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Web Designer's Elbow

These days I seem to spend my entire life sat in front of a PC, whether it's working, shopping, researching, typing this column or just browsing. It is very impressive that we can do so much with the modern computer, and I would be out of a job were it not for the existence of computers and the internet, so I had best tread carefully here. I have recently been suffering some pain and clicking in my right elbow as a result of using a PC, and it is generally worse after a long day of work, indicating that it is an RSI in the elbow joint. I have called it Web Designer's Elbow, being that it is a pain in the elbow, and is primarily caused by my job.

Short of a drastic career change I cannot avoid using a computer for work, however I am attempting to cut down using one in my spare time. I took a self-imposed sabbatical from computers over the recent Easter break and it is no coincidence that my elbow did not ache or click once. Aside from the fact that spending time outside in the fresh air is always good for the soul, I also began to feel a new form of independence from my PC. Over recent months I have been trying to spend more of my time away from the PC, and have given up playing computer games when my work is finished. This may come as a shock to those who know my love of football strategy games; however it was clearly time to elbow something out.

Computers are an essential part of daily life now, and whilst they might look like non-threatening chunks of bulky plastic, they can be quite dangerous. Increasing numbers of people spend up to 9 hours per day hunched over a PC in an office without really moving around and exercising; this is a far cry from our original role as hunter-gatherers. Our bodies have evolved to deal with the modern environment to an extent, but repeatedly drumming our fingers on a plastic tray all day while staring at a flickering coloured box is never going to be naturally comfortable.

In terms of using a computer at home, as anyone who has ever logged on to the internet will confess, it is possible to sit for hours and browse without actually achieving anything in particular. Contrary to hearsay, the internet is not just filled with pornographic material, but is in fact a vibrant and exciting place to be, packed with sites on a whole range of subjects, from the sublime to the ridiculous, where vast amounts of information is only a few clicks away. The hard part is deciding when you have seen enough, preferably before the pain kicks in.

In spite of the discomfort caused by Web Designer's Elbow, there is a much more significant reason as to why I resent it and wish to rid myself of any trace; it makes me part of the increasing number of people who have (had) a work related injury, and thus brings me one step closer to the claims specialists who clog up daytime television advertising their legalised rip-off scams. There has been a worrying trend in recent years for people to take increasing amounts of time off work as a result of a workplace injury such as an RSI. I don't doubt that some of their cases are genuine, however many are just an excuse for a paid break from work. I present the following (fictional) example of a workplace injury which will be all too familiar to anyone who has laboured in a communal working environment.

An overweight receptionist is gorging on a box of chocolates that were bought for her by a customer who mistook her sarcasm for genuine kindness. She leaves her desk to take her 10 th cigarette break of the morning, puts the box of chocolates in her bag before anybody else has chance to share them, and in doing so pushes her chair out of its normal position. When she returns to her desk after 20 minutes, she is so busy describing her latest diet to a disinterested colleague that she misses the chair as she sits down, falls instead on to her ample backside, and cries out in pain. She is awarded damages and spends the next 6 months on paid sick leave, spending her compensation on fancy cakes and poor taste home furnishings.

Joking aside, Web Designer's Elbow is nothing more than a minor annoyance for me at present, however as is the case with all RSI, if I don't take steps to try and correct the problem, it could become much more serious. RSI tend to be brought on by activities which are perfectly harmless in moderation e.g., swinging a tennis racket or typing on a keyboard, but cause nerve/muscle damage simply through repetition of said activity. It doesn't take a genius to predict that the number of computer related RSI is likely to increase in direct proportion to the use of computers over the coming years, and I think it's up to the individual to take whatever simple measures are necessary in order to avoid them. After all, using a computer should be a pleasant experience; it is a safe activity that everyone can enjoy, and unless you're Gary Glitter, it certainly won't get you killed.

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