McEs, A Hacker Life: Dear Lazyweb: RSI therapy around Toronto

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Dear Lazyweb: RSI therapy around Toronto

I've wanted to ask about this for years: Anyone knows any doctors around Toronto who know what to do about RSI? A few years ago I had wrist issues but got over that. These days my fingers are killing me... Constant pain, even when I'm not typing... And yes, I have good keyboard, I take regular breaks, I stretch, I use stress balls, ...

Thanks in advance.

Labels: lazyweb

¶ 4:47 PM

Comments:

Home treatment (might work, might not):

- Take a *complete* break from typing (or any wrist motion) from a few days
- Wrap your wrists in tensor bandages to stop them from moving.
- Hot-pack/cold-pack alternation (or hot/cold water)
- Take the max. daily dose of Advil (to reduce swelling)
- Make sure you aren't sleeping on your arm/write in a way that might impinge your nerves.

If that doesn't work, go to your doctor (you might be able to get a steroid shot or surgery). Since it's Toronto, you are covered by our wonderful healthcare system. :)

It might not be RSI either - there are a number of other conditions that present as wrist/finger pain/numbness. It could even be a case of neck tightness.

# posted by

Anonymous : January 29, 2009 6:10 PM

You've probably looked into it ... but I've found that most of my problems (from wrist to neck) stem from sleeping wrong. Sleep is a long period for your body to rest and recover and if you sleep in the wrong position, you stress it out more.

So for wrists, I was bending them forward. I slept with wrist guards for a few weeks to keep them bent back, and all my problems went away.

(Same with neck, I was bending my head towards my chest instead of keeping it up and back.)

# posted by

Anonymous : January 29, 2009 7:28 PM

That it's your fingers, and that it's constant sounds more like arthritis than RSI. Visit your doctor and see what they think.

RSI is generally the wrists to the elbows.

# posted by

Anonymous : January 30, 2009 8:52 AM

You might try here http://www.alexandertechnique.ca/

# posted by

Unknown : January 30, 2009 10:24 AM

Thanks everyone. I'm wearing my Tensor brackets all the time now and I've got to say I'm seeing progress already!!

I had RSI syndromes that went away when I chose good keyboard and mouse and worked on my posture. The finger issue remains. I'll go ask my doctor and will post my findings.

# posted by

behdad : January 30, 2009 3:18 PM

Pay attention to you hands/fingers/wrist positions and check if you are not keeping them unnecessarily in tension, e.g., in order to type faster you might keep your hands in a "ready-steady" state, which you might not even be aware of.

# posted by

Anonymous : January 30, 2009 4:21 PM

If it is stress related, you might benefit from seeing a good psychotherapist - I certainly did. They might be able to help you identify the root causes of the stress (which are not always as easily-identifiable as one might imagine).

Best wishes, Jaime

# posted by

Anonymous : January 31, 2009 4:22 AM

Once again, my own personal treatment:

- take a long vacation, several weeks.
- get more sleep. very very underrated.
- kinesis advantage keyboard. worth more to me than my computer.
- ms natural mouse. use it as little as possible.
- wear long sleeve shirts and fingerless gloves to keep my hands warm.
- ice immediately after work.
- take plenty of breaks.
- had the doc drain the ganglionic cyst to reduce pressure.

# posted by

Ryan McDougall : February 01, 2009 7:00 AM

Simple long-term solution?

A vacation followed by regular exercise, the exercise also does wonders for ones coding.

1, Vacation AFK, atleast 1 week.

2. get Heavy Grips (lowest strength to start with), do as many simultaneous repetitions as you can for every arm, 3 times a week.

3, Start some kind of martial arts or Ashtanga Yoga or Power Yoga 2-3 times a week, which ever suits you best (I recommend Wing Chun, but its a matter of taste)

# posted by

Anonymous : March 16, 2009 6:07 PM

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