query

by Thomas Caldwell

An RSI update

Since I wrote a feature story here in Computing Japan about Repetitive Strain Injury, also known as RSI, I have been getting a steady stream of e-mail from readers who are concerned they may have the affliction, or might develop it in the future. I've tried to answer as many of those messages as possible but, to save time, I might as well do so here in the column.

RSI is not just a problem -- it is a crippling affliction that can mess up your life permanently. Take it seriously!
Along with the mail I received from people who were worried they had it, there was a shocking amount from people who felt it was no big deal. One fellow claimed it just "goes away" after a while. No, it doesn't. Another told me "everybody has it." No, they don't. Another reader assured me that "there are several new devices coming on the market that will allow people with RSI to work by dictating to their computer." That's all well and good, but what about their other activities? Just because science had given us artificial arms and hands doesn't mean we should not take care of the ones we were born with. When it comes to the human body, there is no replacement better than the original parts.
Typical early warning signs of RSI are general fatigue and slight pain in the fingers and back. If you start getting twinges of pain in your forearms, you may have begun to develop RSI, and will likely have a noticeable reduction of strength in your arms. If you reach the point where you find you cannot type without a serious level of pain, you may have given yourself a permanent disability. Some people who ignore the warning signs until it is too late discover they cannot use their hands in any meaningful sort of work again.
Ergonomic keyboards, furniture, and other computer accessories are available to help prevent RSI, but there is still a limit to how long a human should be sitting in front of a computer each day. The best way to prevent RSI is to keep yourself in shape with stretching exercises and -- I know I'll catch hell for this from business managers reading the column -- take numerous breaks during the course of the work day. It can be that simple.
I recently spoke to a leading expert on RSI in Japan, who told me that he regularly gives people orders to take at least a six month vacation from work -- or face the possibility of never working again. As one would expect in the land of death from overwork, though, few follow his instructions.
One of the biggest problems with working at a keyboard in Japan is that people who develop RSI tend to be thought of as "lazy" by their employers and colleagues. Most of the mail I received from readers was from those who work for Japanese institutions (and based on feedback, universities seem to be the worst work places). Unfortunately, until someone sues a major company in Japan for megayen due to RSI, there probably will be very little change. My advice to you is the same I would give to someone working at a nuclear power plant: if your health is in danger, leave!
If you are worried about whether or not you have RSI, see a local hospital that has a staff specialist who handles work-related disorders. (In Tokyo, the best place is Shiba Byoin, located near the Tokyo Prince Hotel; no English spoken.) Don't push yourself to the point of never being able to work in any meaningful way again. No job, or career, is worth it.

Kids and computers

Some parents who read the Query Column have been asking me what age is the best to start teaching kids to use computers. The answer is that I'm not too sure, but I tend to think the longer you can keep your kid from getting a computer -- or using video games for that matter -- the better off they'll be.
Yes, I'm serious. I firmly believe that kids should spend their early years playing with other kids and using their imaginations, not learning how Windows 95 works. In one's early years, one should be learning to deal with other people, not machines. There have been a lot of horror stories about people with PCs who have become so detached from others that they are unable to engage in face-to-face interpersonal communications.
Don't get me wrong. Computers can be great educational tools (I would have killed to have had a CD-ROM while I was in grammar school), just like television can be a great educational medium. But when it becomes a substitute for a good teacher -- or worse, becomes a baby-sitter -- it goes from being a tool to becoming a crutch.
I'm working on my own long-term study into this subject. I have a 7-year-old son who plays baseball and soccer, reads books, sings, plays board games (not the video variety), and generally raises hell. I've made the rather amazing discovery that he is able to do all of these things without the aid of a computer or any other electronic device.
So far, anyway, he seems to be doing OK. I'll let you all know when he starts showing an interest in girls; hopefully, he won't need a computer's help in that department either.ç

Thomas Caldwell is a radio correspondent and Japan marketing manager for the United Press International Tokyo Bureau. You can reach him by e-mail at caldwell@gol.com, or check out his Web page at http://www2.gol.com/users/caldwell.

Got a computer-related question, or a better answer to a previous query? Send it to The Query Column by mail, e-mail (editors@cjmag.co.jp), or fax (03-3447-4925).