Cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, the white-collar epidemic of the '90s, have plummeted in recent years, according to labor statistics. What happened? Did all those ergonomic keyboards cure us of our aches and pains or is something else going on?

For one thing, the lumping of nearly every patient with an achy arm into the carpal tunnel category has diminished, and other trendy, multisyllabic diagnoses such as repetitive stress syndrome (RSS), cumulative trauma disorder (CTD) and musculoskeletal disease (MSD) are filling the gap. Secondly, measures taken in the workplace -- job rotation, stretch breaks and attention to ergonomics have indeed had an effect -- even if what had been labeled carpal tunnel was in reality plain old tendonitis, bursitis, spasm, or even muscular lack of conditioning.