[thelist] "Hand Coding" in DWMX2004

Russ russ at unrealisticexpectations.com
Sun Aug 22 20:25:02 CDT 2004


> > Please, please please stay away from such ignorant 
> statements.  Carpal 
> > Tunnel is NOT caused from clicking a mouse or from typing.
> 
> Then tell me why over the course of my work life, why I have 
> never had 
> a problem until working in the computer industry. I never had 
> problems 
> while doing social work, while working in the floral industry, while 
> flipping burgers, while testing soil. But 8 hours of clicking buttons 
> and moving a mouse around and I'm in agony. Typing isn't a problem. 
> Just the mouse.

This has gone entirely off-topic.  

As I've stated, check with an Occupational Therapist, or, even better, a
Certified Hand Therapist or other specialist, as they can help you with
that.  That's not my role and you don't even know what it is that's
causing you issues--you shouldn't just go and further the misconceptions
of what causes carpal tunnel.  That perpetuates a lot of ignorance that
a lot of professionals could do without.

My information comes directly from an OT working toward CHT who works in
hand therapy every. Single. Day.  The advice is as I've given:  see a
specialist.

Since you cut out the rest of my comments, it's a bit misleading.  I did
explain the primary causes of Carpal Tunnel--and anyone else can find
those rather easily, too.  Since you're a woman, you've not stated if
you're pregnant or not, and pregnant women do have a tendency to develop
CTS, and that's just one example of how little you've offered.  Since
I'm not in the position to offer you a diagnosis, nor could you have
possibly provided enough information via an email medium, I simply
Googled something that you could have done, rather than press the issue
over the list:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/pubs/carpal_tunnel.htm

=====
The risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome is not confined to people
in a single industry or job, but is especially common in those
performing assembly line work - manufacturing, sewing, finishing,
cleaning, and meat, poultry, or fish packing. In fact, carpal tunnel
syndrome is three times more common among assemblers than among
data-entry personnel. A 2001 study by the Mayo Clinic found heavy
computer use (up to 7 hours a day) did not increase a person's risk of
developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
=====

That's pretty in-line with what I said, which I'll quote:

=====
Carpal Tunnel is, most of the time, caused from highly repetetive
activities in a confined space (that is, the same motions, sometimes
even data entry, in a very limited state of mobility), and it is very
infrequently caused by simple mouse clicks.  Check with your local
Occupational Therapist. I did.
=====

I hope the issue is dead.  As I've said, I'd truly hate to see the
misconception of what Carpal Tunnel is continued to be perpetuated by
statements that are made out of ignorance.  Let's remember, too, that
ignorance, by defintion, means "not knowing" and it is not a term that
is meant as name calling.

<tip type="computer-related arm, wrist, etc. stress and strain">
If you are a professional who spends a high volume amount of time
working with your keyboard or your mouse or any combination thereof and
you are experiencing pains that you think might be related, always check
with the manufacturer of your products to ensure you are correctly using
them, holding them correctly, positioning your hands correctly, etc.  If
you have found that your usage is proper and correct, consult with a
physician for additional information.

If you are concerned that you have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, there are
several resources, most notably the NINDS Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Information Page located at
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/disorders/carpal_doc.htm.
When in doubt, no amount of speculation on either side of the discussion
can make a better diagnosis than your physician.
</tip>




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