Work related upper limb disorder (WRULD)
Treatment for repetitive strain injury(RSI) depends on your symptoms and whether a specific condition has been diagnosed.
If your RSI is caused by repetitive activity at work, the first step is to speak to your employer or occupational health representative.
It may be possible to modify your tasks to relieve the symptoms. Small changes to your lifestyle and working environment can often help.
Think about your working environment and what activity may be causing the problem. Take steps to reduce how much time you spend doing this activity or change how you do it.
If you can't stop doing it completely, take regular, short breaks to stretch and move about. Software packages that remind you to take regular breaks from the keyboard can be useful.
It can also be helpful to get advice from an occupational health representative at workon how to set up your work station.
Read moreabout workplace health , including:
Some people with symptoms of RSI find that including exercise in their daily routine, such as walking or swimming, also eases their symptoms.
Read about:
See your GP if your symptoms continue, despite attempts to modify your work activities.A number of treatments are available thatmay help people with the condition.
If your doctor can diagnose a specific medical condition, well-established treatments can often be recommended. These include self-help measures, medication, or even surgery, in some cases.
Some of these treatments may help even if your doctor can't diagnose a specific medical condition from your symptoms. However,in these cases, their effectiveness may be limited.
Possible treatment options for RSI include:
"Hands-on" therapies, including physiotherapy, massage or osteopathy , may be available after a referral from your GP, but in some cases there may be a long wait for an appointment.
If you're thinking about private treatment, make sure your therapist is registered with a professionally recognised organisation.
Many long-term sufferers of RSItry other types of complementary therapies and relaxation techniquesto help relieve the symptoms of RSI, such as:
However, while some people with RSI do find these helpful, there's little scientific evidence to suggest these approaches are consistently effective for RSI.
Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is a general term used to describe the pain felt in muscles, nerves and tendons caused by repetitive movement and overuse.
Repetitive strain injury (RSI) may be diagnosed when symptoms develop after a repetitive task and fade when the task is stopped.
Treatment for repetitive strain injury (RSI) depends on your symptoms and can include exercise, medication or physiotherapy.