Ergonomic Keyboards Blog

Work related strain injuries

Strain injuries at work, the most common being Repetitive Strain Injury are caused by excessive force being imposed on muscles, tendons, joints and the nervous system by some working practices (such as typing). When the strain is of short duration accompanied by adequate rest it generally does not cause significant damage. However, with work practices being increasingly sedentary and with the overwhelming majority of jobs requiring long periods of keyboard use, this can result in very frequent exertions of forced static postures which can result in a loss of capacity in the affected limbs.

The three main factors that can lead to strain injuries include:

FORCE – the application of excessive manual force

FREQUENCY AND DURATION OF MOVEMENT – including rates of working which are intense and repetitive

AWKWARD OR RIGID POSTURE – particularly of hand, wrist, arm or shoulder

The areas of the body that are most prone to strain injuries are the areas where limbs connect to the spine, including the shoulder and neck area and the upper leg area as well as the wrists, where all the tendons of the arm come together, as shown below.

Prevention

There are numerous ways to prevent strain injuries, including taking brakes, undertaking special exercises and seeking medical advice as soon as pain occurs. However, if all these steps are followed but a worker continues to use inappropriate or poorly designed equipment, they are continuing to put themselves at risk of injury.  Keyboards are vitally important given their prevalence in work settings

Unlike most keyboards on the market, the Maltron keyboard has been designed specifically to help reduce the risk of strain injuries.

Numerous users have written of their relief and amazement at the way the Maltron keyboard has allowed themselves or their staff to return to work after suffering strain injuries. And MacUser Magazine reported that “The Maltron ergonomic keyboard is perfect for those suffering from or trying to elude RSI.”

Contact us to find out more about how you can take action against RSI by using our Maltron keyboard.