RSI

[lee griggs]

Hi guys, I figured that some of you would have an rsi condition similar to mine and was wondering if you had come across any methods for relieving the pain?

I have had tenosynovitis for the last 6 years. It has improved a lot, but I think it could improve some more.

Things that have helped me are:

www.catspaw.com

regular breaks, stretching, owning a touchstream etc

Someone recommended taking Devils Claw but I havent tried it yet.

Anyone discovered anything else ?

cheers,
lee

[RAFH]

Typically any sort of support will help, especially if worn all the time. I had bad elbows/tendonitis to the point where I couldn't pick up a book or hold a pencil with either hand, only way I could pick up a book would be to press it between both hands.

I wore all sorts of braces with only limited improvement until I started to wear the braces during the night. Turns out I was moving my arms and hands a lot while asleep. Even just rolling over would stress them.

[lee griggs]

Hi RAFH,

what sort of brace did you use? Do you have a link to a photo?

do you think it would help whilst using a computer?

cheers,
lee

[RAFH]

It was just a full wrist brace.

It looked a lot like this,

http://www.docortho.com/catalog/Wrist-B ... 19099.html

but the straps were different, it didn't have the loop with the wrap back straps, they just went across from one side to the other. It did have the three straps though and it had the insert, steel in mine, not sure what this is.

I had one on each arm. My problem wasn't so much my wrists themselves though they hurt as well, it was where the tendons attached to the bones at the elbow, it would feel like they were ripping out. Like I said, I couldn't pick up anything with one hand or grasp anything between thumb and fingers, I couldn't even make a hook with my fingers to hold a strap. I could type, hunt and peck style. For a while I was even in a pair of slings to relieve the strain on my elbows. It was pretty horrible. And I am an architect and this was before I started using computers so I had to draw and use a calculator. Fortunately I had employees to do the drawing but it was still very difficult.

I cannot stress how much difference wearing it all the time made. Its important to take it off and do stretching and light strength exercises as well as soaking in hot water, but the rest of the time it was on. I wore them only during work for nearly two months without any improvement then I started wearing them all the time (actually I got really drunk for about three days and forgot to remove them, when I regained consciousness my arms were better and I decided to try wearing them full time) and the improvement was almost immediate. I continued to wear them for nearly a month after the pain was gone to give them a chance to heal completely.

That is also very important. Give yourself plenty of time to heal, especially after the pain stops. Most people just quit using the braces as soon as the pain stops and then it comes right back.