Repetitive strain injury

Read the following text with gaps and match the headings to its parts (A, B, C, D):

Treatment Symptoms Background information Study

Now read the text and fill in the gaps with the following words:

activity instrument pain strain tool arm keyboard feeling injury

A. ___________________________ :

Repetitive (1) __________ injury (RSI), also known as Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD), is a professional overuse syndrome, non-specific (2) __________ pain or work related upper limb (= legs or arms) disorder (WRULD). Nowadays it is the well-known illness concept that links use of the arm to (3) __________ or disease. Prior to typewriters or computers there was the concept of "writer's cramp" (=sudden pain in muscles, usually caused by cold or too much exercise).

The basis for this illness concept is the idea that one can overuse a (4) __________ , such as a computer (5) __________ or musical (6) __________ in a way that causes tissue (= muscles, nerves, brain) damage leading to pain. Conditions such as RSI tend to be associated with both physical and psychosocial stressors.

B. ___________________________ :

The following complaints are typical among patients that might receive a diagnosis of RSI:

• (7)__________ in the arm (typically diffuse - i.e. spread over many areas);
• the pain is worse with (8) __________ ;
• weakness, loss of (9) __________ .

The symptoms tend to be diffuse and non-anatomical. They tend not to be characteristic of any discrete pathological conditions.

special factors doctors prevent reduce program provide software improve risk tests cure 8 increase ergonomic

C. ___________________________ :

Diagnostic (10) __________(radiological, electrophysiological, etc.) are normal. In short, RSI is bestunderstood as a healthy arm that hurts.

Studies have related RSI with psychological and social (11) __________. A large amount of psychological distress showed doubled (12) __________ of the pain. For example, poor support from colleagues and work dissatisfaction also showed an (13) __________ in pain. So, some (14) __________ believe that stress is the main cause of RSI. The main advocate of this point of view is Dr.John E. Sarno, Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at the New York University Medical School.

D. ___________________________ :

Modifications of arm use (ergonomics) are often recommended.

Adaptive technology – from (15) __________ keyboards, mouse replacements and pen tablet interfaces to speech recognition (16) __________ - might be necessary. “Pause” software reminds the user to pause frequently and/or perform practices while working behind a computer. One such (17) __________ is Workrave, an open-source free program that helps to (18) __________ and (19) __________ Repetitive Strain Injury. The program frequently signals to the user to take micro-pauses, rest breaks and shows the user his/her daily limit. A kind of (20) __________ keyboard, such as the Goldtouch-Solution, or a kind of ergonomic mouse, such as a RollerMouse, vertical mouse or joystick, may help and (21) __________ relief.

Some people with RSI find relief in specific movement therapies such as taijiquan, t'ai chi ch'üan, yoga, or some other techniques that (22) __________ the risk of developing RSI. Also, doctors often recommend to do different specific strengthening exercises, for example to (23) __________ posture of your body.

Recovery is up (24) __________ months before any activity should be used.

Part III

(… адрес интернет-странички с видеороликами…)

KEYBOARD ERGONOMICS

(0:39)

PRE-LISTENING

1. Do you remember the following words:

“wrist”, “straight”, “angle”, “to relieve”, “blood flow”, “to twist”, “adjustable”?

2. Do you understand the word “ergonomics”?

WHILE-LISTENING

Watch the video without inscriptions and fulfill the following tasks:

3. What is the main idea of the track?

4. Use the following words to make sentences about the video: old-fashioned, develop, prevent, ergonomic.

Watch the video and read the inscriptions. Try to understand them.

5. Translate the inscriptions. Give the idea, but not a word for word translation.

POST-LISTENING

Watch the video without inscriptions:

6. Try to comment on each episode. Use the following words:

00:01 – wrist (hand), position

00:04 – straight, angle, inwards

00:08 – reduce pressure, risk

00:12 – vertically

00:17 – raise, blood flow

00:21 – natural position

00:26 – comfortable, standard keyboard

00:30 – adjustable keyboard

2. __ ?

(01:23)

PRE-LISTENING

1. Do you know the following words:

“individual”, “staff”, “user”, “disability”, “needs”, “customize”, “properly”.

WHILE-LISTENING

Listen to the whole track without video.

2. What title can be given to the track?

Listen to the parts of the track without video and answer the following questions:

00:00 – 00:12

3. What is another word for “movement” used in the track?

00:13 – 00:24

4. Why are the words “hour, day, week” mentioned?

00:25 – 00:49

5. What does a ‘reason answer” to the RSI problem mean? How is it called?

6. What does “the Goldtouch solution” consist of?

Listen and watch the video again to check the answers.

7. Fill in the gaps in the following text:

00:00 – 00:25

RSI – repetitive (1) __________ injury, (2) __________ resulting from the (3) __________ actions we all make when using IT (4) __________.

Always it is caused by (5) __________ and keyboard on a (6) __________ . Just picture yourself - crashed over the (7) __________ , thumping those (8) __________ , clicking the mouse, repeating the same (9) __________ hour after hour, day after day, week after week.

……..

00:26 – 00:56

What can you as an individual or as an (10) __________ do to safeguard yourself and your staff against from (11) __________ ?

Well, reason answer … is (12) __________ and (13) ___________ . It’s called the Goldtouch (14) ___________ and consists of the Goldtouch (15) __________ and the … of software called the RSI-guard which together help (16) __________ your own work activity.

I’ve been working with users with disabilities, so finding a successful (17) __________ solutions for long for over (18) __________ years.

I’ve found that the (19) __________ is to recognize each person’s computing needs a (20) __________ individual.

01:01 - end

The Goldtouch (21) __________is an (22) __________combination of (23) __________ of a work management that can be (24) _________ customized by each user.

For you that means much in your work … with your (25) _________ needs and, when you use it properly, (26) _________ … _________ of a computer related (27) __________ .

POST-LISTENING

8. Why do people suffer RSI?)

9. Why is “the Goldtouch solution” called an “RSI-guard”?

10. Why is “the Goldtouch solution” so unique?

RSI - PREVENTION

(01:53)

PRE-LISTENING

Answer the questions:

1. How can we prevent RSI?

2. What things can help us prevent RSI?

3. Do you know the following words:

“to click”, “to skip”, “instead of”, “to match”, “behaviour”, “restriction”, “customizable”.

WHILE-LISTENING

Listen the whole track without video.

4. What is the idea of the whole text?

Listen and watch the parts of the video and answer the following questions:

00:00 – 00:39

5. What is the speaker’s name?

6. What are the elements of RSI-preventing helpers?

00:40 – 00:50

7. What is “break-timing”?

00:51 – 01:05

8. What is a “short-cut”?

01:06 – 01:15

9. What is “data-looking”?

01:16 – 01:29

10. What is a “forget-me-not”

01:30 - end

11. What is a “graph”?

12. How can we better understand the limits at our work?

Listen and watch the video and fill in the gaps in the following text:

13. Fill in the gaps in the following text:

00:00 – 00:22

Hello, I’m Ameline (1) __________. In the context of (2) _________ the expression “work management” is used to encompass the whole range of (3) _________ , including (4) _________ posture, (5) _________ rates and rest rates, and … … - the monitoring and (6) _________ of this.

00:23 – 00:50

The Goldtouch RSI-guard is a … of (7) __________ - timing prompts and video-styled (8) _________ which for the user can become his or her own work management expert.

RSI-guard contains a number of (9) __________ , all of which are fully customizable … by the user or (10) __________ wide. This include intelligent break-timing to remind you when to take breaks and for how long. If you are in a hurry you can of course skip them but it all begins soon.

00:51 – 01:35

“Short–cuts” – allow you to avoid unnecessary mouse (11) __________ , for instance, I can use any (12) _________ , say, my function keys instead of the mouse (13) __________ – just to get the change of (14) __________ or even to alter a click … .

“Data–looking” – automatically matches your (15) __________ use and behaviour and suggests ways to work more efficiently … .

“Forget-me-nots” and your own “go-hints” are customizable mini-breaks and suggestions for stretching exercises. This task-level (16) _________ training has been (17) __________ to ensure you get a good workout while still sitting at your desk.

“Dynamic work restrictions” can be used to ensure the safe working practices over a day or (18) __________.

01:36 – 01:46

And because of all your mousing (and keyboarding) is locked in graphs, you can begin better (19) __________your own (20) __________ at your work and manage your own computer work float to (21) __________future (22) __________ .

POST-LISTENING

14. Which of the above mentioned RSI-preventing helpers are the most useful and why?

15. Can you think of any other RSI-preventing helpers?

16. Would you like to have such RSI-preventing helpers on your computer and why?