1. Kiesler, S., Finholt, T., “The mystery of RSI.” Amer Psychologist, 1988; 43; 12: 1004-1015.
No mystery, but a non-entity! There is no such thing as repetitive stress injury. It evolved and became extinct in the British Commonwealth of Australia and New Zealand. See Hadler reference for further insight into this hysteria.
2. Tannoka, S., Selligman, P.A., Halparin, W., “Use of worker’s compensation claims data for use of surveillance of cumulative trauma disorders.” J Occupat Med, 1988; 488-492.
The doctors doing the study looked at worker’s compensation claims in Ohio, seeking out work places at high risk for “cumulative trauma disorders” over a 5-year period (1980-1984). The highest case rate of 6849 worker’s compensation claims accepted on the basis of their criteria occurred in the 36-45 year old females of that age group. The wrist was implicated in 60% of those claims. They concluded that their results demonstrated the wrist as the body part most frequently affected by cumulative trauma and that the increased number in cumulative trauma related claims were likely due to growing awareness and recognition among workers, employers, and health professionals. The high incidence in women correlates with what we know. This fails to separate spontaneous onset from activity related CTS and therefore proves nothing.