Repetitive Strain Injury

There are certain routines that we have in our everyday life, and while these routines are usually required for both personal and work purposes, some can become debilitating if done for long stretches without any breaks – progressing into what is more commonly known as repetitive strain injury. Based on the outcomes of a 2008 UK survey, as much as 68% of office workers suffer from this problem, yet it is often misdiagnosed or even disregarded by sufferers. The next paragraphs seek to answer the what's, why's and how's --- and determine if your suspicions are correct and that you are indeed suffering from RSI.

Repetitive strain injury stems from the overuse and unnatural positioning of the neck, arms, hands, wrists and shoulders, and characterised by the pain emanating from the muscles, tendons, and nerves in the upper body region. When repetitive movements are made over the years by a limb or body part, muscles and tendons acquire minute injuries, and sometimes nerves get pinched, resulting in pain.

The human body is built to sustain a fair amount of use, but one must keep in mind that even normal movements on the job, at home, and during sporting or leisure activities can trigger repetitive strain injury if not corrected early on and/or supported by ergonomic equipment. These days, most people associate repetitive strain injury with typing on the computer keyboard or writing on paper and other surfaces without sufficient support for fingers and wrists. However, the condition can also be attributed to other factors:

• Bad posture while sleeping
• being in awkward positions for long periods during daytime/nighttime (e.g., slouching, tilting the head and neck sideways/forward/backward)
• putting too much weight on the arms and shoulders (e.g., carrying heavy loads)

There is a short list of symptoms for repetitive strain injury. Having any or all of these symptoms will warrant an immediate visit to a medical practitioner for a formal diagnosis! At first, those with repetitive strain injury will feel short, sharp bursts of pain every time they use the affected upper body areas. The sensations can range from fatigue and weakness to tingling, numbness, heaviness and hypersensitivity. If this pain isn't alleviated, it can hamper your movements, prevent you from going about basic tasks, and bring on various conditions making up repetitive strain injury: carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff damage, bursitis, tendinitis, writer's cramp, "trigger finger" and "gamer's thumb", among many others.

You can change your equipment and implement valuable adjustments to your routine in order to ease repetitive strain injury. For example, you should take periodic breaks at work: stretch and walk around after an hour to keep your upper body from becoming stiff and alleviate the stress of repeated actions. Having a good posture will go a long way, too. Also, invest in good ergonomic keyboards, mice, workstations, pillows and gloves. Since excess weight and a sedentary lifestyle can also contribute to the condition, regular exercise is also recommended.

Many people are also discovering that alternative methods such as osteopathy can help you with the pain caused by repetitive strain injury.

Curious about osteopathy and how it can help treat repetitive strain injury? The Crows Nest Complementary Health Centre can give you the answers you need! Schedule an appointment with Peter by e-mailing Reception or ringing 02 9964 9722. The Centre is at Suite 208, 3 Bruce St. corner Pacific Highway, Crows Nest, Sydney.