Some social and cultural anthropologic aspects of musculoskeletal disorders as exemplified by the Telecom Australia RSI epidemic

The Australian epidemic of RSI (repetition strain injury) is discussed mainly as seen from within Telecom Australia. The epidemic lasted nearly a decade with a peak in 1984-1985 and involved thousands of staff. A dose-response relationship to keyboard factors, such as keystroke rate or duration of work, was not demonstrated. Various reasons for the rise and fall of the epidemic are discussed but no single factor emerges as explanatory.