03 Mar What Are Repetitive Strain Injuries?
If you’re experiencing throbbing, tingling or numbness somewhere in your body, or perhaps pain, tenderness or weakness somewhere, it may well be that you’ve suffered some kind of repetitive strain injury (RSI), a general term that defines pain in the muscles, nerves and tendons caused by overuse repetitive movements.
According to the NHS, symptoms of RSI can include pain and discomfort, which is often felt in the forearms, elbows, wrists, hands, neck and shoulders. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms in these parts of the body, it could well be down to RSI.
It’s thought that there are certain activities that can increase your risk of RSI, such as doing high-intensity activity for a long time with no rest, repetitive activities, poor posture or work that involves holding your body in an awkward position.
Interestingly, stress can be a contributing factor to the condition, while vibrating equipment, heavy duty manual labour and cold temperatures can also increase the risk of developing RSI.
It’s important to make sure that your working environment is set up to be as comfortable as possible and remember that it is your employer’s legal duty to prevent work-related RSI, as well as making sure that the symptoms don’t get worse for anyone already with the condition.
How can you prevent RSI?
There are various strategies you can employ to help prevent the risk of developing RSI, such as making sure you take regular breaks if you are engaged in long or repetitive tasks. Also make sure you check in with your body regularly, so you know your posture is good and you’re holding yourself correctly.
The position of your spine is essential for good posture and you should maintain its three natural curves – in the neck, the mid back and the low back.
How do you treat RSI?
Think about your daily activities to see if you can identify any tasks you may be doing that could be causing your symptoms. This is a good first step to addressing the problem, as it means you can make the necessary adjustments to what you’re doing to help protect your body.
You may also find it beneficial to come and see us here at Guildford osteopaths OsteoVision once lockdown is over if you’re really struggling with your symptoms.
We can help give you relief from your pain using joint mobilisation, certain exercises and soft tissue stretches, as well as giving you advice and guidance on posture and how to hold yourself properly.
We work closely with specialised musculoskeletal experts, including orthopaedic surgeons, pain specialists, rheumatologists, acupuncturists, occupational health specialists and many more to devise a tailored treatment programme for our patients. Get in touch with us today to find out more.