Preventing Repetitive Strain Injury:
A Personal Note
It started with occasional unexplained pains in my forearms.
I wasn't doing anything unusual, nothing I hadn't done many times before.
I was working on a straightforward project which required a lot of typing. I'd just returned to work after taking an extended break following the birth of my daughter.
The pains grew worse, to the extent that I started dreading going to work. But as a self-employed consultant if I didn't work I didn't get paid.
The diagnosis from the doctor was simple: repetitive strain injury. His prescription:
- take regular breaks
- be careful how you sit.
Sound's simple, doesn't it? Until I tried to follow his advice in a work setting.
Things got bad … very bad. I started needing to take days off work as the pain got worse.
So I started to do my own research on RSI. I found many people around me who had similar or worse problems. Finally I figured out a strategy and a software solution that worked for me, and which is also working for many others around the world. That strategy and solution is presented here.
I hope they will work for you too.
RSIPrevention.com
About RSI
Repetitive strain injury (RSI) from computer work can cause severe pain in your hand, wrist, forearm, elbow or upper back.
It is caused by a vicious feedback loop. Hand movements, repeated frequently, strain the muscles and tendons in the wrist and fingers. The injured muscles contract, decreasing the range of motion. The sheaths which house the tendons aren't given enough time to rest, so they run out of lubrication causing chafing. This causes abrasion, irritation, inflammation, and swelling, which in turn further limits the range of motion and increases the degree of chafing.
The symptoms of RSI can range from dull aches to searing pain.
You may also notice yourself becoming clumsy and having difficulty coordinating hand movements because your nerves are not passing the right signals to your brain.
If you take no action, painful episodes may become more frequent and the pain may make it impossible to work or perform simple tasks. In the worst cases the damage may require surgery (for temporary relief of swelling) or may lead to permanent disability.
A Prevention / Recovery Strategy
This site, which was written after my own personal struggle, aims to help you prevent and recover from RSI. Here's the strategy that worked for me:
- Check with your medical advisor first (in case it's something else).
- Improve your ergonomics to help prevent any further damage. See RSI prevention tips
- Take regular breaks when working to give your body a chance to recover. (That's not as easy as it sounds, as you may know already.) If you use a PC, try using Albion StopNow! to help you take breaks. (Other methods didn't work for me).
- Read up on the subject: don't rely only on internet advice (even this!). Look for some good books and trusted resources. Here are some good starting points. It's easier to talk to your doctor and keep to your prevention / recovery strategy if you understand some of the medicine involved.
With the increasing amount of time spent working from home on a computer without the interruptions of office life, it's never been easier to develop RSI.
Take action now. Don't make the mistake I made of just hoping the pain will go away. MB.