What is RSI?
RSI is a syndrome, a collection of symptoms, which appear when there has been overuse and repetitive strain on muscles and the fascia and connective tissue surrounding muscles and joints. This produces adhesions - literally "stuck" areas - and trigger points, areas of permanently contracted muscle fibres which cause pain in related areas.

Wrist and hand pain, "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome"
One of the most common forms of RSI is "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" affecting the arms, wrists and hands. This is prevalent in busy office environments, where prolonged keyboard work is required. It is diagnosed as the impingement or entrapment of the nerves in the wrist, a narrowing of the wrist's "carpal tunnel". The question is "why is the carpal tunnel blocked?" This is most often due to trigger points and fascial restrictions in the neck, the shoulders and across the chest - the problem is therefore not primarily in the carpal tunnel (wrist) itself, but in the areas where there are restrictions which cause the impingement at the carpal tunnel. Your RSI symptoms may even have started with neck stiffness or pain, or headaches, and these symptoms often accompany the arm and hand symptoms. At RSI Clinics UK we will treat the problem where it originates, not just where the symptoms are.

When a movement has been carried out repetitively, for instance when using a mouse, or when a non-neutral posture has been held for a long time, tensing over a computer screen, RSI can be the result and you may experience some of the symptoms listed below.

Symptoms of RSI in the arms, wrists and hands include the following:

• Throbbing and persistent pain down the arms into the wrists, hands and fingers
• Deep throbbing or dull pain, pain 'like toothache' at rest or when using the arms or hands
• Shooting pains, 'nerve' pains down the arms, in the wrists, hands or fingers
• Tingling, 'pins and needles', burning sensations
• Inflammation
• Numbness, 'cotton wool' feelings
• Lack of any feeling in parts of the arms, wrists and hands
• Dull persistent pain at night
• Spread of pain across the chest and into the neck on using hands and fingers, as when typing or using a mouse
• Tightness or stiffness in the shoulders, neck or chest
• Pain on light massage just underneath the collarbones
• Weak grip or inability to grip or lift anything for long, e.g. a cup, fork, toothbrush
• Inability to turn door handles
• Inability to type or use a keyboard
• Inability to write or hold a pen
• Inability to drive, turn a steering wheel, change gear, operate the handbrake, etc.
• Reduction in range of movement or pain with movement
• Weakness, lack of strength, sometimes no strength at all