ABOUT ARTHRITIS: There are over 100 forms of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type. It attacks large joints in the body and causes pain, primarily in the elderly, where years of wear and tear have damaged the joint. Some types of arthritis are autoimmune diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that damages joints, causing pain, loss of movement, and bone deformities. It affects 2.1 million Americans. In the early stages, the tissue in the joint begins to grow and divide, much like a benign tumor. The growing mass gives off proteins that disintegrate tissue. Although there are currently some rheumatoid arthritis treatments available, they do not address the root cause of rheumatoid arthritis, and they don't work for all patients.
TYPES OF HAND GRIP STRENGTH: There are several kinds of grip strength. A firm handshake, for example, is a form of crushing strength, while the ability to exert crushing strength on something and sustain it over time is an example of supporting grip strength. Pinch grip strength is the ability to grasp and lift an object between your thumb and fingers, and relies very heavily on the strength of the thumb.
WHAT IS ERGONOMICS? This is a branch of science that strives to design the job to fit the worker, rather than the other way around. In the modern office, it most commonly relates to the physical stresses placed on joints, muscles, nerves, tendons, bones, even hearing and eyesight, along with other environmental factors that can adversely affect comfort and health. Ergonomics deals with the interaction of technology and work environments with the human body, and involves such things as anatomy, physiology, and psychology in the design of chairs, desks, computer accessories, the design of car controls and instruments -- in short, any kind of product that could help relieve potential repetitive strain from a given job or task.
The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and the American Physical Society contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.