causes the median nerve to be compressed. The result may be pain, weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist, radiating up the arm.
In the January …