Can a more neutral position of the forearm when operating a computer mousereduce the pain level for visual display unit operators? A prospective epidemiological intervention study

In a field study, a newly developed mouse that gives the operator a more ne utral forearm position was compared with a traditional mouse using a more p ronated forearm. After using the new mouse for 6 months, a significant redu ction was reported regarding pain intensity and frequency for wrist/hand, f orearm, shoulder, and neck (p less than or equal to .009). The control grou p using the traditional mouse reported only small changes in the pain level (p greater than or equal to .24). Total duration of pain the last 6 months was also significantly improved for the shoulder and forearm in the interv ention group, whereas no such changes were observed in the control group. T hese results clearly indicate the importance of using a computer mouse with a more neutral position of the forearm.