title: Elbow and wrist/hand symptoms among 6,943 computer operators: a 1-year follow-up study (the NUDATA study).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to examine relations between computer work aspects and elbow and wrist/hand pain conditions and disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a 1-year follow-up study among 6,943 technical assistants and machine technicians self-reported active mouse and keyboard time, ergonomic exposures and associations with elbow and wrist/hand pain were determined. Standardized clinical examinations were performed among symptomatic participants at baseline and at follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For continuous duration of mouse time adjusted linear effects were statistically significant for all investigated pain conditions. For continuous duration of keyboard time the corresponding effects were statistically significant for wrist/hand pain conditions except incident 'severe' wrist/hand pain. There were no threshold effects above 0 hr per week (hr/w) of mouse exposure in association with pain conditions, while keyboard exposure showed a threshold effect with 12-month wrist/hand pain at follow-up. Clinical diagnoses were not associated with exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detailed examination of self-reported exposures showed that mouse and keyboard time predicted elbow and wrist/hand pain from low exposure levels without a threshold effect, but mouse and keyboard time were not predictors of clinical conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, The Copenhagen County Hospital in Glostrup, 2600 Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Christina Funch
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lassen
authors.forename: Sigurd
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mikkelsen
authors.forename: Ann Isabel
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Kryger
authors.forename: Lars P A
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Overgaard
authors.forename: Jane Frølund
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Thomsen
authors.forename: Imogen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vilstrup
authors.forename: Johan Hviid
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016287:Computer Peripherals; D016288:Computer Terminals; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004550:Elbow; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012307:Risk Factors; D014953:Wrist