Ergonomics
By: Jennifer
What is RSI?
RSI, short form for: Repetitive Strain Injury, is an injury that happens often. It damages tendons, muscles, and nerves in your body. Office RSI usually effects neck, back, wrists, and more. RSI will most likely affect most of your upper body. It is cause by repetitive movement that is not meant for your body.
Symptoms
Symptoms of RSI includes:
- Pain
- Cramps
- Stiffness
- Weakness
- Throbbing in the muscles
- Numbness
- Tightness and aching in muscles
These symptoms will occur regularly if it is not treated.
Stages of Injury
Early Symptoms
- May last for a several weeks
- Occurs when you are repetitively overusing muscles
- These symptoms will be reduced if the tendons or muscles are resting
- Threatened over-use injury ; known as "stage 1"
Mild/Later Symptoms
- At this stage, the injuries will worsen caused by longer periods of muscle overuse
- There can be swelling, redness, stiffness, etc.
- Can last for several months
- This stage id a recurrent pain at night and it can disturb your sleep
Severe Symptoms
- This is the final stage of RSI
- The symptoms will become constant and irreversible
- There can be pain, weakness and fatigue brought to you
- These symptoms will make you unable to complete simple tasks
- Known as "established over-use injury"
How Can We Prevent This?
RSI is a constant pain, but there are ways to help stop you from getting RSI.
- Better posture
- Moving around once every 20 mins.
- Resting your fingers and eyes
- Adjusting your office chair
- Have your arms at a 90 degrees angle from your body to the computer
RSI Prevention
Office Exercises
There are many exercises for office work that will help you with RSI. Here are most of them.
Wrist Extentions
This will help you stretch your wrist and relax the muscles.
Back Stretch
Every once in a while, reach up and try to stretch your back for relieving stiffness.
Neck Rotations
Stretch your neck side to side to relieve neck pain. This will help with stiffness as well.
Finger Stretches
Stretch your fingers once in a while from all that typing.
Chest Stretches
This will help with your back and chest. It will improve with flexibility.
Chin Tucks
This exercise will help with neck pain.
Types of RSI
Type 1 RSI: Localised Conditions
- Compression or pain to a nerve in the wrist
- Inflammation of a tendon and a tendon sheath
These type of RSI are caused by repetitive tasks, but some people have these common syndromes even if they have not done any repetitive task.
Symptoms of type 1 RSI can include; swelling, inflammation, and nerve compression problems.
Type 2 RSI: Diffused Conditions
These type of symptoms do not have a clear syndrome. There are no clarification of inflammation, swelling or any problems with tendons or nerves. It is known as a diffused RSI or a non-specific pain syndrome.