Can a More Neutral Position of the Forearm When Operating a Computer Mouse Reduce the Pain Level for Visual Display Unit Operators? A Prospective Epidemiological Intervention Study: Part II

The aim of this study was to investigate if participants with pain experience reduced pain development when using a mouse allowing a more neutral position of the wrist (Anir) compared with development of pain using a traditional mouse. The study population consisted of 67 participants with mean intensity of pain of approximately 50 mm on a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The total group was randomly divided into 1 intervention group and 1 control group. The study was performed as a prospective parallel group study. VAS was used to assess the average level of pain in the musculoskeletal system during a 6-month period. An earlier article on this study found that after using the Anir mouse for 6 months, a significant reduction was reported in neck pain (48.9 to 33.9). Corresponding data for other areas of the upper extremities were shoulder (54.1 to 31.8), forearm (52.9 to 32.8), and wrist and hand (42.5 to 22.3), respectively (Aarås, Ro, & Thoresen, 1999). The control group using the traditional mouse reported no significant changes in pain level. This article describes the results after giving an identical intervention to INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMAN–COMPUTER INTERACTION, 13(1), 13–40 Copyright © 2001, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.