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'Repetitive Surf Injury,' the New Scourge of Brit Office Workers

by Warren Riddle on May 6, 2009 at 11:08 AM



We don't want to inspire a Swine Flu-type hysteria, but there is a malady that currently plagues over 500,000 English workers and results in U.K. businesses' losing over 5 million days a year. Fortunately, the condition is not contagious, and seems to be easily prevented and remedied. According to the Economic Times, Repetitive Surf Injury (RSI) -- muscle, tissue and ligament damage caused by the excessive or improper manipulation of computers and mobile gadgets -- costs the nation's industries billions of dollars a year.

According to Yahoo, more than 8 million English residents now access the Internet via mobile devices. Business consultant Gordon Mowat attributed this rise in mobile viewing to the economy, and told the Telegraph that "people are under increasing pressure to deliver because they are scared of losing their jobs." . As a result, chiropractor Tim Hutchful said more "people are balancing laptops on their legs so users stare down at the screen which in turn puts strain on their necks, shoulders and backs."

We hate to see so many hard workers experiencing negative health effects because of tireless dedication to their jobs, but do English companies have Human Resources departments? At some point or another, we've all had to sit through mind-numbing HR videos exhibiting proper posture, as well as stretching and typing techniques. So all of the ailing RSI sufferers won't have to further strain their eyes, backs, and legs watching those videos, we'll just sum them up with the immortal, but slightly altered, words of one of Washington D.C.'s most eloquent statesmen, John Riggins: "Come on, England baby, loosen up. You're too tight!" [From: The Telegraph and The Economic Times]

Tags: carpal tunnel, CarpalTunnel, health, jobs, repetitive surf injury, RepetitiveSurfInjury, top, uk, workplace

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