Arthritis Patients Cite Computer Problems

About three-quarters of patients with RA, OA or FMS reported some discomfort while using a computer, according to survey results.

An even higher proportion , 84%, reported a problem with computer use stemming from their condition, Nancy Baker, Sc.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues reported in the May issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

"The extent of problems is of concern due to the effect that these limitations may have on [the patients'] ability to use a computer for work-related tasks . . . and the increased risk of people with arthritis developing musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity related to computer use," the researchers said.

Individuals with arthritis should evaluate their home and work computer environments to identify ways to reduce problems, they said.

In addition, they said, "health professionals must work with people with arthritis to identify problems experienced during computer use and implement computer workstation modifications to ensure safe, effective, and comfortable use of all computer equipment."

Fibromyalgia (FMS) patients reported more problems involving keyboard, mouse, and monitor compared to those with RA or OA.

"Based on the type of impairments characteristic of each disorder, those with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis should have reported more problems with the keyboard and mouse than those with fibromyalgia," the researchers said.

They proposed three possible explanations for this:

"People with fibromyalgia may have increased clumsiness related to abnormalities in sensory processing or fatigue, the presence of diffuse rather than localized pain may result in problems in manipulation, or those with movement limitations may have found methods to adapt their environment more easily than those with diffuse pain, resulting in fewer perceived problems," they wrote.

Overall, 76.5% of the survey respondents reported some discomfort while using a computer. The offending pieces of equipment were most often the chair (54.9%), keyboard (50.5%), and mouse (49.5%).

Read the full article at medpagetoday.com