Constructing RSI - Belief and Desire (Paperback)

This new book is an examination of the 'Repetitive Strain Injury' (RSI) phenomenon. It begins with a fascinating historical examination of earlier epidemics of "writers' cramp" dating back to 1837. Then the book focuses particularly on the RSI epidemic that afflicted Australia during the 1980s, examining its effect on industrial relations and offering a critique of the reaction of employers, the medical community, government health organizations and insurance companies. Dr. Lucire examines the activities of doctors and their patients and questions the medical validity of much of the analysis of this and earlier RSI epidemics. She proposes psychological and social causes and locates the disease in a social context that encouraged and rewarded the treatment of RSI as a purely physical disease.