Live Life Team
Upper limb disorder or the repetitive strain injury (RSI) is a term used to refer to various injuries of muscle, tendons and nerves. The injuries are due to repetitive movement of particular part of the body. The forearm elbow, wrist and neck are the parts usually affected and are hence referred to as Upper limb disorder.
There are various RSI conditions and the conditions are named according to the part of the body affected. Some of them are:
Bursitis: inflammation and swelling of fluid filled sac near a joint at knee elbow or shoulder.
Carpal tunnel syndrome: Pressure on the median nerve which passes through the wrist.
Epicondilytis: Inflammation of area where bone and tendon join.
Ganglion: A cyst in tendon sheath.
Tendonitis: inflammation of tendon.
Rotator cuff syndrome: inflammation of muscles and tendons in shoulder.
RSI aggravates due repetitive movements while performing a particular task, while playing sports and extensive use of computers.
RSI can be categorized into two types:
Type 1 RSI
Type 2 RSI
Causes
The exact cause of RSI has not yet been found. RSI is generally found to be due to over use of muscles in hands, wrists, shoulders, neck and elbows.
Other causes include cold temperature, vibrating equipments, awkward posture, badly designed equipments and lack of rest.
Symptoms
Some of the common symptoms include:
Pain in joints.
Numbness in hand and arm.
Loss of strength or sensation in the affected area.
The initial stages of symptoms lasts for several weeks and symptoms occur only when repetitive motion is performed.
If left untreated symptoms persist resulting in severe pain and the condition can become irreversible.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis can be very difficult since there are no specific tests and the pain felt can be due to various reasons. some of the conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome can be detected by examining the affected wrists or arm.
X rays are used in some rare cases.
Treatment
Early diagnosis of RSI is very important for effective treatment.
Initially doctors advice painkillers such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Heat or cold packs elastic supports are also recommended which provide temporary relief. In case of carpel tunnel syndrome steroids injections are administered.
Therapies
Complementary therapies help manage the pain better. Physiotherapies are recommended which help in strengthening muscles and other affected areas.
Electrotherapy which makes uses of electric impulses are also used which can greatly help in reducing the pain.
Some of the other therapies commonly in use are:
Massages: which help relax muscles and body tissue.
Osteopathy: this therapy is applied on skeleton system and the muscle.
Acupuncture: this type of therapy is very popular and the treatment can be very effective.
Reflexology: is used to improve blood circulation.
Other fitness techniques such as yoga, swimming, and walking can be practised to help manage RSI pain.
Prevention
RSI can be prevented by following certain simple techniques such as sitting in a proper posture, relaxing every few hours if working on a computer for long period of time, using properly designed equipments.
