title: Self-reported wrist and finger symptoms associated with other physical/mental symptoms and use of computers/mobile phones.
abstract: Recently, computer, mobile phone and Internet use has increased. This study aimed to determine the possible relation between self-reported wrist and finger symptoms (aches, pain or numbness) and using computers/mobile phones, and to analyze how the symptoms are specifically associated with utilizing desktop computers, portable computers or mini-computers and mobile phones. A questionnaire was sent to 15,000 working-age Finns (age 18-65). Via a questionnaire, 723 persons reported wrist and finger symptoms often or more with use. Over 80% use mobile phones daily and less than 30% use desktop computers or the Internet daily at leisure, e.g., over 89.8% quite often or often experienced pain, numbness or aches in the neck, and 61.3% had aches in the hips and the lower back. Only 33.7% connected their symptoms to computer use. In the future, the development of new devices and Internet services should incorporate the ergonomics of the hands and wrists.
authors.affiliation: a Clinical Physiology and Neurophysiology Unit , North Karelia Central Hospital and Honkalampi , Finland.|b School of Medicine, University of Tampere , Finland.
authors.forename: Leena
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1807-9717
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Korpinen
authors.affiliation: c Tampere University of Technology , Finland.
authors.forename: Rauno
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pääkkönen
authors.affiliation: d Department of Public Health Sciences , University of Modena and Reggio Emilia , Italy.
authors.forename: Fabriziomaria
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gobba
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003201:Computers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014953:Wrist
keywords: computer; questionnaire study; symptom