Office staff are being hit by a new affliction according to research unveiled today - the curse of Irritable Desk Syndrome (IDS).

Cluttered desks, poor posture and hours in front of a computer are damaging workers' health and the situation is getting worse.

Researchers for NEC-Mitsubishi quizzed 2,000 people and found 67 per cent feel more tied to their desks now than two years ago, 35 per cent have back or neck pain because of sitting at their desks in an awkward position and 40 per cent were infuriated by clutter.

Tuesday March 30, 2004