Carpal Tunnel/RSI

Hebejebe

Does anyone here suffer from carpal tunnel or some form of rsi? I don't suffer too badly from whatever I have (I've not been to the doc yet) when playing guitar but I work in IT and spend all day using a mouse and it doesn't take much use before the tendons in my hand and lower arm tighten really bad and I get nerve pain.

I was thinking about buying some form of support strap for it but not really sure what to go for.

xtremehardy388

I'm about to be twenty and I've had arthritis since about 2005/2006. I take aleve or bayer before I play. I don't know about what you have but my friends have bought a strap/brace for it.

ianvomsaal

I don't know of a particular support strap to wear while playing guitar, but
take a look at these: http://www.newgrip.com/guitar_playing_wrists_elbows.html
I've never tried them, but then I don't have wrist problems (my fingers, yes).

I've got some arthritis in the fingers of my fretting hand - I was told it was
due to me practicing for 8 to 10-hours a day, and basically going from non-
existent playing to an extended practice-regiment as quickly as I did seemed
to break my joints down enough (within a 4 year time span) that I was on a
combination of NSAIDs and Analgesics for almost two years. Thankfully I'm
now able to take just Bayer or Aleve for it since the breakdown seems to have
slowed considerably, probably due to me not playing for those extended periods
of time anymore (these days if I play more than 30-hrs in a week I'm doing well).

Hebejebe

Thanks. I'll see about a strap/brace. As far as playing the guitar goes I'm lucky I suppose that it's affects my strumming hand and not my fretting hand.

I'd best go see the doc though to confirm exactly what it is wrong. I did go once about it a couple of year back, I was just told on that occasion it was nothing to worry about though.

JaneNY

I rarely go in this section, and I'm not a musician, but I am a fitness instructor, and have had tendonitis in a wrist too. You mention the use of a mouse. It was my experience, also using a mouse too much, that a mouse right on the desk forces the wrist to be bent back. You can get a mousepad that has a raised portion in front to hold the forearm in a straight position, so the wrist is not bent back or forward. Additionally, you might want to get a wrist rest (a raised bar you put on the desk) for the front of the keyboard, and also do see a doctor, who can hopefully prescribe a physical therapist who will give you strengthening exercises. When you have joint problems, one of the important things is to strengthen the muscles around the joint, taking stress off the joints.

The key is to find exactly what motions are contributing to the problem, and change how you are doing them.

iluvcats

I've been told by several doctors that I have carpal tunnel syndrome, but the only way to know is to have a nerve conduction study done where they stick needles in you.

I understand that taking vitamin B6 helps.

I have something wrong with my neck and constant clicking of the mouse with my right hand results in upper right back or shoulder blade pain. There are handicap settings for Windows. Go to the control panel (maybe the Wizard?) and make it so that your number keypad can be used like a mouse. I only use the number 5, not the dragging settings, it is too slow. I strike 5 once and it equals a double click of the mouse. Dragging the mouse really bothers me though.

Be careful. I once saw a special on programmers that got RI's who were working alot of OT for small companies. One guy was in such bad shape, his mom had to feed him, could not lift his arms.

lucylespian

Th ebiggest problem wiht prolonged computer use is upper back and neck posture. YOu need to sit forward on your seat, wiht your feet behind you, pushing your shoulder back and correcting your neck posture.
Prolonged mouse use causes extensor tendonits, which I have had a lot of trouble wiht this year myself, though a different cause.
It's a complex topic, and you may or may not have it.
Accurate diagnosis precedes effective treatment.

Hebejebe

Well I went to the doc this morning and he wasn't useful at all. I was looking to get a proper diagnosis and all he said was don't use the mouse so much and take some ibuprofen.

I pushed for an appointment with a physio so hopefully that will be better.