Pressing need to beat RSI

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-04 09:17

"The first signs usually range from prickling sensations to loss of feeling and numbness in the affected body parts. Otherwise, it involves various pains that develop between the wrist and shoulder."

Initial symptoms usually break out after long periods working at a PC but will disappear overnight. In chronic forms of the disease, pain breaks out during everyday activities like ironing or shifting gears in a car.

Stenbock-Fermor advises against trying to treat the problem with medication.

"You can use medication to minimize the symptoms," he says, adding, "But in the long term, they just mask the actual causes."

Therefore, it is important to take proactive steps to prevent the pain.

"You need to take care of acute arm afflictions," says Marschall. Therapists often encourage stretching and strength-building exercises, while warmth can also be used to relax muscles and cold compacts can be used to relieve the pain.

The key is to take a comprehensive approach and not simply treat individual symptoms. "The best thing to do is to change your work area," advises Dierk.

That could mean using ergonomic keyboards, hand rests and computer mice that are designed like joysticks and force the user's hand into a different position.

Dierk adds: "You should also have a chair that doesn't force you to sit up too straight or hunch over and a monitor that can be adjusted according to your viewing angle and the way you sit."

Muscle relaxation techniques are also helpful.

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