Repetitive Stress Injuries Are A Problem

Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI) are a common occurrence in the United States. Their main causes are manual labor, office work, and the use of modern technological devices. These activities involve repeating motions and sometimes carrying out manual labor.

Examples include the repeated use of the thumb operating a Blackberry, the repeated use of the finger for the iPod, the Playstation thumb, or the Rubik’s wrist.

RSIs as a result of these activities can worsen in symptoms due to psychological stress and monotony.

What Is An RSI?

An RSI refers to a wide range of problems. RSIs can affect any movable part of the body.

RSIs are associated with repetitive tasks, forceful exertions, vibrations, mechanical compression, and sustained or awkward positions.

The Causes Of The SRIs Are Varied

The causes of SRIs are multiple and different activities can increase the risk of developing the injuries.

Here are some activities that are associated with an increased risk:

overuse of a particular muscle or group of muscles
vibrating equipment
working in cold temperatures
poor posture or a non-ergonomically designed workspace
forceful activities
holding the same posture for prolonged periods
direct pressure to particular areas
carrying heavy loads
fatigue
increased psychological stress has been shown to worsen RSI

Symptoms

RSIs come associated with a list of different symptoms depending on the injury and the part of the body injured:

tenderness or pain in the affected muscle or joint.
a throbbing or pulsating sensation in the affected area.
tingling, especially the hand or arm.
loss of sensation.
loss of strength.

How To Prevent an SRI

You can prevent an SRI, such as a hand injury with some changes in your office setup and your work habits. RSIs can take a long time to recover from and can involve lots of problems.

Below are some advices.

Type Properly

One way that SRIs develop is when people contort their hands to hit combination keys for shifted letters. In these instances, this can lead to numbness, tingling, or even to ulnar neuropathy. Instead, use one hand to hit the letter key and another hand to hit the shift.

One Simple Do-It-At-Home Stretch Exercise To Prevent A Repetitive Stress Injury, typing property, RSI

Take Frequent Breaks

Every half hour, get a break. This is an opportunity to get up from the desk and stretch to loosen neck and shoulder muscles. Try to take 10 minutes or more of breaks every hour if you need it.

Stretch

Stretching is very important in preventing hand injuries. You should stretch your wrist or hand before you start typing and during your break. If you already have an SRI, you should consult with a doctor to see which stretch exercise is appropriate.

The Prayer Stretch is a good stretch to prevent an SRI. There are many positions for this stretch exercise. The main position is in the position of prayer, with both hands together against the other. Keep your fingers straight and fingertips together. Gently push to one side, hold for 15-30 seconds, then gently push to the other side, then hold for 15-30 seconds. Continue until you feel a gentle stretch.

Other positions include hands rotated 180 degrees, pointing downward, or rotated 90 degrees, pointing inward.

One Simple Do-It-At-Home Stretch Exercise To Prevent A Repetitive Stress Injury, stretching

Practice Good Ergonomics

You should sit up straight, with your shoulders relaxed and your forearms horizontal or tilted downward. As a general rule, your knees and elbows should form right angles. Your keyboard should be level and your screen should be about eye level. When you type, orient your wrists straight and flat. You should sit with your thighs level and your feet flat on the floor.

Staying Fit While Home-Bound

During times of being home-bound as a result of the pandemic, it is necessary to maintain fitness and continue our daily workout routine. Working from home can develop habits of inertia and sitting. Without exercise, the body can lose its strength, stamina, and is no longer able to operate at optimal levels. Research shows that excessive sitting is associated with a risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke. Being physically active can help reduce blood pressure, elevate HDL (good) cholesterol, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase circulation, and lose weight.

Treatments Of SRIs Are Available

You should see your physician or a general practitioner if symptoms develop despite your exercises. There could be possible reasons causing the symptoms such as a medical condition or more particularly, an SRI.

Treatments for SRIs are available depending on the injury. Doctor recommendation may be for self-help, medication, or surgery. The treatments may help deal with a medical condition that is undiagnosed or even treat the SRI.