For the last month or so I have been quietly suffering from RSI (repetitive strain injury).
So I thought I’d post this to prevent you from experiencing what I’ve been suffering with since the end of September.
If you have an online business (or are trying to start one), no doubt you use the computer more than you ever have, so it’s important you pay attention to your habits now.
It started with discomfort in my forearm, wrist and the back of my hand (especially when mousing and typing). At first I thought it was Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Fortunately it wasn’t, but RSI can be just as debilitating and cause as many problems if not addressed.
Turns out this could have been avoided with proper workstation ergonomics. I’ve always heard the word “ergonomics” and knew what it meant, but ignored it because I was not having any problems. And unfortunately most people don’t realize something is wrong UNTIL they feel the pain.
The Problem
I was typing with my hands slightly angled up while my wrists rest on the wrist pad instead of raising them so they are parallel to the floor. My posture was also very poor. This was causing strain on my forearms and hands. Ouch!
I also have a tendency to hold my pinky out and erect when typing fast, so that was also causing additional strain on my forearm. Typing fast and hard can also cause strain because you use your muscles more for speed and you have a tendency to stiffen everything up.
I was definitely the poster child for improper ergonomics and what NOT to do when typing.
Fortunately for me, my symptoms seem to be getting better thanks to improved workstation ergonomics, plenty of rest from the computer, hot and cold compresses and lots of stretching. (Epsom salt baths also work wonders!)
I feel so blessed to have a “job” that allows me to work when I want, so the rest has really helped me heal. I wanted to post this today to prevent you from going through the pain I’ve been experiencing.
Listen to your body. If you feel a slight pain or stiffening in your joints then the problem is already here, and it’s just a matter of it getting worse if you don’t correct what you’re doing wrong. Also, see your doctor for the proper diagnosis and don’t assume it will just go away.
Take care of yourselves now before you end up with a nagging injury you cannot correct later. Who cares about making a ton of money online if you’re in too much pain to enjoy it! 😉
surf lots of time in computer its very dangerous for our health but what we can do because its our profession but some tips and tricks will help us and i also feel pain headache and back side its very very pain full for me to stop my work and need some rest,oooooh i cant express but your articles marvelous when i read to decide to comment on your blog,
Thank you for sharing your experience. Good posture and proper position while working must be considered to avoid discomforts! 🙂
Thank you for caring. This is very true. I spend many hours on my computer and start to feel some symptoms, like my elbows hurting and my tail bone. Thanks for remind me to pay attention to the posture.
Hello, Lisa and friends! It’s been a while, hope your wrists and elbows, your necks and shoulders are in a good shape.
Thanks to Lisas videos and posts, my website is finally on-line at http://www.adjusthealth.info
A good chiropractor will not only “crack” your neck but will give you a full guidance to rehab and posture and desk setup. Some of this you can already find on my website, the rest, I’ll publish in the next few weeks. Keep well! @drvasily
Hello Lisa,
I have been following your blog posts and reading your newsletters which are very useful.
Since you’ve been providing us with great information, let me return the favor.
As a strength coach, I have been working with lots of athletes but I also follow trainings from the general population. People who spend numerous hours behind the computer have similar symptoms to yours.
I am sure you are aware that a good way to avoid those troubles is to get into a regular exercise program. Those neck strains can be fixed by training the grip and by doing pulling exercises, strengthening the upper back and lower back muscles as well as the hamstrings.
And yes, massages, stretching and contrast showers are an absolutely must be done in the list. Basically, it is nothing much different than what athletes do.
I am wishing you a fast recovery and once again, thank you for putting so much effort to help us.
Great article Lisa. I hope your body continues to heal as it is now.
Over the last couple of weeks I have started to experience stain on my shoulder to the point where I give in and lye down (still working). This article has certainly made me think about how I can improve my workstation. I have never got this strain on my hands just my shoulder. Perhaps I need to buy a more upright chair.
Jack
Hello Lisa,
I was wondering whether or not you have ever
considered one of those word documenting prog-
rams that you just speak into a microphone
and your conversation would be converted into text.
May seem cumbersome in the beginning, but with
practice you can get better. Who knows, the program
that works the best for you may have an affiliated marketing program that you can paticpate in. Less typing, less pain and a way of making even more money, can’t beat that.:)
Yes, I bought Dragon Speech. It’s nice but it still makes a lot of mistakes and I spend more time trying to correct the mistakes and it takes twice as long. I do like that you can train it to learn new words. I use it sometimes and it does save lots of typing.
Recently I’ve been working by my computer a lot.
I try to stretch my back and walk around the room once every hour. Both – muscles and eyes need to relax. If I have more time I do a joint mobility session. I’m using circular motions back and forth. I start with my neck and slowly move down to shoulders, hips, knees… It takes approximately 8-10 min.
For people who spend a lot of time by computer this is very important.
I agree, Vas. My chiropractor is a great help. Couldn’t get by without him. I’ve told him if we move I will have to pay for him to relocate with us 🙂
.-= Christian Russell´s last blog … No Room for Doubt =-.
With RSI elbow, wrist, neck, shoulders, back etc problems see your chiropractor ASAP. They will “adjust” your neck and spine to restore the nervous function and facilitate the healing and full function. You need to look for “straight” “wellness” chiropractor who “adjusts”. Good luck!
Lisa,
i also suffer from RSI since 5 years back, but got it under control 🙂
the best solution was workrave http://www.workrave.org/
it forces me to take breaks (customizable) , shows me correct RSI exercises, helps improve posture and gives me eyes needed relief (as i unconsciously overwork them, specially programming and reading)
it’s open source so you can always send feedback to the developers. They suffered from those themselves
essentially it saved my arm, back, neck and eyesight 🙂 hopefully when am less busy i can once again donate more time and resources to the open project.
if you or anyone need help, tips , etc. let me know, i’ll be sub to comments
also wanted to add that your computer can be your ally here, not your enemy. let it do most of the reminding for you (like a personal doc)
in fact TV can be worse (for those who suffer from eye strain, dry eyes or computer vision) since it can’t be programmed to alert you (hey it’s been over 2 – 3 hours take a break!).
well have to go, been on the pc over 45 mins non-stop and is alerting me to take a short break (i have it in high settings: stop keyboard, mouse input, etc.) so i dont skip it 🙂
For those having forearm pain, get some forearm supports. I have them for both arms. They are by Futuro and I got them from CVS Pharmacy. They work GREAT!!! I even wear them when I’m not typing sometimes. My muscles love the heat and they have a tendon relief pad. Amazing help if your forearms are sore.
What you may not realize is that your forearms control the muscles in the wrist and hand so even if your hands and wrists are in pain, it could be because of weak/sore forearm muscles. If you can correct that problem, it may solve all your pain problems.
Thanks for this post! The problem with my hands, wrists, and forearms are really beginning to be a problem. I spend 15-20 hours a day, 5 days a week, sometimes 6 online and have been doing this for years! A few things help like massages and cold packs. When it really gets bad a couple of Aleve and rest works.
Talk about great chairs, I fought my husband tooth and nail about the purchase of an expensive custom ergonomic chair years ago. Finally, I gave in and I can say that the chairs I invested in from The Relax The Back store (www.relaxtheback.com) many years ago have saved me countless visits to a chiropractor! Some of the chairs can be a little pricey, but once you invest in them you’ll have them for many years. I started with 1 custom chair and 1 basic foot rest at the beginning, and then liked them so much I purchased another one 5 years later. With 2 of them I just switch chairs for change. This time it wasn’t an argument all! 😉
Very cool that you point this out Lisa. My wife and I both deal with this off and on. I’m typing this comment while sitting on my living room floor right now. Haha. Not the best position, but changing things up is important. Sitting at your desk for 14 hours can be killer on your back 🙂
.-= Christian Russell´s last blog … Are You Taking Action or Just Talking About Taking Action? =-.
Yoga-Girl, wow did I have that and still do if not REALLY careful. It only takes a day of non-care or not paying attention and the warnings blaze back. Seriously, yoga and hourly little stretches (even in your chair) do wonders. I make myself get up on the hour and get tea and twist, reach, or something for a few min. I have too! My arm got so bad it would go numb with shoots of pain from my back shoulder to my finger tips – I also learned to use my left hand to compensate. Not fun!
I have a great chair that helps posture. Also years ago I took a keyboarding class in school and they discussed this. It helped from back posture to actually typing. The proper use of arms and hands to not put any strain on them. If you aren’t careful and spending a decent amount of time on your computer it can get ugly.
.-= Web´s last blog … Creating Content Help For Your Website =-.
I really like some of the methods mentioned in the post and the comments. But – I’ve come to find that what helps me the most is a loooong steamy shower. Hot water really relaxes the muscles and it’s especially effective if your shower has the massage option. Another plus here is if you play some music in the background. That is what I would suggest. 😉
.-= Gordon´s last blog … CSS For Absolute Beginners =-.
I think I’m becoming a hypochondriac after reading this post. I noticed my back has started hurting for no reason. Maybe I’m working too hard!
.-= Highly Favored´s last blog … Should you leave your unbelieving spouse? =-.
As a musician I’ve always been well aware of how my hands and posture are when I’m typing, just as I am when I’m playing guitar or bass.
Our hands are a very delicate structure, and although alot of research has gone into correct technique for musical instruments, it really makes me cringe when I see the way some people use computers!
Exactly the same things apply to playing a musical instrument quickly and typing fast, now that you mention it. I’m always correcting my guitar students because they’re holding their little fingers out in the air!
I don’t know how much it will help, but here are some of the things I do to strengthen my fingers (obviously some you can only do on guitar):
http://chainsawguitartuition.net/blog/giving-your-hands-a-workout/
I’ll admit…I’m just as guilty(more on the poster). Old habits die hard I guess.
Sometimes I even lean sideways on my chair lol.
FANTASTIC POST! I had no idea about any of this and am guilty of ALL OF THEM!!!
Had no idea that having wrists on the desk while typing was bad for you. Now I have a 7 year old habit to break!
.-= Brad´s last blog … Nothing at All =-.
Getting circulation going and keeping the joints active are key. Your body will give you warning signs but most of us are so into what we are doing we ignore them.
Incorporating yoga or stretching is great. What I like to do are dumbbell exercises that condition all your joints. If I skip a week or so, I start to feel discomfort. Simple push-ups are also good.
Yes! Stretching has helped greatly!!!
I try to stay conscious of my posture and ergonomics, but it can be a challenge sometimes. I think one of the most important things is to invest in a good chair. The chair at office desk is pretty good, but the “expensive business chair” I have at home tends to automatically push me forward. It’s very hard to sit straight in it.
So yeah, we need to find chairs that are designed to help and even encourage us to sit properly.
.-= Jonathan´s last blog … PHP & MySQL Database Tutorial: Introduction =-.
Thanks for your always insightful and timely posts. I think I’m a poster child, too. I’m known for getting so caught up in my work that I don’t realize how many hours have passed. When the nagging pain in my abdominal finally gets my attention, I realize it’s 8 hours later and I’m thinking it’s only lunch time. I think that’s called “flow.”
.-= the affiliate marketer’s help desk´s last blog … Are you too busy for God? =-.
Wow – I cannot believe the timing of this article. Just in the last couple of days I have noticed a bit of a strain on the back of my mousing hand behind the index finger (used for scrolling) and was reminded about the importance of ergonomics and changing your posture occasionally.
During my Facilities Management days at NASA, we used to conduct classes on ergonomics, so I felt like I should know better, but we often times get caught up in our work.
Glad to know you’re on the mend, and you’re right, who wants to make money only to carry down to the doctor’s office.
Thanks for this post and go easy!
.-= Jimi Jones´s last blog … Recognizing the Phases of Building Your Blog =-.
they have free exercise to try:
http://www.desk-trainer.com/about/desktrainer_solution.php
Great post on Technology, Affiliate Marketing, and Ergonomics. Keep doing your thing Lisa!
Can I strongly recommend that anyone with RSI type pain see an Alexander Technique teacher.
By learning this amazing technique discovered many many years ago you will know exactly how to use your body and not only recover from use related issue but potentially improve your energy and stress levels.
see
http://www.alexandertechnique.com
Hi Lisa,
I’m guilty too. I had to have a cortisone shot and do physical therapy over the summer due to tendonitis in my shoulders. I’m much better now but still fell the remnants of pain here and there.
I need to be very conscious of my posture when sitting at the computer and I learned to keep my shoulders back with my chest lifted. (I notice now that I am not sitting properly so good thing I just read this post as a reminder to keep practicing good habits.)
The positions that I sleep in can sometimes cause addtional stress so I went out and purchased a nice comfortable memory foam neck pillow. It has helped me a great deal at night and I wish the therapist would have suggested it.
I’m glad you are feeling better, thanks for keeping us “in line”. lol
@Ileane
.-= Ileane´s last blog … Top 5 Blog Topics =-.
Glad to hear you’re on the improve Lisa! I have an RSI from operating equipment for my other business. It’s the reason I began to look into making money online, so I didn’t need to rely on an income stream that was causing injury. Lots of breaks and plenty of rest help!
.-= ThemeGrrl´s last blog … Kawaii WordPress Themes =-.
Thanks for the post. I think it’s so important that as web professionals we pay attention to what our bodies are telling us. Too many people spend too much time at the computer in a bad position that can cause injury. Thanks for helping get the word out.
.-= Lovelyn´s last blog … Pardon? =-.
There use to be a desktop application called “stretch break” that would pop up and run you through a little routine so you would avoid injuries from repeated computer use.
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lol. a little off topic. I work in an office environment…have been for several years. The key is to relax, take breaks often, and be active…otherwise you’ll end up with an “office worker’s body” heh. so much for flat stomach exercises…
I work standing up a lot. Like right now. Keeps my posture in better shape. Keeps me alert.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog … DIY WordPress: 3 Reasons You Should Learn To Code =-.
I agree. I am learning to balance. Too much of anything without balance is just not good for you.
.-= Betty´s last blog … How To Survive After Twins =-.
This is a timely bit of informtaion, I have been experiencing some sticking pains on the top of my hand. I definitely need to get it looked at. Thanks 🙂
.-= Ms. Freeman´s last blog … 10 Reasons Teenagers Shouldn’t Work =-.
that can’t be more true. i agree totally and to add to that, proper workplace ergonomics does not only have to apply to anything “body related” (although the term suggests it), but when I was going through the same I found the following very helpful:
1) most get so involved that they skip meals. DO NOT do this!
2) same goes for exercise. health is wealth so take time exercise properly
3) the types of baths you take are also important – what you put in the water, the temperature, the length
4) invest in a particular chair/seat that is best for you
5) good lighting is key – set up around windows, study up on angles of the sun when it rises/sets. you will be surprised how much this matters
6) background music – it helps some and it hurts others
7) watch your posture. your seating dictates how your back, shoulders, fingers, hands and arms will feel. so point #4 above is very important
.-= Dubai City Information´s last blog … The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Biggest Abu Dhabi Investment Fund =-.
I hear ya, Lisa. I’ve been getting numb hands when I sleep and have a headache and a tight neck at the end of the day. I’ve started doing Qi Gong and loving it.
I agree I’ve noticed a lot of pain lately.
.-= Nick´s last blog … High pressure to dominate keeping all rain at bay for at least this week =-.
This is so important. Take regular breaks during the day and do exercises to relieve the pressure on your wrists and hands. After having a couple of uncomfortable experiences, I’ve learned to read the signals and rest when I need to.
.-= Sharon Hurley Hall´s last blog … Is Your Writing Like Powdered Milk? =-.