The Effect of Alternative Keyboards on Discomfort and Typing Kinematics

NCT ID: NCT00801983

Last Updated: 2014-08-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 85 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2009-01-31
• Study Completion Date: 2013-08-31

Brief Summary

Awkward postures during computer keyboard use have been hypothesized to be one cause of musculoskeletal pain/discomfort as well as musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity (MSD-UE). Alternative computer keyboards purport to reduce musculoskeletal pain/discomfort and have been shown to change aspects of keyboard users' kinematics under laboratory conditions. However, research that has examined the effectiveness of alternative keyboards in reducing musculoskeletal pain/discomfort in the workplace is equivocal, and no study has examined the association between postures and musculoskeletal pain. The Aims of this 3-year prospective double cross-over trial are: 1) To examine the effectiveness of an alternative keyboard in reducing reports of pain over 6-months; 2) To examine the neutrality and stability of postures during keyboard use; and 3) To identify which postures are associated with lower levels of musculoskeletal pain. Seventy-five computer users will be randomly assigned to one of two keyboard use orders: Group 1 - AB (standard keyboard, alternative keyboard); Group 2 - BA (alternative keyboard, standard keyboard). All subjects will use their assigned keyboards for 6-months before switching to the next keyboard. Every week, subjects will report their musculoskeletal pain levels. Just prior to and just after each 6-month intervention subjects' kinematics performances on the keyboards will be recorded at the worksite using the Keyboard - Personal Computing Style (K-PeCS) instrument and in a laboratory setting using 3-dimensional motion capture technology.

Aim 1: To examine the effectiveness of an alternative keyboard in reducing pain over 6-months.

Hypothesis 1 (H-1) - At six months subjects using an alternative keyboard will have significantly lower musculoskeletal pain levels than when using a standard keyboard.

Aim 2: To examine the neutrality and stability of postures during keyboard use.

Hypothesis 3 (H-2) - Subjects using an alternative keyboard will have significantly more neutral postures than when using a standard keyboard at baseline and at 6 months Hypothesis 3 (H-3) - Subjects 6-months keyboarding postures will remain equivalent to the keyboarding postures documented at baseline.

Conditions

Pain

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

A

Subject receives typical keyboard first for 6 months and alternative keyboard second for 6 months

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Alternative Keyboard

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Subjects use either a typical or alternative keyboard

B

Subject receives alternative keyboard first for 6 months and typical keyboard second for 6 months

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Alternative Keyboard

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Subjects use either a typical or alternative keyboard

Interventions

Alternative Keyboard

Subjects use either a typical or alternative keyboard

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Other Intervention Names

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Use a computer at least 20 hrs per week
• Aged 18-65
• Experiencing some pain during computer use

Exclusion Criteria

• Currently use an alternative keyboard
• Serious trauma injury to the upper extremity
• Rheumatic disorder

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH/CDC)

FED

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Pittsburgh

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Nancy Baker

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

R01OH008961

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

08030467

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id