[Problems in the handling of equipment for patients with rheumatic diseases]

Persons with rheumatic diseases in the hand-arm-system are hindered to use requisits in their daily activities, because they can only fulfill grasping and holding functions with great difficulties and pain. A substancial point in this analysis takes the questions of existing knowledge and experiences in ergonomics and medical therapy concerning design criteria for service equipment in the sense of joint protection and prevention. A confrontation and examples show that important design criteria for service equipment are contradicting themselves and that for planning and designing requisits of daily use and work it is necessary to develop directions for prophylactic joint protection.