What is Repetitive Strain Injury and how to correct it

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) or Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS) are terms that include many localized injuries such as trigger finger, golfer’s and tennis elbow, carpal tunnel and more diffuse pain syndromes (those that spread over the body) which may be diagnosed as cervicobrachial pain syndrome or chronic pain syndrome.

Symptoms of repetitive strain injury

• Burning, aching or shooting pain that can be restricted to small sites, i.e. fingertips or settle in larger areas such as the forearm
• Tremors, clumsiness and numbness
• Fatigue or lack of strength
• Weakness in the hands or forearms to the extent that it is difficult to perform even simple tasks i.e. lifting a bag of shopping
• Difficulty with normal activities i.e. opening doors, chopping vegetables, turning on a tap
• Chronically cold hands, fingertips in particular

Early signs of repetitive straing injury

Soreness, tingling or discomfort in the neck, arms, wrists, fingers or shoulders.  Symptoms may appear when doing something or afterwards.  They may disappear when you stop the activity.  It may take a few hours for the symptoms to disappear or a few days.  Over time though, a minor condition like this can turn into a crippling injury.  Stress, pressure at work, longer hours or fewer breaks can all make symptoms worse and long term.

Causes of repetitive strain injury

• Doing something with your arms repeatedly for too long
• Working with equipment that doesn’t fit your body
• Working too fast
• Not taking breaks
• Holding muscles in the same position for long periods of time
• Lack of variety of the type of work
• Working in cold conditions
• Lack of training in safest way to do the task

Underlying cause is damage to muscles and tendons (and nerves that run through them) through repeated microtrauma.  Whenever muscles are used, tiny tears occur in the muscle tissue.  The local area becomes inflamed for a short time as the body attempts to repair.  Without enough rest, more activity causes further damage and more inflammation and pain.  This cycle gets worse if sufficient rest is not taken.  Nerves are also damaged by RSI.  Tingling feelings are caused by the compression of nerves.  Nerves run through the muscles so if the muscle health is poor so is the nerve health.  Damaged nerves can heal but the process is extremely slow. 

Possible treatment methods for repetitive strain injury

Once it’s been established it’s difficult to cure.  It can prevent you from doing many things i.e. playing musical instruments, hobbies, gardening.  Some people with RSI may eventually develop chronic pain syndrome affecting every aspect of their life.   However, in the early stages it can be curable.

Stretching and strengthening

• Muscle fibres increase in diameter and number
• Muscle fibres react faster and in greater numbers to the messages sent from your nerves
• The number of capillaries increases by 20% after a few months of training, bringing more blood flow to your muscles 

When strengthening is NOT recommended

• When the condition is acute
• When normal daily life is taxing you to the limit

In these situations you can benefit from

• Aerobic exercise
• Strengthening the lower body
• Core strengthening i.e. Pilates
• Gentle stretches 

Technique and form is very important to get the most out of the exercises.  Pilates is ideal for both strengthening and stretching all parts of the body.  Pilates is not only good for helping with RSI but also with prevention.