I credit micro breaks and stretching as the main reason I got over my severe RSI [1]. Never really heard that surgeons had similar problems though, but I guess it is the same mechanism - too much fine motor action for too long without a break.<p>[1] <a href="https://henrikwarne.com/2012/02/18/how-i-beat-rsi/" rel="nofollow">https://henrikwarne.com/2012/02/18/how-i-beat-rsi/</a>
Since the outcome metrics (pain) are self-reported, this study was essentially unblinded, right? That may simply be an inherent limitation that can't be avoided in this sort of study, but worth noting it opens up the door for a placebo effect.
I'm intrigued by these sorts of studies - not coming from a statistical background I'm amazed by how few samples they need to draw conclusions. If you told me you only had 341 events in your A/B test I'd be suspicious of the results you were claiming. (Note: I don't do A/B tests professionally so I may not know what I'm talking about...)<p>They do mention " Random coefficient mixed models accounted for surgeon variability" in the summary so maybe that's sufficient.