FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Are resources on preventing and treating Repetitive Strain Injury available on campus?

A. Yes. The books and video listed under Resources on this web site are available from Ottenheimer Library. The books may be checked out. The video may be viewed in Ottenheimer in Multimedia Services.

Q. Is everyone equally at risk for RSI?

A. No, some computer users are more at-risk than others. Some factors that can pre-dispose a person to RSI include poor posture, improper work station set-up, long sessions at the computer without breaks (high-intensity marathon video game tourneys, major report deadlines, etc.), lack of sufficient sleep, and lack of physical conditioning from regular exercise (stretching and strengthening exercises).

Q. How do I find a doctor or physical therapist who treats RSI?

A. Your primary care physician may be able to refer you to a practitioner who is experienced in treating RSI. An organization such as the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics www.aoec.org/ may direct you to RSI resources. It may also be beneficial to ask someone who has been successfully treated for RSI for a recommendation.

Q. How do I talk about my RSI symptoms with a doctor?

A. Providing detailed information to your doctor will help in analyzing the causes of your case of RSI and in devising a treatment plan. Suparna Damanay, in It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, recommends keeping a log, with three headings:

Date

What I Did

What I Felt

Her book includes a variety of descriptive techniques, such as evaluating your symptoms according to a Pain Scale of 1 - 10, with 1 meaning "no pain," 3 meaning "minor annoyance," 5 meaning "discomforting pain that can't be ignored for more than an hour" without non-prescriptions drugs to ease symptoms, 8 meaning "severe pain" that limits day-to-day activities, and 10 meaning "debilitating pain" such that hospitalization is required. She also includes a classification system for 1st degree, 2nd degree and 3rd degree RSI.