Whatever Happened to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

I've known two people who have suffered from actual carpal tunnel syndrome, as opposed to milder forms of RSI, and both were in food service--a chef and a barista. Picture flipping food on saute pans five hours a night or pulling portafilters out of espresso machines five hours a day. You get the idea. The chef was also beginning to suffer from elbow tunnel syndrome.

Folks typically don't get actual carpal tunnel from keyboards, especially newer (here, newer than the 90s) keyboards with much lighter key presses. Touchpads are much more resistant to even milder forms of RSI than mouses.

That and better keyboards and mouses are an easy and relatively cheap way to mitigate, so those who suffer from RSI pain at work can ask for ergonomic devices. It is hard to argue that they aren't "reasonable" accommodations under the ADA, so firms accept that they are required to purchase them.