Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Typing keystroke duration changed after submaximal isometric finger exercises

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A repeated-measures laboratory experiment tested whether keystroke duration during touch-typing changes after a finger performs submaximal isometric flexion exercises. Fourteen right-handed touch-typists used right ring finger to perform three 15-min exercise conditions, two isometric exercises and a no-force condition, each on a separate day. Before and after each exercise condition, typing keystroke duration and isometric force elicited by electrical stimulation were measured for right ring finger. Keystroke duration of right ring finger decreased by 5% (6 ms, P < 0.05) immediately after the exercises but not after the no-force condition. Peak isometric finger force elicited by electrical stimulation decreased by 17–26% (P < 0.05) for the flexor digitorum superficialis and decreased by 4–8% for the extensor digitorum communis after the isometric exercises. After the finger was exposed to isometric exercises, changes in typing keystroke duration coincided with changes in the physiological state of the finger flexor and extensor muscles.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Reference

  • Bergqvist U, Wolgast E, Nilsson B, Voss M (1995) The influence of VDT work on musculoskeletal disorders. Ergonomics 38:754–762. doi:10.1080/00140139508925147

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bystrom S, Kilbom A (1991) Electrical stimulation of human forearm extensor muscles as an indicator of handgrip fatigue and recovery. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 62:363–368. doi:10.1007/BF00634974

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calder KM, Gabriel DA (2007) Adaptations during familiarization to resistive exercise. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 17:328–335. doi:10.1016/j.jelekin.2006.02.006

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chang CH, Wang JD, Luh JJ, Hwang YH (2004) Development of a monitoring system for keyboard users performance. Ergonomics 47(14):1571–1581

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chang CH, Amick BC 3rd, Menendez CC, Katz JN, Johnson PW, Robertson M et al (2007) Daily computer usage correlated with undergraduate students’ musculoskeletal symptoms. Am J Ind Med 50:481–488. doi:10.1002/ajim.20461

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dennerlein JT, Mote CD Jr, Rempel DM (1998) Control strategies for finger movement during touch-typing. The role of the extrinsic muscles during a keystroke. Exp Brain Res 121:1–6. doi:10.1007/s002210050430

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dennerlein JT, Diao E, Mote CD Jr, Rempel DM (1999) In vivo finger flexor tendon force while tapping on a keyswitch. J Orthop Res 17:178–184. doi:10.1002/jor.1100170205

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dennerlein JT, Ciriello VM, Kerin KJ, Johnson PW (2003) Fatigue in the forearm resulting from low-level repetitive ulnar deviation. AIHA J (Fairfax, Va) 64:799–805

    Google Scholar 

  • Eltayeb S, Staal JB, Kennes J, Lamberts PH, de Bie RA (2007) Prevalence of complaints of arm, neck and shoulder among computer office workers and psychometric evaluation of a risk factor questionnaire. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 8:68. doi:10.1186/1471-2474-8-68

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Faucett J, Rempel D (1994) VDT-related musculoskeletal symptoms: interactions between work posture and psychosocial work factors. Am J Ind Med 26:597–612. doi:10.1002/ajim.4700260503

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flanders M, Soechting JF (1992) Kinematics of typing: parallel control of the two hands. J Neurophysiol 67:1264–1274

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gerard MJ, Armstrong TJ, Martin BJ, Rampel DA (2002) The effects of work pace on within-participant and between-participant keying force, electromyography, and fatigue. Hum Factors 44:51–61. doi:10.1518/0018720024494757

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gerr F, Marcus M, Ensor C, Kleinbaum D, Cohen S, Edwards A et al (2002) A prospective study of computer users: I. Study design and incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders. Am J Ind Med 41:221–235. doi:10.1002/ajim.10066

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gerr F, Monteilh CP, Marcus M (2006) Keyboard use and musculoskeletal outcomes among computer users. J Occup Rehabil 16:265–277. doi:10.1007/s10926-006-9037-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon AM, Casabona A, Soechting JF (1994) The learning of novel finger movement sequences. J Neurophysiol 72:1596–1610

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanchard NC, Williamson M, Caley RW, Cooper RG (1998) Electrical stimulation of human tibialis anterior: (A) contractile properties are stable over a range of submaximal voltages; (B) high- and low-frequency fatigue are inducible and reliably assessable at submaximal voltages. Clin Rehabil 12:413–427. doi:10.1191/026921598671467836

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heuer H, Schulna R, Luttmann A (2002) The effects of muscle fatigue on rapid finger oscillations. Exp Brain Res 147:124–134. doi:10.1007/s00221-002-1230-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jaric S, Radovanovic S, Milanovic S, Ljubisavljevic M, Anastasijevic R (1997) A comparison of the effects of agonist and antagonist muscle fatigue on performance of rapid movements. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 76:41–47. doi:10.1007/s004210050210

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson PW (1998) The development, characterization and implementation of a technique to measure muscle fatigue during computer use. Doctoral Thesis, University of California

  • Johnston RB 3rd, Howard ME, Cawley PW, Losse GM (1998) Effect of lower extremity muscular fatigue on motor control performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 30:1703–1707. doi:10.1097/00005768-199812000-00008

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kruger ES, Hoopes JA, Cordial RJ, Li S (2007) Error compensation during finger force production after one- and four-finger voluntarily fatiguing exercise. Exp Brain Res 181:461–468. doi:10.1007/s00221-007-0942-z

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kuo PL, Lee DL, Jindrich DL, Dennerlein JT (2006) Finger joint coordination during tapping. J Biomech 39:2934–2942. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2005.10.028

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lassen CF, Mikkelsen S, Kryger AI, Andersen JH (2005) Risk factors for persistent elbow, forearm and hand pain among computer workers. Scand J Work Environ Health 31:122–131

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lin Y-N (2005) The effects of high frequency stimulation on fatigue and twitch potentiation. Master Thesis, University of Washington

  • Lin MI, Liang HW, Lin KH, Hwang YH (2004) Electromyographical assessment on muscular fatigue—an elaboration upon repetitive typing activity. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 14:661–669. doi:10.1016/j.jelekin.2004.03.004

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lucidi CA, Lehman SL (1992) Adaptation to fatigue of long duration in human wrist movements. J Appl Physiol 73:2596–2603

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mair SD, Seaber AV, Glisson RR, Garrett WE Jr (1996) The role of fatigue in susceptibility to acute muscle strain injury. Am J Sports Med 24:137–143. doi:10.1177/036354659602400203

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matias AC, Salvendy G, Kuczek T (1998) Predictive models of carpal tunnel syndrome causation among VDT operators. Ergonomics 41:213–226. doi:10.1080/001401398187260

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mikkelsen S, Vilstrup I, Lassen CF, Kryger AI, Thomsen JF, Andersen JH (2007) Validity of questionnaire self-reports on computer, mouse and keyboard usage during a four-week period. Occup Environ Med 64:541–547. doi:10.1136/oem.2005.026351

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rabin E, Gordon AM (2004) Tactile feedback contributes to consistency of finger movements during typing. Exp Brain Res 155:362–369. doi:10.1007/s00221-003-1736-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rempel D, Dennerlein J, Mote CD Jr, Armstrong T (1994) A method of measuring fingertip loading during keyboard use. J Biomech 27:1101–1104. doi:10.1016/0021-9290(94)90227-5

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sadamoto T, Bonde-Petersen F, Suzuki Y (1983) Skeletal muscle tension, flow, pressure, and EMG during sustained isometric contractions in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 51:395–408. doi:10.1007/BF00429076

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor DC, Dalton JD Jr, Seaber AV, Garrett WE Jr (1993) Experimental muscle strain injury. Early functional and structural deficits and the increased risk for reinjury. Am J Sports Med 21:190–194. doi:10.1177/036354659302100205

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Veiersted KB, Westgaard RH, Andersen P (1993) Electromyographic evaluation of muscular work pattern as a predictor of trapezius myalgia. Scand J Work Environ Health 19:284–290

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study is supported by the Occupational Ergonomics Research Committee (OERC) and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Grant (R01OH03997) at Harvard University. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Yin-Nien Lin for her assistance during the experiment.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Che-Hsu (Joe) Chang, Jeffrey N. Katz, Ellen A. Eisen & Jack T. Dennerlein

  2. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Box 357234, Seattle, WA, 98195-7234, USA

    Peter W. Johnson

  3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Division of Rheumatolology, Immunology and Allergy, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Jeffrey N. Katz

  4. Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA

    Jeffrey N. Katz

  5. Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA

    Jeffrey N. Katz

  6. Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, 50 University Hall #7360, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    Ellen A. Eisen

Authors
  1. Che-Hsu (Joe) Chang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peter W. Johnson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jeffrey N. Katz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ellen A. Eisen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jack T. Dennerlein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jack T. Dennerlein.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

(Joe) Chang, CH., Johnson, P.W., Katz, J.N. et al. Typing keystroke duration changed after submaximal isometric finger exercises. Eur J Appl Physiol 105, 93–101 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0878-4

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0878-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation