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Google Staff MD on Carpal Tunnel & RSI
bariswheel writes "Every older and some younger Slashdotters have been subject to that tingling feeling in your wrist after countless hours of hacking, cracking, or playing CS. This Google Blog, posted by the Staff MD addresses this serious symptom that could potentially lead to "compression of the nerve which can cause numbness or tingling and eventually weakness if the nerve is damaged severely." Didn't think hard work would hurt anybody right?"
I use my hands/wrist/forearms for a lot of things. I play bass, program for a living, play piano & enjoy hours of computer games. On top of that, I spent my youth working on a farm doing repetitive chores like picking up rocks or bails of hay.
I've always been concerned about the state of my wrists especially since they're so vital to my livelihood. But what I've found is that the only time I've experienced fatigue or pain in them is when I haven't used them to intensively work out. I now visit the gym twice a week and I believe that doing proper exercises builds strength and endurance in them to overcome what effects poor posture at work might have on them.
I'm not in any way a doctor but it's been my experience that when I was in college with no time to work out (and no job to force me to use them), I experienced discomfort from programming 12+ hours at the end of semesters. Now, I never even notice a 12+ crunch between work and school.
I also have a pair of hand grips at both my office and home where if I'm watching television or waiting for a compile to complete, I'll put in a few repetitions. I just see this as "flossing your teeth" for programmers. It's not something you have to do but you should do it because your hands really are worth a lot to you.
I don't take this issue lightly after I saw my friend go through it at the young age of 22. He had to wear a sort of headband thing with a reflective dot on it to move his mouse around on his machine. Unbelievably, he even became quite good at play Star Wars Galaxies online with it on.
My work here is dung.
I am not a doctor, but what I do is have various input devices, wheel mouse, regular mouse, split keyboard, regular keyboard and every couple of months change my main computer's devices. I don't know if this will actually help but the change feels nice.
JWZ has some good information on RSI
Then I bought a Microsoft Natural Keyboard. I don't much like MS software, but their hardware is first-rate. I can (and do) sit in front of my computer and write code for hours on end, with no problems. I even bring on with me on contract jobs.
I have a couple of extra, just in case this one croaks. I haven't noticed the natural keyboard in stores lately.
No matter where you go... there you are.
I was starting to get the tingling in the nerves of my right hand recently at 25 - and I've spent nearly every day, at least 12 hours, on the keyboard since highschool. Sometimes I'll go a few months, solid, in front of the screen 16/7. At first I thought it was just age and wear and tear on my wrists, but then I noticed something - the new high-back executive chair I bought sat lower, at its maximum height, than my previous chair.
So I bought a new chair that sat higher with higher armrests, and haven't had even a whisper of a problem since. I'm convinced the problem is largely one of ergonomics and posture.
--Ryvar
Although Carpel Tunnel Syndrome makes the news the most, the most common hand problems that computer users experience is tendonitis. Tendonitis is painful, but it doesn't damage nerves.
What evidence there is points to the mouse as the source of computer-related hand problems, not the keyboard. I remember hearing a lot about people getting computer-related hand problems in the early 90's, around the time Windows 3.1 came out and the mouse became mainstream.
I tend to have hand trouble in the spring when I start riding my bike, and that demands a hand position different from anything I do all winter.
I've had times when my tendonitis was so bad that I thought I'd have to change careers, but I found that push-ups were an effective treatment for me. Push-ups are great because they are a functional exercise that works the whole upper body -- they build up the big muscles in your chest as well as the little muscles in your wrist. I love lifting weights, but you can do push-ups at home without any equipment or gym memberships.
Note that every motion you do involves a complete 'chain' that leads back to your center of gravity -- if you push a key on a computer, it's only an ounce or two of force, but it's ultimately backed up by your whole mass. Your big muscles help your little muscles do their work and vice versa...
"that tingling feeling in your wrist after countless hours of hacking, cracking"
/.
you forgot to add wacking after all this is
I have been programming software for over 10 years, and was avidly using a computer years before that, and I don't have CTS or any tingling sensation after 8, 9, 10+ hour days.
People that experience CTS because of typing seriously need to figure out what they are doing wrong, and they ARE doing something wrong.
People I know that have CTS tend to pound on the keyboard, they put so much tension and force in order to hit the keys with their fingers, there is no need to pound on the keyboard. Light quick presses of your fingers is enough to register the key press. If your keyboard forces you to pound on the keys, get a new keyboard. The moment even ONE of my keys because sticky or requires more force to press then normal, I toss it and get a new keyboard, period.
People that I know who also have CTS tend to try and type as quickly as possible. Their fingers are a flurry of activity for 2 - 5 minutes, and then they have to stop and rub their fingers and wrists because they are sore. I watch them tense up and basically spas out on the keyboard in short intervals. You will find greater productivity and no pain if you learn to type slower, aiming for long sessions of moderate speed typing rather then spazzing out on the keyboard for short stints.
Put it this way. You move your fingers and wrists in thousands of directions thousands of times a day in with normal activity. Your fingers, hands, and wrists are designed to handle it. Where you get problems is when you strain your tendons and force movement while in a strained position. This is where repetitive STRAIN syndrome occurs.
By relaxing your fingers, typing with a lighter touch, and slowing your typing speed, you can type for hours, days, weeks and years without pain or any CTS symptoms.
It work, believe me. With the MS natural keyboard and keeping the above statement in mind, I don't have sore wrists at the end of the day.
The bottom line is, your company doesn't force you to use the equipment you use. If they won't buy you a natural or other ergonomic keyboard, or a force you to use a keyboard that has sticky or hard to press keys, then buy your own keyboard. Take steps to ensure your work environment is safe. If you don't like your chair, or your desk, get it replaced. Remind any employer that a few hundred dollars to improve the ergonomics of your workstation, or even a few thousand to improve everyone in the office pales in comparison to the millions they will be sued for for not providing a safe working environment that causes you pain or forces you to have to stop working. NO employer should refuse to let you bring in your own keyboard, mouse, even chair, if they do, find other employment.
I tire of hearing about people getting CTS. They are simply doing it all wrong, but blaming everything else but themselves. If you are using a straight rectangular keyboard that isn't at the proper height, pounding on it with your fingers and strained wrists, and feel you need to type 100 wpm in order to be productive, then its your own damn fault!
I haven't thought of anything clever to put here, but then again most of you haven't either.
While do-it-yourself solutions (new keyboards/mice, home exercises, wrist splints, etc) are a great first step, if you are still hurting don't be afraid to go to your doctor. They can run tests (e.g. EMG, blood flow studies) that can narrow down the problem and can prescribe physical therapy to help you through exercises specifically for your problem.
As a long-time RSI sufferer, it is also worth mentioning that even though the symptoms may appear in your wrist/hands, the actual problem could be in your shoulder or upper back. Impingements on the nerves or blood vessels in those locations can lead to symptoms further down their path. Posture and sleeping positions can be big culprits here.
Personally, I used to sleep on my stomach with an arm above my head and under the pillow. Changing sleeping positions went a long way towards relieving my symptoms, which were rooted in my shoulder and neck. Physical therapy and posture changes took me the rest of the way.
From TFA: "Shift your gaze from the computer screen to the distance. And don't forget to blink!"
Even more important: don't forget to breath! It sounds ridiculous but I caught myself repeatedly forgetting to breath while working on a computer...
and I've had it many years, even before I owned a computer. I've been to many physiotherapists, doctors and specialists and the one thing I've learned and been reminded of over and over again is the importance of good posture. The way you sit and stand can and will affect the entire body. Sit up straight, keep the shoulder blades back and the chin tucked in. Don't slouch, and if you're a hangdog like me (head slumps foward as if trying to see the computer monitor better) you'd better stop and correct yourself.
RSI's are real and frequent and can be very traumatic. Please don't let it happen to you!
SEO Copywriter. Just Say ON
How can you be an editor of anything and still not know the difference between "to" and "too?"
I'm serious.
But of course that won't increase productivity either. Unless you count productivity as- nevermind.
The 'Net is a waste of time, and that's exactly what's right about it. - William Gibson
Your eyes are constantly moving, even while staring intently at something. If they weren't you wouldn't see anything after a few seconds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccade
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinal_detachment
Everything you posted is wrong.
"The government grants you rights, not the other way around."-- beav007. Yes, these people really exist...
I've noticed that when I'm making long, steady mouse movements in Photoshop that I hold my breath. I do the same when taking photographs. I have no idea why I do this but I suspect that I don't blink either.
Later today I will attempt to walk _and_ chew gum.
I'll take the appropriate precautions...
I recently started taking glucosamine to see if my knee pains would subside.
Not only does it seem to alleviate that problem as advertised, I also feel much better in my wrists!
The last years I have felt aches in my wrists that seem much similar to the descriptions of RSI I have read. My motorbike put a lot of stress on the wrists, and I type away on computers all days long.
Glucosamine is supposed to be one building block of which the body makes cartilege and joint liquid from, and I suppose it might also be beneficial for tendon tunnles.
In fact, I was kind of depressed util recently as I figured I will have to live with chronic sore wrists, but after a few weeks on glucosamine they feel like they used to again.
So Try It!
--bdj
Am I heading for disaster, or am I anatomically resistant to the problem?
You basically hold your hands up in front of you, palms facing you. Then make a tight fist, and rotate each fist to the outside as far as it will go. Fists will tend to pull downward, which is fine. (Looking from above, the right fist rotates counter clockwise while the left first rotates clockwise.) Hold the stretch for about 10-15 seconds. For me, this has been the absolute cheapest, simplest, and laziest way to deal with RSI from typing.
I had RSI so bad for 11 years I could not type or use a mouse or do a hundred other daily tasks. After seeing many doctors, chiropractors, physiotherapists and massage therapists (some of whom helped, most didn't) I was able to mostly cure myself within a year by following the advice in 2 books:
The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief by Clare Davies (this was 90% of the cure)
It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by Sharon Butler
There was nothing wrong with my wrists; it was all in my neck and shoulders, but I felt the pain in my arms.
I am now back to programming full time, but still suffer setbacks when working longer than 40 hours a week.
To do some wild speculation, I would guess that this is caused by the fact that we tend to look in a constant direction at all times. Part of how nature has evolved is that whenever you move your eyes from one object to another, you blink. (Google "saccade" and "blink" for more info - I can't quickly find anything concise.)
To add to the speculation, this is probably even more pronounced than when reading, since at least then you need to go the next line, turn pages, etc.