[OT] RSI Hell

[windchill]

Like a lot of you on this list I am a software pro as well as a Nord freak (I also play the piano). Lately I have been pretty much shut down in all these depts by an attack of RSI - severe pain in the wrist and arm, tingling hands etc. Is this a common problem for people on this list?

[blue hell]

Common I don't know, but you are not the only one here. I tried to do a search on RSI on this forum but that didn't give the results I had expected, I've seen some discussion about it though - probably on the mailing list then ...

The combination computer/synth programmer is not unique eitther, I for one combine those as well.

Luckily I dont really have the RSI problem, but I do have to take good care as to how I use my hands and how I position myself behind the compute, I can feel some stress in wrists, arms and shoulders after a day of heavy typing otherwise.

RSI is not uncommon for musicians BTW, some instruments are pretty akward in this respect (like flute or violin).

Jan.

[Axiom]

i've a severe carpal tunnel syndrome that stops me totally playing bass after ten years. Due to that, i've moved to synthesizers and now I can only program sounds. I cannot play over 20 minutes :\ I think that surgery is the only cure for that.. but now, due to my job, I cannot take the time for surgery.

see ya
Luca

[Keyboard Cowboy]

This subject came up a few weeks back on the SOS forum and one of the forum members had this to say:

"I've had terrible problems in the past, but am pretty much over them now after some serious rehabilitation and changes in practise.

In short, it eventually got to its most worst when I was at university, due to forever transcribing lectures in a jam-packed course (MEng Electronics), typing dissertations, coding with computer programs/languages, playing guitar and keyboards, computer graphics/art, emails, chatting on the 'net etc. etc.. Incidently I left that course eight or nine months after starting because it was so intensive and had little 'hands-on' content, and although I got really good results from the half-year exams/assignments, due to my RSI I had to already have extensions added to a couple of assignments so I could type them up properly. I wore a weight-lifters' hand-splint when typing which helped, but that should be used as only ever a temporary measure - we *really* shouldn't let RSI get to that stage!

Eventually my fingers/wrists were so weak and painful that I couldn't operate a TV remote-control, or spray deodorant, that's how bad it got. Humiliatingly, my parents even had to cut up meat for me as I couldn't manage that without pain.

Rehab: -
* Took 6 months off
* Had £500-600 of osteopathy - which helped a great deal. After each session you have to take it easy for a few days, or you'll reverse the benefit - after a while the osteopathy gathered momentum and helped me recover well. The osteopath also taught me exercises to build up strength in the various tendons/ligaments and muscles that were the very worst, and used electro-magnetic therapy too to re-stimulate blood-flow/muscle-polarity to try to jump-start and inject new life to the worst/knotted areas.
* Took Naproxen anti-inflammatory tablets (which helped)
* Used hot and cold therapy - VERY GOOD - Basically you intermittently use hot and cold compress's, or dangle your hands and arms in comfortably-hot/warm and ice-cold water intermittently, on your most painful parts. The 'warm' enourages blood-flow/oxygen into the area, and the 'cold' reduces inflammation, and switching from one to the other every 5-10 minutes, multiple times, really kicks things into life.
* stopped playing guitar and stopped chatting online (no loss)
* Had physiotherapy...
* ...and went swimming and had hydrotherapy, to strengthen and re-habilitate connected parts of the body, ie. shoulders, arms etc.
* Used several cans of Radian-B anti-inflammatory spray thingy, or ibuprofen gel, applied directly onto the worst areas, which I REALLY should NOT have done as I was already ingesting Naproxen and other painkillers.

Computer use:
* Posture is EVER SO important.
* I researched and tested several work desks and bought one at £500, specifically with a custom-sliding panel to put the computer keyboard on, so my arms are in a better position. My monitor also sits at an ideal height, so I'm not straining my neck 'upwards' to gaze at it.
* I have a Microsoft "Natural" internet computer keyboard (which is split into two, to encourage better touch-typing - you get used to it a lot quicker than you think!!) and it also has an much welcomed inbuilt ergonomic wrist-rest
* I picked a large mouse, so I wouldn't have the tendency to "grip" it (like I did with smaller mice), and it is also a 'radio-mouse' which works on batteries which is fantastic as it's not forever 'tugging' you by the mouse cable. For batteries I use the 1.2V Uniross rechargable NiMH AAA-sized batteries, and these are bloody fantastic - I only replace/charge them up every, say, 3-4 weeks!
The mouse is a "Microsoft Intellimouse", very nice gentle action, and I've had it since 1998, and works like a dream so long as I clean the rollers/ball every now and then (as with all non-optical mice).
* I have also learnt to use the mouse using both hands (ie. in either hand) and after just 1-2 weeks of alternating between hands you pick it up and learn it very quickly and become VERY accurate with it using your non-usual hand. I swap hands every 20-mins or so without even needing to think.
* I have a mouse mat with gel wrist-rest. This stops you cocking or kinking your wrist - it should be straight.
* I have a comfy chair with a compressed-air height-adjustment lever, and i change the height occasionally to avoid seizing up.
* I now wear glasses with a special anti-glare, and also a red-tint to soften the computer monitor image. This helps me a lot. I also turn the contrast down on my monitor. Stretch your eyes with looking away from the screen and outside of the window.
* I take regular drink breaks, and rotate and move my shoulders to encourage blood flow. I tend to swivvle about a bit on my chair, too.
* Got a foot rest too.
* Let your elbows drop when typing, preferably at 90 degrees.
* Every now and then, drop your arms/hands down vertically either side of your body and gently shake your hands, and this will encourage new blood-flow/oxygen to re-enter and repair them.

Often RSI is referred from elsewhere. Don't be surprised if your problem may to do to poor posture in the neck, shoulders, or even as far away as your hips!


Don't push yourself. RSI IS irreversible. I've brought mine back from the brink and only 'contained' it, and changed my lifestyle/posture to control it comfortably and be pain-free and have built up strength accordingly to enable me to type or use computers with no probs, but am lucky not to have typing or something with RSI-inducing actions as a job. If I just pushed it even slightly, though, I can feel it coming back quickly. It's not worth even pushing it. I know a few civil-servants personally who have had very painful surgical operations to try and reduce their RSI without avail. They can't even open tins of food, etc., all because they were pushed in their jobs. It's a very serious subject.

Finally, I'd like to highly recommend this book for further reading:-

"Pain Free at your PC", by Pete Egoscue,

(available on [Amazon here] at under 6-quid.)

....which I stumbled upon at my local library and bought it via Amazon.

Amazon seemingly has no explanation yet I'll outline it briefly here:-

Basically it's an extremely intuitive book written about all the things you can do to prevent RSI from PC use. It's a very friendly book, and explains in a very logical and concise fashion that you don't need to necessarily stop using computers to reduce/stop RSI.

It iterates that the PC itself is not the problem, it's how we use our body when using PCs that is, and it's often easily corrected given the knowledge how.

And it goes on by saying that RSI is brought on by doing just lots of the same movement over and over and over again, while neglecting the stretching/contracting of the rest of the connected limbs, tendons/ligaments and muscles. However, if you also use your body for other physical things to keep it flexible, then you can sufficiently strengthen it to take this abuse relatively easily. It shows you (with diagrams) lots of simple exercises you can do to keep RSI at bay while still enabling you to still carry on using PCs.

I'd say it's the best six-quid 'accessory' you can buy for your PC.

Anyhow, hope this has been of help for ya, and maybe others.

Don't let RSI fester! To be extremely blunt, take this as a wake up call, and take steps to avoid it getting worse.

Best wishes,

Timo"

[cebec]

excellent advice. i saved all of this in a text file when i came across it in the SOS forums.
one of the best things I did was learning to use my 'other' hand. it's become a lot easier and my right hand can take a much-needed break. i now exclusively use my left hand at work and my right at home, with some left use occasionally.

[mosc]

I don't know if it was RSI or not, but I was having problems with my right wrist and shoulder. I swiched to the Logitech Cordless TrackMan and all those problems went away. Of course, this isn't a good plan if you have pain in your right thumb.

[cp]

Folks, I know, anathema, but I've found that there's no substitute for Exercise.

Every Day.

Something that uses the hands/wrists/arms.

In my case, a rowing machine. 20 minutes minimum/day.
Also good for heart, lungs, circulation, muscles, brain.

What I had: www.concept2.com

What I have: www.waterrower.com

cp

[cebec]

ah, forgot to mention... i also use a couple of those grip strengthener devices from the sporting goods store... i think that's been helping, too. i can also crush things MUCH more easily now!!

[sloppycoder]

I used to be a guitarist, now im not! The saddest thing is looking back at the point of first pain and knowing full well that had i stopped for like a month then i would have had no problems at all!

I second Timo (Keyboard Cowboy) absolutly, you must take this seriously.

Lots of good advice there btw, i hadent heard of a few of those things! What do you think of/ have you heard of taking Glucosamine sulphate to help strengthen joints/ tendons/ ligaments?

[mosc]

I've had good experience with Glucosomine and Condroitin. Glocosomine works to hydrate the joints making them less painfull. Condroitin is good for rebuilding them. I've sound gelitin to be very helpfull too. But a lot of these pains, at least in my case, are more related to tendonitis than to arthritis.