Adele (who has to admit she doesn't know what RSI is, but is assuming it's some kind of arthritis)
RSI is "repetitive stress injury"... not really arthritis, but a more generic description of a class of injuries of which "carpal tunnel syndrome" is one form. Often RSIs involve a tendon or ligament which becomes inflamed and swollen and then pinches a nerve or nerve bundle. This is what cause the pain and numbness associated. Because the inflammation is due to a repetitive activity (Nintendo thumb, tennis elbow), short term treatment usually involves rest and splinting, and long term resolution usually involves re-training the individual on how to do that activity without aggravating it. In my case, I have a form of arthritis in which my immune system is malfunctioning and is causing the tendons and ligaments around the joints to swell. The symptom in each joint is very much like an RSI, but the cause is completely different, and it's not only in one or two joints- when I flare, it involves pretty much every joint in the body... and you have joints in places you don't know about until they decide to act up.
To get this back on topic, to prevent any RSI, it's important to NOT spend long periods of time in a single activity, so get up from the pillow on a regular basis and move around. You should also switch position occasionally. Even if you normally lace in a "palms down" position, work a row or two "palms up". The change in hand position will help relax the muscles that are stressed in your normal working position. It's a lot easier to prevent an RSI than it is to get rid of it once you have one.
Katrina
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