Do you work with computers a lot? At some point, do you feel either a tingling or a numbness starting in the tips of your fingers, down to the rest of your hands, and even up to you? You are not alone, especially during this pandemic. Such kinds of injuries may have increased because the number of people working at home or in their workplace using their laptops or computers have also gone up. There is no official numbers yet but I suspect many people unknowingly may suffer from repetitive strain injury or RSIs for short. But what exactly are RSIs? And are you among the ranks of workers at risk for this?
What are RSIs?
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. (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/repetitive-strain-injury-rsi/). Other terms for RSIs include cumulative trauma disorder (CTD); repetitive motion injury or work-related trauma disorder. Common examples are tendonitis, neuritis, myositis, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), degenerative arthritis, and tendinitis.
What are the Possible Causes?
Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) pointed out the following causes of RSIs- 1) repetitive activities; 2) doing a high intensive activity for a long time without rest; 3) poor posture or activities that involve working in an awkward posture. In addition, cold temperature and vibrating equipment can trigger the onset of RSIS. Stress can also contribute to the condition. Also, those who work with computers a lot are included in the list of vulnerable to this condition. Sounds familiar? Then read on…
How Do I Know I Have RSI?
If your work involves what is described above, then check if you exhibit any of the common symptoms such as pain in the areas affected (usually the hands and fingers); swelling, tingling, numbness, stiffness, weakness, and sensitivity to heat and cold. (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17424-repetitive-stress-injury)
What Can Be Done?
First, identify what task or activity triggers off the pain. You may need to stop a suspected activity to confirm if it is the cause. Then try modifying it if that can stop or alleviate the pain.
Paracetamols or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can relieve the pain. Others use hot or cold packs, or elastic support or splint.
Sometimes, the advice of physiotherapists may be needed for advice on posture and how to strengthen or relax muscles. Other modes of treatment include massages, yoga, or osteopathy.
How Can RSIS be Prevented?
NHS provides the following simple recommendations to stop RSIs: 1) maintain good posture; 2) take regular breaks from repetitive tasks; 3) when stressed, do breathing exercises.
But those who work with computers all day should ensure that their seat, keyboard, mouse, and screen are positioned so that they cause the least amount of strain.
A Look Back at RSI incidence
RSIs may have been here before but never given much attention. The International Labor Organization or ILO had already warned of the rise of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) even before the pandemic. Note: RSI is a form of MSD. They attribute this to the increase in sedentary work, prolonged standing at work, the growing use of computers and automated systems, and poor ergonomic conditions. MSDs are said to represent 40 % of the total global compensation cost. (https://www.ilo.org/legacy/english/osh/en/story_content/external_files/fs_st_1-ILO_5_en.pdf)
A Word of Advice
Don’t wait until the pain and loss of functional ability become severe before taking medical attention. The options for treatment are simple and less costly than a medical operation. They may not be as life-threatening as other disorders but a loss of pain due to this can guarantee a better quality of life. We don’t want to be in pain most of our lives, don’t we?
