Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Computer keyboard force and upper extremity symptoms

M Feuerstein1, T Armstrong, P Hickey

  • 1Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. 20814, USA.

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
|January 16, 1998
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The development and evolution of the Irish Hip Fracture Database: a quality care initiative 2013-2024.

Archives of osteoporosis·2026
Same author

A cost analysis of surgical site infection for hip fracture patients using national clinical audit data.

Irish medical journal·2026
Same author

Substantial heterogeneity in trauma triage tool characteristic operationalization for identification of major trauma: a hybrid systematic review.

European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society·2025
Same author

Late Surgeon-General Hammond.

Buffalo medical and surgical journal·2023
Same author

Combination CT and MRI shoulder arthrography: a novel technique and improved patient journey.

Clinical radiology·2022
Same author

Intraoperative radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer: implementation and initial experience.

The British journal of surgery·2021
Same journal

Stress First Aid for Healthcare Workers: A Longitudinal Evaluation Across a Healthcare System.

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine·2026
Same journal

Organizational Stressors, Burnout, and Mental Health Outcomes Among Local Government Employees During Disaster Response.

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine·2026
Same journal

What's new in HIV Exposure Management in 2026.

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine·2026
Same journal

Self-Reported Occupational Tuberculosis Exposure Among Healthcare Workers During COVID-19-Related Health System Reprioritisation in South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine·2026
Same journal

Association Between Cigarette Smoking and Sleep Outcomes Among Long-Haul Truck Drivers: A Secondary Data Analysis.

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine·2026
Same journal

Work Exposome estimation through Job Exposure Matrices - JEMs?

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine·2026
See all related articles

Office workers with severe upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms exert higher keyboarding forces. Excessive force may contribute to symptom severity, suggesting workstyle evaluation for managing these conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Occupational Health
  • Ergonomics
  • Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background:

  • Musculoskeletal symptoms of the upper extremities are common among office workers.
  • Keyboarding is a primary activity associated with these symptoms.
  • The relationship between keying force and symptom severity requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess if office workers with more severe upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms exhibit higher keying forces compared to controls.
  • To explore the association between keyboarding force and the severity of upper extremity symptoms in an office work setting.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study design was employed, classifying office workers based on symptom severity.
  • Keyboard force and keying rate were measured during a standardized 15-minute keyboarding task.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Multiple measures of symptoms, discomfort, perceived effort, and work demands were collected.

    • Main Results:

    • Cases with higher symptom severity generated significantly greater keyboarding forces than controls.
    • Both groups exerted forces considerably higher than activation levels.
    • Higher symptom severity correlated with increased pain, functional impact, workload pressure, and lower job support.

    Conclusions:

    • Generation of excessive keying force during computer use may contribute to the severity of upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms.
    • Evaluating individual workstyles and keyboarding techniques may be beneficial for managing these symptoms and related disorders.