But should the senior thesis writer whospent most of spring semester banging away at acomputer keyboard be worried about contractingcarpal tunnel syndrome, CTDs or tendonitis?According to Katz, the answer is a qualified, no.

"If all one were concerned about were carpaltunnel syndrome, probably more of a fuss has beenmade about it than is merited," says Katz, who isauthor of a number of medical journal articles onsuch disorders. "Students are at a lower riskthan, say, poultry processors. But it is not atrivial of risk."

Dr. Hillel D. Skoff, director of the hand andupper extremity service at the Brigham and Women'sHospital in Boston, agrees.

"Students are not in the right age group [forcarpal tunnel syndrome]," says Skoff, who is aninstructor in orthopedic surgery at the MedicalSchool. "It starts more when people are in theirthirties, and the incidence grows by a percentageevery year,"

Typing itself, if done properly, does not seemto increase the risk of wrist injury. However,ever, extreme flexion or extension of the wrist,such as might be the result of keyboard work inawkward positions, could lead to injury. Theoverwhelming majority of such incidents instudents are not of the majority of such incidentsin students are not of the same serious nature ascarpal tunnel syndrome, but can cause discomfortwhen performing many tasks.

After five weeks of feeling pain in histhumb after rehearsals, Davis, who, in addition tothe HRO, has performed with numerous pitorchestras and in chamber music classes, wasdiagnosed with tendonitis by an orthopedist atBoston Children's Hospital.

Roach's wrist pain started nearly two yearsago, during a summer job in date entry when shewas spending 20 hours per week at the computerkeyboard. She says that she and a co-worker, whowas diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, weren'tinstructed on the proper way to type in order toavoid wrist pain.

And such information may fail to beincorporated into the planning of many workenvironments. For example, the desks with whichHarvard furnishes dormitory rooms are designed forwriting, not typing. Typing surfaces should belower. Bhan says he noticed that after working atthe keyboards in the Science Center basement,which are placed too high, his wrist pain occurredmore often.

Roach complains of the same problem. Becausecomputer keyboards in the Science Center and theMather House computer room are shackled to thedesks, Roach often sits on her knees to type in amore comfortable position.

Curtin suggests that students who findthemselves experiencing discomfort in any typingposition, including at the Science at the ScienceCenter, contact the EHS office. "Students seem tobe the least informed about the services availableand how to get to them," she says. "We very rarelyget calls from students."

Curtin has noticed a definite rise in requestsfor work site evaluations, both for individualsand for offices. This year, she has alreadyperformed 173 such evaluations of individuals'work sites, indicating an increased awareness ofrisks for wrist injury.

Skoff has had many student patients, most ofwhom are musicians. In running fingers up and downpiano keys, or the neck of stringed instrument,for example, musicians perform repetitiousmovements. Davis says he knows students in the HROwho have had or continue the have cases of handand wrist injury.

But medical School Associate Clinical Professorof Orthopedic Surgery Dr. Barry P. Simmons, whotreats, such cases at University Health Service(UHS), says that the majority of the patients hehas seen have been graduate students andUniversity employees such as library workers--notundergraduates.

Katz' patients have included pottery artists,housecleaners and checkers. He also recalls oneparalegal who suffered from painful symptoms inthe upper extremities.

The most important step in preventinginjury, doctors agree, is to take a good look atthe ergonomic, or work, environment. Katzrecommends that students keep keyboards near laplevel rather than higher, to avoid typing with abent wrist. And using keyboard wrist rests, whichare popping up all over campus, makes good sense,says Katz.