The Effect of Alternative Keyboards on Discomfort and Typing Kinematics

Pain Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Effect of Alternative Keyboards on Discomfort and Typing Kinematics

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00801983
• Other study ID #: 08030467
• Secondary ID: R01OH008961
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: December 3, 2008
• Last updated: August 6, 2014
• Start date: January 2009
• Est. completion date: August 2013

Study information

• Verified date: August 2014
• Source: University of Pittsburgh
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial 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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 85
• Est. completion date: August 2013
• Est. primary completion date: April 2011
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years to 65 Years

Eligibility

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

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Prevention

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Pain

Intervention

Device:
• Alternative Keyboard
Subjects use either a typical or alternative keyboard

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	Pennsylvania

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Pittsburgh	National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH/CDC)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Musculoskeletal Discomfort	Discomfort Survey (WDS) was used to assess symptoms and activity limitations. Participants reported on their work schedule, medication used for pain control, and discomfort in their neck/shoulder, back, and bilateral lower arms (elbows, forearms, wrists, and hands) using an 11-point numerical rating scale (0 = no discomfort/no limitations; 10 = unbearable discomfort/major limitations).; We had to dichotomize the data during analysis due to severe skew towards not discomfort (0). Thus the final outcome was discomfort -yes or no	6 months and 12 months	No