Objective: To investigate whether long-term use of an ergonomic keyboard was effective in reducing symptom severity and improving functional status for individuals who experience symptoms of work related upper extremity disorders (WRUED).
Participants: Twenty-nine symptomatic workers employed by a single company.
Methods: Participants were assessed after using an ergonomic keyboard for an average of 34 months. Symptom severity, clinical signs, functional status, and typing speed were measured and compared with baseline and six-month study data.
Results: Repeated-measure analysis identified that participants maintained the improvement realized at the six-month study mark for symptom severity and functional status, and maintained their typing speed and accuracy.
Conclusions: The results of the study suggest that continuous ergonomic keyboard use was effective in maintaining improvements obtained after six months of use. The potential for ergonomic keyboard use in preventing injury in keyboard operators warrants further investigation.