Repetitive Strain Injury  (RSI)

What you need to know:

It’s tempting to think of RSI as a modern disease brought on by the computer keyboard, but that’s not the whole truth. In fact, it has been with us for centuries. Writer’s cramp, fiddler’s elbow and similar conditions affecting all sorts of musicians were around long before the PC appeared and tea ladies used to get it lifting and pouring heavy tea-pots. There’s a modern tendency to regard RSI with suspicion as it can be a route to enormous compensations claims, but anyone who has ever had it will know that it’s absolutely not a condition that’s all in the mind.

Before looking at treatments, it’s essential to reduce your risk of making it worse . The greatest of these is the relentless key-stroking if you’re using a computer all day long. You need to take regular breaks, stop for five minutes every half an hour and make sure you have a fully adjustable chair, a foot stool and sufficient space under your desk to position the keyboard so that it’s comfortable for you to use. Your employer now has a legal obligation to provide you with work stations that minimise the risk of RSI.

That’s no help if you’re working at home when the ‘office desk’ is in the kitchen or a table in the corner of the sitting room. You need to go to a specialist computer centre and get a proper desk and chair suitable for a computer.

Once you have RSI, however, there are several natural remedies and complementary therapies that can help.

The most useful Herbs:

  • Meadowsweet

500mg 3 times per day
  • Willow

500mg 3 times per day
  • Johns Wort

500mg 3 times per day

The most useful Supplements:

  • Vitamin A

20,000iu to 30,000iu per day
  • Vitamin C

1gm 3 times per day
  • Vitamin E

500iu to 1,000iu per day
  • Vitamin B6

100mg to 200mg per day
  • Selenium

100mcg to 200mcg per day
  • Maganese

10mg per day
  • Magnesium

100-300mg per day
  • Cod Liver Oil

3gm to 6gm per day or 1 to 2 teaspoons

Homoeopathy

Homoeopaths recommend Arnica, Causticum, Staphysagria.

Aromatherapy

Massaging with essential oils of lavender, rosemary, Marjoram, Juniper can also help.

Other useful advice:

Osteopaths and chiropractors can treat the injuries and give ergonomic advice on how to change your home life or working practices to prevent the problem coming back. Acupuncture can also help relieve the pain.

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The information provided by WIS is for guidance only. Whilst it is based upon the expert advice of leading professionals, and extensive research, it is not a substitute for diagnosis by a qualified professional. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist or qualified practitioner before making any changes or additions to prescribed medication.