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positioning footpedal; leg and back pain

Posted By: looking for advice on 2006-09-21
In Reply to:

Does anyone else have problems with back or leg tingling they feel is due to using a foot pedal?  I switch feet but have low back pain and leg tingling I feel is due to depressing and letting up on the footpedal, etc.  I have read some use a foot rest but I assume one would have to be custom built so that you could place the foot pedal on it plus your other foot.  I wonder if sitting all day with your feet on a foot rest since they are built at an angle would cause problems, too.  I read somewhere about an MT using a recliner which sounded comfortable but I wonder how in the world you could use a foot pedal placed on the foot rest of a recliner.  If anyone has any suggestions for me I would truly appreciate it.  If I don't find something soon, I am afraid I am going to have to go part-time or maybe even find a different profession. 


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No leg or back pain here

I do try to sit up straight and hold in my abs, which helps the back.  I also try to remember to breathe deeply once in awhile - raise up your rib cage and take in a good deep breath.  I also switch the pedal foot, sometimes use the left and other times the right.  I started doing that long ago when I got to thinking - what if I had a cast on my right foot, how would I work? Started using both feet - solved that problem.


My problem is my shoulders.  I do shoulder rolls at my desk and also do stretching.  They still get tight though.


And my RIGHT THUMB!  From hitting the spacebar so often.  When that gets bad, I pad it with a Band-Aid.


back pain
This is probably more info than you want, but I had the same problem a few years ago. I'm soon to be 52. Had to see a chiropractor after a while. He told me it is called "tailor's seat" and the best thing to do at home is ice 20 minutes at a time, do not sit in a recliner, take ibuprofen and if you can afford it, get chiropractic treatments; if not, I would suggest using a massage therapist. I actually have done both. The ice worked the best for me. I still do it sometimes. I also bought a spine cushion for my desk chair. That helps, too. Good luck.
Back pain sm
Have had this problem for years. Tried everything. The best cure for me is one of those microwaveable heat packs you can pick up from a mall kiosk, is made of cotton with rice-like material inside and perhaps some fragrance. You can make your own but would suggest you buy one, as wouldn't want it to be flammable. After all I have tried, a few Tylenol and the hot pack, lying flat on my back for perhaps 15 min., gently relieves the spasm/pain. Believe me, I have tried every gadget, PT (works for the session, then back to pain), have everything ever made for back pain and you have to be your own therapist. Try heat, rest, lie flat and at night, instead of Tylenol PM I use plain Tylenol and a Benadryl (sometimes 50 mg (2) help me to sleep. Getting the stress off your back is the only way in our profession. It hurts!
Back/neck pain
If anyone responds to the post about upper back/neck pain, please let me know - I have the exact same problem, and it makes long hours just miserable sometimes! Thanks in advance!!
Upper back pain

In the past I have had the same problem, but I found that when I lowered my chair it was greatly improved.  It seems I can type faster with my chair higher, but when I lower my chair I have much less pain.  It is something to do with the angle in which my arms are..  When they are pretty much level with the keyboard that is a great improvement in the pain, although I have to sacrifice a little bit of speed it is well worth it.  I also use a split keyboard which also seems to make an improvement in my pain.  I have been at this work for 30 years and believe me I have had pain in all parts of my body related to sitting in this chair in the same position for many hours at a time.  I wish you well.


 


Posture/back pain
Or, try this link.
http://www.backjoy.com/testimonials_users.asp#Sciatica
Back pain and chairs.
Go for the pillows. I tried to splurge a while ago and get a new chair, took it back and got a new pillow. I use a thin pillow for my bottom and a nice orthopedic pillow for my back. I'm tempted to try the keyboard on my lap like I've seen suggested here but my husband just brought me a new keyboard tray from a teardown job he was doing that sells for almost 200.00. I think he'd be hurt if I didn't try it.
Any knee/back pain sufferers out there? sm
What are your favorite shoes to wear that don't make your knees hurt?   My back doesn't hurt if I wear Birkenstocks but my knees hurt if I do.  I've tried countless types of arch supports and the ones that help my knees don't help my back.  I have arthritis in both areas and the cartilage in my knees are shot due to degeneration.   Yesterday I wore my Birkenstock inserts I recently got in my sneakers while I ran around Wal-Mart and boy am I ever paying for that today - my knees are killing me!   Any advice would be appreciated. 
Ergonomics for upper back pain?

I have been having tremendous problems with upper back pain right between my shoulder blades and up into my neck and right shoulder for weeks now.  It makes typing just miserable.


Doc said I had brachial plexopathy, and gave me narcotics and told me to quit transcription.  Since that isn't an option -- any ideas as to how to keep from getting this excruciating pain after an hour of typing?  It goes away on weekends when I don't sit at the computer, so I'm sure it's largely related to my positioning.  I've tried to fix my posture, but sitting up completely straight hurts worse than slouching.


Share any stretches, techniques for arm positioning, etc.  I will be extremely grateful.


 


Thanks!


Ergonomics for upper back pain
I find that it helps to get up and do a few stretch exercises. I have a 3-minute workout and microbreaks pamphlet that my husband got from his work that shows and explains some exercises including neck and back stretches. It does help when you get stiff from sitting and typing for so long. If you want me to type it up for you, just let me know and I will.
foot pedal back pain
I had the same problem and had my honey make me a ramp for my pedals. one rectangle pice of wood with a 2 inch strip to give it a "lean." I have one for each pedal so it looks like I drive a stick while working. LOL not only helped the back pain, but my thighs don't swell as much either.
Know of any good chairs for back pain?
I have been using a $20 task chair from Wal-Mart for the past three years, I am sitting her now six months pregnant about ready to die from upper and lower back pain.  Anyone have suggestions for a good quality chair they like, right now money is not an option,  I would pay big $$$ for just a little relief. 
back/shoulder/neck pain
last year I started out like that and so I checked the ergonomics of my keyboard, etc. I wound up moving my mouse to my left hand and that helped somewhat but later developed symptoms of a frozen shoulder. Do you get an extreme burning sensation? It took me a year to recover. I feel your pain.
I had back pain for an entire year. They did a trigger point
injection and it's gone. I couldn't believe it. I wish I'd found it sooner.
Hand pain - needing to cut back lines per week. Anyone else done this?
I have so much hand and wrist pain from all this typing.  I only do 5000-6000 lines per week and that is torture.  By the end of the week I have slowed down so badly it is ridiculous.  I think I am going to have to cut way back before I trash my hands and wrists for good.  Has anyone else had this problem and cut back on MT work?  I'm trying to think of other jobs I could do for a few hours a day to make up the difference ($$)that don't involve typing. 
Does anyone have any good ideas for back and hip pain from sitting all day? Anything on the market?
Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!
Hand positioning?? Is there more than one
way to put your hands on the keyboard???
Positioning foot pedal

Hi - You asked: I wonder if sitting all day with your feet on a foot rest since they are built at an angle would cause problems, too.  I had a lot of back/leg problems until I bought a large foot rest that can be adjusted with slight pressure from a foot.  I then "Velcroed" the whole foot pedal to the foot rest (my heel is on the foot rest, too) and whenever one position gets uncomfortable, I just slightly adjust the angle of the foot rest.  This has worked really well for me.  (I do have to change foot pedals sometimes, so have Velcro on the second one, too). 


 


 


I feel your pain. If at teaching hospital, great pain. SM
Some doctors do give standard discharge summaries, so you could just make copy and then pull it up. It is not easy, especially when they give 20 lines of lab results.
USB footpedal

Where do I purchase a USB footpedal?


TIA


Footpedal
You wouldn't be working for Zylomed would you? I was to start work with them - they sent the foot pedal and it was nothing but problems. We (meaning me and their IT people) could never get the foot pedal with the adapter to work. Needless to say, I never did any work for them.
footpedal
I had to buy a 9-pin pedal and go to RadioShack to buy an adaptor. I haven't had any problems.
MT without footpedal
I am an MT with Cerebral Palsy and it is virtually impossible for me to use a footpedal so I use hot keys on my keyboard to control my dictation. It is wonderful. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Once you get used to what keys control what, it doesn't slow you down at all. It is definitely something I couldn't live without and I enjoy having at my disposal.
No way to do it other than with the footpedal,
but you can adjust the speed of the forward and rewind arrows...click on the "more" button.  I really do not care for this player either. 
footpedal
Can anybody tell me if the Olympus footpedal with serial (COM) port works with escription (EditScript) ?  TIA  
footpedal
I would think you should ask the company you will be working for which one they would be using.   They may actually provide all that equipment anyway.
so..... how IS that footpedal, anyway?? NM
.
Yes, you have a footpedal and headphones

are connected to your computer, the foot pedal into the USB port and the headphones into the headphone jack on the computer.  In my case I have a laptop that runs for quite a while on the battery, so I can either run it on the battery or I can plug it into an electrical outlet on the deck.  I have wireless cable internet, so I don't have to be connected to the router or anything.  I also have wireless keyboard and mass, and the little reception unit for that plugs into the USB port, it is about the size of a mouse.


So all I have to do is take my laptop, my keyboard, mouse, foot pedal and earphones on the deck and I'm all set.  All of it is very lightweight and not cumbersome like a C-phone would be to drag out and hook up.


I took tests with footpedal. If using

Windows Media Player, have to keep hitting the play and rewind buttons with the mouse.  Very time consuming but doable.  Good Luck on your test!! 


oops, that's WITHOUT footpedal, sorry...

How does the footpedal work???
OK. This may be strange. But, I listen to a lot of audio programming online through iTunes. My son is doing research for school and asked if I could transcribe a news report for him. I can do it the old fashioned slow way, without a foot pedal, but I have a footpedal. I've never before used it for anything other than work, so I just don't question how it's set up. Can I "point" it to work with something like iTunes, as well?
Escription with a USB footpedal?
Can it work or do I have to get a adapter to change it to a serial port?  I am not getting the clearest of answers from the MTSO on this one.
USB footpedal and Incribe
I am getting ready to start on Inscribe and my pedal did not work. What type of pedal will work.
Where to get a DB9 serial footpedal?

I'm needing a serial DB9 foot pedal ASAP but can't afford to spend $70+ on it right now.  I have an ad on the Classifieds board but I don't think I can wait for someone to reply to me. 


Anyone have any ideas where to get one reasonably priced and quick?  I already tried ebay and I found one for $54 but that means waiting for the auction to expire, then shipping.


Incompatible footpedal

Try to put the 9 pin into the serial port on the back of the modem instead of the USB port, hopefully you have one.  I had the same problem and it worked for me.  You have also to click on control panel, then footpedals, then serial port to change the setting.


Footpedal : Hotkeys...........
What is your problem with the hot keys? They are very easy if you get used to it, it is actualy easier on your body than the footpedal.
Footpedal question
I want to get others' opinions on this.  With your footpedal, do you have to hold down the play pedal the entire time to make it play?  With every single other application I have used, I just tap the play button to make it play and then tap it again to make it stop.  With this new company I just got a job with, I started to do my first job and in order to make the dictation play, I had to hold down the footpedal the whole time.  I thought something was wrong and contacted tech suppport and they said they "weren't sure" but they think you have to hold it down and nothing was wrong.  I guess I am just spoiled, but I do not want to have to keep my foot held down the entire time.  My leg will get tired out quickly.  Where some of you guys work, is it this same way with holding down the pedal?  If so, I guess I will just have to get used to it or somehow open the voicefiles in express scribe and do it my way. 
What type of footpedal
is compatible with express scribe software?
Footpedal question please

Can anyone help me with this?  I am starting to transcribe off sound files that I can retrieve on Windows Media Player.  How do I get the foot pedal to work with this?  I have a foot pedal that I use on another platform that it in a USB port on my computer.  I'm very limited in my tech abilities so if you can help, please be patient with me and speak s-l-o-w-l-y.  The foot pedal I have is enabled through the transcription program I use for another job.


Thanks in advance~!


Anyone has a 9-pin footpedal you'd like to sale?
This company I was offered a job with requires a 9-pin serial port footpedal.  Thanks in advance.
Editscript and footpedal
The company you work with should give you the instructions.
I only know that Editscript works together with the Escription software that you can download free from the internet.
I assume you have the 9-pin serial (Com) port footpedal.
You have also to set the right port on your computer:
Click on Control panel/footswitch/serial port/Com1 or Com2.

footpedal type

okay, if this posts twice, i apologize.


I just wondered why you assumed it was a 9-pin. I have the basic USB plug. Not sure what a 9 pin is. All i know is that the one test he did on my pedal in training didn't work, so he said 'We'll figure that out later.'  Not sure when later is.


My company is veeeeery slow in communicating. Going on a month here to get me started. I just figured any answers i could get from you guys and gals here would be quicker! Thanks again for any help!


Footpedal and Editscript 8

My company is currently upgrading our accounts to Editscript 8.  Will my 9-pin Infinity pedal still work with the upgrade or do I need to look into getting a USB pedal?  Thanks! 


Footpedal and Editscript 8

My company is currently upgrading our accounts to Editscript 8.  Will my 9-pin Infinity pedal still work with the upgrade or do I need to look into getting a USB pedal?  Thanks! 


Footpedal Question
I am working for 2 companies with 2 different foot pedals; one is a Dictaphone and the other just a regular one. I am wondering if it is possible to keep both foot pedals connected to the computer and switch between them? The problem is that I currently need to log out of each transcription program and then plug in the correct foot pedal to switch between programs. I would like to be able to just switch them on the computer when work is low at one job. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
Help/advice please re: MQ, laptop, footpedal, etc.

I have a painful sprain on my ankle and need to sit in my recliner with my feet up while I transcribe for the next few days. 


I have MQ's computer that I rent but I have downloaded DQS onto my laptop so I can sit in the recliner (MQ system in my bedroom). 


Any advice about how to use the footpedal in this awkward position? 


Appreciate any response.


Actually, I don't know if your model of footpedal is going to work or not.

Link to foot pedal setup.


http://www.nch.com.au/scribe/pedalsetup.html


Link to pedal info


http://www.nch.com.au/scribe/pedals.html


Link to support article that Olympus RS23 and RS24 pedals do NOT work with Express Scribe.  It says nothing about RS25.  Contact Express Scribe to see if it will work or not.


http://www.nch.com.au/scribe/support.html#AAA


How do I take test without footpedal capability?

Just curious how others do this and if they find it difficult?


Can a footpedal be set up with Real Player?

I have always used Express Scribe to play my doctors dictation.   I have a new laptop with Vista and have been having problems getting my audio to load.  Anyways, I heard that some people have used Real Player.  If so, how would you set up a Start Stop footpedal to work with it? 


Does anyone else have any free or fairly cheap player programs to suggest that can get used with the Stop Start footpedal.


Isn't USB one type of plug for the footpedal?
When I was getting set up, I remember it was important my computer could take the right plug for the footpedal. It wasn't the flat USB (?) type, but the phone plug type, so my computer had to have openings shaped for a phone jack type.

But I'm still not sure if DLS is okay to use or not. Sorry!
Have you tried the Footpedal Setup Wizard?

I had a similar problem, went through the wizard and then it worked. It's worth a try.