What Is RSI?
Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is a general term used to describe the pain felt in muscles, nerves and tendons caused by repetitive movement and overuse.
The condition mostly affects parts of the upper body, such as the:
- forearms and elbows
- wrists and hands
- neck and shoulders
Common Symptoms of RSI
The symptoms of RSI can range from mild to severe and usually develop gradually. They often include:
- pain, aching or tenderness
- stiffness
- throbbing
- tingling or numbness
- weakness
- cramp
At first, you might only notice symptoms when you're carrying out a particular repetitive action.
But without treatment, the symptoms of RSI may eventually become constant and cause longer periods of pain. You may also get swelling in the affected area, which can last for several months.
What Causes RSI?
RSI is related to the overuse of muscles and tendons in the upper body.
Certain things are thought to increase the risk of RSI, including:
- repetitive activities
- doing a high-intensity activity for a long time without rest
- poor posture or activities that involve working in an awkward position
Cold temperatures and vibrating equipment are also thought to increase the risk of getting RSI and can make the symptoms worse. Stress can also be a contributing factor.
Jobs that involve repetitive movements can lead to RSI, such as working on an assembly line, at a supermarket checkout, or on a computer.
Your work environment should be as comfortable as possible. You should ideally have a workplace assessment so that any adjustments needed can be made.
How To Prevent RSI
There are things you can do to help reduce your risk of getting RSI, such as:
- maintaining good posture at work
- taking regular breaks from long or repetitive tasks – it's better to take smaller, more frequent breaks than one long lunch break
- trying breathing exercises if you're stressed
- take a stretch break multiple times throughout the day
If you work at a computer all day, make sure your seat, keyboard, mouse and screen are positioned so they cause the least amount of strain - check how you measure up.
The ErgoCAT online evaluation tool in the UC Learning Center is the first step to setting up or improving the ergonomics of your computer workstation; however, additional help may be necessary to ensure prevention of repetitive motion injuries. Coupled with a workstation evaluation, ErgoCAT is very effective at identifying high risk factors and corresponding corrective actions. Please also take a look at our guidance and tips worksheets available for setting up your workstation.
After making the recommended adjustments, if you are still experiencing frequent discomfort or require assistance in making changes based on the ErgoCAT recommendations, please contact our office for further evaluation at , or call 209-228-ERGO, 209-500-9461.
Repetitive strain injury (RSI) represents a group of conditions associated with the overuse of computer, guitar, knife or a similar motion or tool. It is an occupational overuse syndrome affecting muscles, tendons and nerves in the arms and upper back and is also known as work related upper limb disorder (WRULD). It is most
common among computer and assembly line workers. The use of computers has increased manifold in all spheres of life including professional and personal lives of individuals. This has in turn, increased the scope of RSI to the hands and arms resulting from the overuse of the computer keyboard and mouse. Repetitive strain injury amongst IT workers and computer users
What is a Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)?
IT Professionals and RSI
If you are a regular computer user and witness a few of the below symptoms, you could be suffering from a computer related RSI:
- Tightness, discomfort, stiffness in the hands, wrists and fingers
- Tingling or numbness in the hands
- Loss of strength and coordination in the hands
- Constant pain in the upper back, shoulders or neck
- Feeling the urge to massage your hands, wrists and arms
The disorder can actually affect multiple parts of the body, including eyes, neck, shoulders, forearms, thumbs, upper back, hands, wrists, fingers and arms.
Incidence and Prevalence
Research shows that 60% of IT professionals, who spend more than eight hours a day on the computer, are likely to suffer from the symptoms of RSI at some point.
Once contracted, such symptoms of RSI are extremely difficult to cure and can occur even in the young and physically fit individuals. In fact, people are often forced to quit their computer-dependent careers due to this disorder.
Preventive Measures
A series of preventive measures are recommended to avoid such repercussions of RSI related to computer usage. Here we list a few main guidelines:
Ensure proper infrastructure
- Well-designed workstation
- Proper eye-level from the monitor
- Comfortable placement of the keyboard
- Proper placement of the mouse
- Use a proper computer chair
- Insist for ergonomic devices (at workplaces)
- Adequate lighting
Maintain a proper posture
- Keep your back straight and don’t slouch
- Wrists should be straight and level while typing
- Wrists should not be bent on a side
- Keep a proper footrest
- Rest your arms on the armrests of the chair
Work-related precautions
- Increase your font sizes
- Don’t pound on the keys
- Hold the mouse lightly
- Eliminate redundant computer work
Habit-related precautions
- Take lots of breaks to stretch
- Keep your arms and hands warm
- Don’t tuck the telephone between your shoulder and ear
- Pay attention to any signs of pain
Remedial Measures
Prevention is the best remedial measure in the case of RSI prevalence amongst IT professionals. However, once afflicted, the following specific measures can be adopted for relief:
- Gain awareness about your condition form books and internet
- Modify the technology being used to prevent further damage
- Use equipment such as orthopedic hand braces, but under medical advice
- Take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and anti-convulsant medications
Other measures include:
- Soft tissue therapy
- Biofeedback
- Massage
- Stretches and strengthening exercises
- Surgery
- Psychological approach
Further links on computers and IT usage
- Pain problems associated with computer and IT usage
Links to articles on Computers and Pain
- Links to Computers and Pain