RSI
 

Since there are plenty of fellow geeks here someone might be able to point me in the right direction. Since feb or so this year I've been moving around a lot and mostly working on a laptop either on flat desks or on my lap, both of which I know are godawful egronomically. over the last month I've developed a dull growing ache in my right wrist that seems to be getting worse. I don't think it's carpal tunnel syndrome - the symptoms don't entirely fit but it is certainly some from of RSI.


As someone that does a lot of computer work and am about to start doing a lot more the whole thing is rather scary, when I'm not on the computer I'm often drawing or shooting (film not lead), all of which involve a lot of hand work. I'm about to move and will do my vest to ensure my premanant setup is as egonomically sound as possible but considering the situation at the moment, what is the best course of action? If i just stop using a computer for a month will it go away? Should I consult a doctor? Specialist? Anyone else gone though this? I've started doing some exercises that are certainly doing something - my right wrist hurts like hell when I hold my arm out straight and try and get my fingers vertical, my left does not. Any other exercises?

Tendonitis?

I've had ulnar nerve damage from typing wrong, which is nerve right next to the carpal tunnel. And I've had a lot of tendonitis so...

It's critical to get your wrists in a good position as you type. They should be as straight as possible. If you're bending your wrists in any way in order to reach any keys, if it takes more than a tiny little bit of stress to reach any key, stop and fix what you're doing, right away.

Whenever you make a change it will still take a few weeks for that change to take effect, and you're still kinda sorta re-aggravating it every time you type, so don't expect it to go away quick.

This goes for everyone.

Start wanking with your left hand to balance it out ;)

I'd be insulted if it wasn't funny :P
thus you shall be poked with a stick :stickpoke
Revenge!

Anyway. I think I'll just stop for a month soon and do some research, the fact it's so much more severe in my mouse hand suggests to me it might be related to that as well.

If that's what you call revenge I'll insult you any day! :D

if it is in your mouse hand i would be willing to bet that you press harder than you think while scrolling. i know i've been guilty of the same. the pressure on the nerves does minor damage over time, but unless it is a chronic pain i wouldn't worry too much. it sounds stupid and they look goofy, but one of those oversized gel-filled handwrests in front of your mouse may just be what the doctor ordered.

if that fails - do as the feline female ordered, wank with the other hand. :)

It all depends on the size of the stick really.
:smashfrea
it's not chronic yet but something about it tells me it could get nasty.

... and how hard you poke.

And if you scroll back up and take a look, jaguar hasn't stopped poking yet.

well stamina is important

witness a thread, burning badly crashing to ground at the speed of sound

Ok enough already, I'm sore now.

This hereby ends the decline of the thread.

You mean you didn't see this coming?

I mean come on, look at the topic again.

I had symptoms of carpal tunnel for awhile. Easy test: hold the offending hand out, palm up, and strike your wrist with the two fingers of your other hand. If you feel tingling in your fingers or numbness (specifically a difference in feeling, in the offending hand, between your index and thumb than the rest), chances are high you're injuring yourself pretty badly.

I fixed mine by getting one of those gyroscopic ball thingies that golfers and skiers use, but mine didn't cost nearly so much nor have cool lights or digital crap in it.