Do you or your staff spend much time in front of the computer? Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) affect the arms, wrists, and hands of those of us who are always tapping away at our keyboards, and are the nation's most common occupational injury, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). And if RSI injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome go unchecked, these small aches and pains can be quite costly to address. If you haven't encountered RSI in your office, chances are you will, so start battling the problem now.

A common symptom of an RSI is pain in the forearms. Wrist splints are one way to ease your aching limbs. They absorb the shock and move it away from the median nerve, where the pain is coming from. Splints are basically gloves that cover the hand and forearm, leaving your fingers exposed to allow you to type. They should provide some relief, and with a price tag of about $30 they're worth a shot.

Although it may not seem possible, there are ways to reduce typing altogether. I find myself typing similar phrases over and over again - all the while increasing my chance to develop an RSI. Macro programs let you program phrases you type repetitively and insert them into a document with the click of a mouse. Simple macro programs that insert blocks of text can be downloaded for free (there are also very basic macro functions built into your word processing software). More advanced programs can be purchased for around $50, and offer complex features - a single mouse click will open an e-mail message, insert text, and send it.

You can take it a step further by replacing typing with talking. You won't be able to keep your arms by your side completely, but it's amazing what voice recognition programs can do. By speaking into a microphone you can open a program, enter text, format text, save files, and more. You'll have to deal with some quirks, but for the most part these programs, which cost anywhere from $200 to $1,000, are reliable (most are 85 percent to 95 percent accurate).

The repeated motion of moving your mouse can be just as damaging as typing - some workers report pain when using only their mouse. Think about replacing your mouse with a digital pen tablet, which works just like a mouse and mouse pad. The natural hold of the stylus pen will ease any tension in your arm and wrist. They're relatively cheap too, a 4x5 pad and stylus will cost about $100. Trackballs also require less movement of the hand and wrist, yet function more like a mouse. They start at about $30.

Cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, the most common RSI, climb each year, according to OSHA. To keep injuries in the office from becoming a pain in the neck, not to mention a strain on your purse strings, encourage your employees to report symptoms of an RSI and take steps to promote ergonomics in your office.