RSI

jmc41 · 03-07-2009, 23:56

So my right wrist has been hurting, mainly when I bend it down rather than back. It's not been so bad but has been noticable for a few days.

It got worse and worse from about 7:45am - 13:15 to the extent that even putting my bag over my shoulder hurt. Got mildly better over lunch and then worse in the afternoon. It's back to only being when I really use it now but concerned it's due to computer usage.

Has anyone got any experience in this? Going to try and keep off the machine some at the weekend (which I don't want to do as had planned to do some non-work coding) and am in training most of Monday so might be better but obviously don't want to make it worse.

Equally, I can see work taking offence if I go to the Doc and get told to take a week or so off. With potential redundancies don't want to hack them off too much in case they try and pick up on other things to force me out because of my something like this.

Dymetrie · 04-07-2009, 08:09

One of my friends has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, means that she's quite restricted when it comes to using a poota too much.

Work, however, and the OHU (Occupational Health Unit) have been fantastic, she's been given voice recognition software (Dragon 10 I believe) and a special ergonomic mouse which has a natural holding position (it's more upright than squat) and auto clicks and things.

The mouse may be useful for you (unless you're one of those weirdos that uses a mouse with your left hand) as it takes pressure off your wrist and reduces the amount of clicking that you need to do. Likewise the voice recognition stuff could help if lots of typing is affecting you.

With regards to your work, do you have an OHU who would advise/assist with this kind of thing? Adjusting the way you work would be a much better idea than taking time off sick (as you're not really sick, just afflicted

), can you do your job whilst resting your wrist? If it does turn out that you have to rest your wrist completely and can't do your job then it's highly likely that what you are doing at work has been exascerbating your wrist and they'd want to be very careful how they handle it if adequate H&S measures aren't in place to prevent this kind of thing, or to support you if it does.

Of course, ****ing too much isn't going to help your wrist get better

[edit]

This is the mouse she has, it's meant to be very good for RSI and Carpal Tunnel, but it's about £50 :/

[/edit]

Feek · 04-07-2009, 08:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dymetrie

The mouse may be useful for you (unless you're one of those weirdos that uses a mouse with your left hand)

We have someone at work with the same sort of mouse, her hand sits in an upright position to hold it and she's a wierd lefty so they do make them in both versions, which is good to know.

jmc41 · 04-07-2009, 08:37

I'm not sure the voice recog. would be possible as I mainly code and email all day (plus am in an open plan office with ~120 people), but the mouse might be possible if things don't improve.

Given the apparently pay out £100 for the RSA logins and my headset cost £80 a £50 mouse would hopefully be small fry.

Thanks for the details!

Dymetrie · 04-07-2009, 08:43

No worries lad, hope that it's useful.

In regards to the office thing. My friend works in an open plan office of about 200 people and it works fine. There's a noise cancelling headset and, iirc, it's keyed to your voice so that outside noise isn't picked up.

The coding thing could be a bugger, not sure if it'll take that kind of verbal input (and considering that my friend works in HR and knows bugger all about computers, she'll not know

), there'd probably be some info on the Dragon webpage though

Mark · 04-07-2009, 11:26

I doubt Dragon would cope very well. It's tuned to the English language, not to the bazillion spelling mistakes that coding typically requires.

I've also developed mild right wrist pain myself these last few weeks. I hope it isn't RSI but then again I can't think what else it could be.

I use an MS Natural keyboard both at home and at work (and have done for many years). That probably helps a bit. Will look into the mouse if the problem persists.

Edit - just read up on the mouse - looks like I'd have to buy new KVM switches at home and work to use it. Probably not a big deal but an extra expense.

Kitten · 04-07-2009, 13:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmc41

It got worse and worse from about 7:45am - 13:15 to the extent that even putting my bag over my shoulder hurt. Got mildly better over lunch and then worse in the afternoon.

^^ this certainly indicates ergonomic causes. Do you lean in a particular way when you code or use your mouse? I've had problems with my neck & shoulder that I've been having physio for for a few months, all boils down to bad positioning and overstretching my arm to use my mouse - not having my 3 monitors set up properly & the effect it has on your joints etc.

You should be able to get your SHE representative to do an ergonomic workstation assessment, and from there they should be able to work out what can help. We have a few guys who have the special mouse and also the more ergonomic keyboard which stands up at a strange angle to the normal one. to be honest, time off will help the immediate problem, but as soon as you go back to the old ways it'll kick off again.

Muban · 04-07-2009, 13:20

We have two people at work who were getting RSI symptoms. One has the Mouse that Dym posted, the other just needed a gel wrist rest to elevate her wrist in relation to her mouse. As already said if you can get someone to do a workstation assessment it should help narrow things down.

Belmit · 04-07-2009, 14:04

I've started getting pains in my wrist and it's definitely down to resting it on the desk when using the mouse. Bought myself one of those gloves with microbeads under the wrist and I don't get the pain any more. Ten minutes without it though and I can already feel it coming back.

Edit: It was this exact glove from this exact eBay seller!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Imak-Computer-...3%3A1|294%3A50

Matblack · 04-07-2009, 18:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belmit

it's definitely down to resting it on the desk when using the mouse.

Yeah, right

MB

03-07-2009, 23:56	#1
jmc41 Absinthe Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,070	RSI So my right wrist has been hurting, mainly when I bend it down rather than back. It's not been so bad but has been noticable for a few days. It got worse and worse from about 7:45am - 13:15 to the extent that even putting my bag over my shoulder hurt. Got mildly better over lunch and then worse in the afternoon. It's back to only being when I really use it now but concerned it's due to computer usage. Has anyone got any experience in this? Going to try and keep off the machine some at the weekend (which I don't want to do as had planned to do some non-work coding) and am in training most of Monday so might be better but obviously don't want to make it worse. Equally, I can see work taking offence if I go to the Doc and get told to take a week or so off. With potential redundancies don't want to hack them off too much in case they try and pick up on other things to force me out because of my something like this.

04-07-2009, 08:09	#2
Dymetrie A large glass of Merlot Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Letchworth with a Lightsaber Posts: 5,819	One of my friends has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, means that she's quite restricted when it comes to using a poota too much. Work, however, and the OHU (Occupational Health Unit) have been fantastic, she's been given voice recognition software (Dragon 10 I believe) and a special ergonomic mouse which has a natural holding position (it's more upright than squat) and auto clicks and things. The mouse may be useful for you (unless you're one of those weirdos that uses a mouse with your left hand) as it takes pressure off your wrist and reduces the amount of clicking that you need to do. Likewise the voice recognition stuff could help if lots of typing is affecting you. With regards to your work, do you have an OHU who would advise/assist with this kind of thing? Adjusting the way you work would be a much better idea than taking time off sick (as you're not really sick, just afflicted ), can you do your job whilst resting your wrist? If it does turn out that you have to rest your wrist completely and can't do your job then it's highly likely that what you are doing at work has been exascerbating your wrist and they'd want to be very careful how they handle it if adequate H&S measures aren't in place to prevent this kind of thing, or to support you if it does. Of course, ***ing too much isn't going to help your wrist get better [edit] This is the mouse she has, it's meant to be very good for RSI and Carpal Tunnel, but it's about £50 :/ [/edit] __________________ Khef, Ka and Ka-Tet.... Last edited by Dymetrie; 04-07-2009 at 08:20.*

04-07-2009, 08:43	#5
Dymetrie A large glass of Merlot Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Letchworth with a Lightsaber Posts: 5,819	No worries lad, hope that it's useful. In regards to the office thing. My friend works in an open plan office of about 200 people and it works fine. There's a noise cancelling headset and, iirc, it's keyed to your voice so that outside noise isn't picked up. The coding thing could be a bugger, not sure if it'll take that kind of verbal input (and considering that my friend works in HR and knows bugger all about computers, she'll not know ), there'd probably be some info on the Dragon webpage though __________________ Khef, Ka and Ka-Tet....

04-07-2009, 11:26	#6
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	I doubt Dragon would cope very well. It's tuned to the English language, not to the bazillion spelling mistakes that coding typically requires. I've also developed mild right wrist pain myself these last few weeks. I hope it isn't RSI but then again I can't think what else it could be. I use an MS Natural keyboard both at home and at work (and have done for many years). That probably helps a bit. Will look into the mouse if the problem persists. Edit - just read up on the mouse - looks like I'd have to buy new KVM switches at home and work to use it. Probably not a big deal but an extra expense. Last edited by Mark; 04-07-2009 at 11:33.

04-07-2009, 13:20	#8
Muban Shoes, Boobs & Corsets Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The fastest town in Scotland Posts: 1,882	We have two people at work who were getting RSI symptoms. One has the Mouse that Dym posted, the other just needed a gel wrist rest to elevate her wrist in relation to her mouse. As already said if you can get someone to do a workstation assessment it should help narrow things down. __________________ well, not to put a too fine point to it, he was discovered.. in the lounge

04-07-2009, 08:37	#4
jmc41 Absinthe Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,070	I'm not sure the voice recog. would be possible as I mainly code and email all day (plus am in an open plan office with ~120 people), but the mouse might be possible if things don't improve. Given the apparently pay out £100 for the RSA logins and my headset cost £80 a £50 mouse would hopefully be small fry. Thanks for the details!

04-07-2009, 14:04	#9
Belmit The Mouse King of Denmark Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The Winchester Posts: 6,476	I've started getting pains in my wrist and it's definitely down to resting it on the desk when using the mouse. Bought myself one of those gloves with microbeads under the wrist and I don't get the pain any more. Ten minutes without it though and I can already feel it coming back. Edit: It was this exact glove from this exact eBay seller! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Imak-Computer-...3%3A1\|294%3A50 __________________ Last edited by Belmit; 04-07-2009 at 14:07.

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