According to the UK Trades Union Congress (TUC), by 2001 one in fifty British workers was suffering from repetitive strain injury (RSI). Symptoms include pain and immobility in the joints, nerves and muscles from the fingers to the neck. In 2001 5.4 million work days were lost because of RSI and every day six workers left their jobs forever because of it. About a third of workers with RSI are under 45. It affects men and women equally.

A survey by the employment agency Pertemps found that 90% of workers had received no information or training about the illness. 50% complained of aches and pains in their hands and lower arms as a result of using computers and 30% had already suffered from RSI.