Did you know the fingers, wrists, elbows, arms, shoulders and neck are the most common areas affected by repetitive strain injuries (RSI)? RSI refers to injuries characterized by muscle, tendon and nerve damage caused by caused by overuse or misuse. These common factors often lead to overuse:
-small, rapid movements or tasks repeated frequently
-holding the same position or being in an awkward position for a long time
-using excess force or moving heavy loads in a task
-insufficient rest time.
Unlike strains and sprains, which usually result from a single incident, RSI develops slowly over time. They are sometimes called cumulative trauma disorders. A common cause of RSI is use of a computer for extended hours causing overuse in the hands, wrists or arms. This lack of changing positions, as well as the fast typing at a keyboard repeatedly contributes to RSI.
There are many hand intensive activities that can also cause RSI such as playing a musical instrument, knitting and certain hand and arm intensive jobs. Medical conditions can also be linked to RSI such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, pregnancy and more. Older people are more prone because the body’s ability to repair itself after damage decreases with age.
The symptoms of RSI can include aching, tenderness, swelling, pain, crackling, tingling, numbness, loss of strength and joint movement and decrease coordination in the injured areas. When your hands are affected you may drop things accidently, or have trouble buttoning a shirt.
But symptoms do not always occur in the body part where the stress has been. You could wake in the night with shoulder or elbow pain that’s result of RSI in the hand caused by using a mouse or typing too much.
The key to treating RSI is to avoid or modify the activity or position that caused the injury. A break from the repetitive activity followed by a gradual return to an ergonomically correct work space. Splints and medication may be prescribed. If RSI is severe a referral to an occupational or physical therapist for evaluation and treatment may be needed.
