6th International RSI Awareness Day

February 28, 2005 (Monday)

The International RSI (Repetitive Strain Injuries) Awareness Day is observed annually on the last day of February, the only day that the calendar takes a break from repetitiveness. At Bangalore, we have conducted poster exhibitions, RSI Quiz, open house, press meets and awareness lectures on RSI prevention, every year since 2001.

This year too, we conducted several awareness programmes in Bangalore:

• Lecture-Demonstration on RSI Prevention and Ergonomics by Dr. Deepak Sharan, Consultant in Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, RSI & Soft Tissue Clinic, Bangalore
• Interactive Session (Ask the Expert)
• Poster and RSI Recovery Tools/Books Display
• Prize Quiz

Locations:

1. The Sagar Clinic, 1155, 12th Main, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore 560008 February 28, 2005 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
2. The Apollo Clinic, Sobha Alexander, 16/2, 2nd Floor, Commissariat Road (Opposite Shopper's Stop), Bangalore 560025 February 28, 2005 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
3. Hewlett Packard (India) Software Operations (In-house event), 28 Cunningham Road, Top Floor, Bangalore 560052 March 2, 2005 4:30 pm to 6 p.m.

ENTRY FREE!

We gave away several prizes including posters on Ergonomics, copies of the popular book "It's not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" (each book costing $20 USD), and Stretch Break (One of the topmost break reminder software, costing $ 45 USD).

Missed the sessions?

Never mind.... you can still win prizes!

1. Essay competition: Write a 500-1000 word account of "My experience with RSI," covering any aspect of RSI recovery, e.g., self-help tips, useful therapies, tools and products. The 5 best entries will win prizes and may be included in the 2nd edition of "It's not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" (one of the world's best-known and best-selling books on RSI), to be co-authored by Suparna Damany and Dr. Deepak Sharan. Deadline for receiving articles: December 31, 2005. The articles should be emailed to drdeepaksharan@yahoo.com using plain text in the main body of the email. Please mention your name, address and contact phone number.
2. Fill out the online ergonomic assessment questionnaire and receive feedback about your susceptibility to RSI, including a free poster on Ergonomics and RSI Prevention. This offer runs throughout the year.
3. Prize quiz on RSI Awareness: Open only to those who fill out the questionnaire. We are offering 10 copies of the most popular Stretch Break software (costing $45 each; see www.paratec.com) to encourage participation. Please note: all my existing patients should also fill out the questionnaire to become eligible for the poster and prizes. This offer runs throughout the year.

Other actions you can take on this occasion:

Since there are very few trained and qualified professionals or researchers working in this field in India, reliable data on RSI is hard to come by. There are over 25 million computer users in India and the number of them already suffering from RSI would be mind-boggling. The paucity of a large volume of data prevents IT organizations, other employers, NASSCOM and furniture manufacturers acknowledging the enormity of the problem and establishing some basic industry standards in Ergonomics.

1		Participate in the online survey and send an e-mail to everyone in your organisation and to as many Indian computer users as possible, motivating them to participate. DETAILS
2		If you come across an injured computer user, urge him/her to seek early, competent medical care.
3		Share your experience or knowledge of RSI with other injured computer users and help others recover. DETAILS
4		Ask your HR Manager to organise training workshops in Healthy Computing and have your workstation assessed. Organise RSI Awareness lectures at your child's school or college, or at your social club. DETAILS

Remember, these techniques have to be formally learned from experts and only a tiny minority of Indian computer professionals are trained in using the computer safely. If your company chooses not to do this you should take the initiative to arrange this program for a group of colleagues.

RSI Day may come and go, but vigorous efforts to prevent this pernicious disease must continue throughout the year if we are to reduce the number of youngsters forced out of jobs because of RSI.