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Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) If your job involves a lot of typing on the computer keyboard, you may touch keys up to 200,000 times daily; this is the equivalent of your fingers walking 10 miles a day. Anything in your work or home life that requires you to continually repeat small movements in your hands and wrists increases your odds of acquiring a repetitive strain injury (RSI).  You may be at risk for RSI if you: Perform a lot of repetition motions with your hands and arms, either at work or at home. Frequently bend your wrists. Frequently grasp or pinch objects. Use a lot of force with your hands or arms.  Often raise your arms above your shoulders. Hold your hands and arms in awkward positions that put pressure on nerves, muscles, and tendons. Don't get enough rest, so your hands and arms don't have a chance to recover from the motions and pressure they've been under during the day. Symptoms Waking at night because of pain in your hands or arms. Numbness in your fingers, hands, or arms. Ongoing pain in your hands or arms. Swelling or tenderness in your fingers, hands, or arms. Tingling in your hands or arms. Preventing RSI The following guidelines describe things you can do to help lower your risk of repetitive strain injuries. Posture and hand position Keep your hands and wrists straight while typing. Don't extend or twist your wrists. This will help the muscles and nerves in your hand stay relaxed and comfortable. Sit up straight when typing. Your posture affects the position of your hands and wrists, because they tend to adapt to your leaning backwards or forwards by flexing or extending. So if you don't watch your posture, the nerves and muscles in your wrists become strained. Hold your chin at a slight downward tilt to avoid straining muscles in your neck and shoulders. Touch the keys lightly by keeping your wrists and fingers relaxed. Keep your feet flat in the floor or foot rest and pointed toward the workstation. Any tools you are using should be the right size and length, so that your hand doesn't have to "adjust" by using awkward positions to hold them. These tools should also be the right shape, so you won't have to use too much force to hold them. If you use power tools, choose tools with the least amount of vibration possible. Releasing muscle tension The following exercises and activities are designed to help release muscle tension and maintain flexibility. Try to make them part of your daily routine. Stretch your wrists. Extend your hands out in front of you and then spread your fingers as far apart as possible. Hold for five seconds. Repeat this exercise several times. Rotate your wrists. Keeping your fingers relaxed and your elbows still, first turn your palms up, then rotate them down. Repeat several times. Shake your hands. First up and down, and then to the sides. Let them dangle from your wrists. Repeat this exercise until the tension in your wrists is gone. Use as much of your whole hand as possible while holding an object to keep extra pressure off your fingers.  Try switching hands to give your hands a rest. Use one for a while, then switch to the other.  Stay flexible. Try to exercise your hands and arms as much as possible.  Here are a couple of simple flexibilty exercises: Lower and raise your wrists from a straight position.  Rotate your wrists, keeping the elbow still. Do shoulder circles: Reaching out, slowly rotate your arms in small circles, first forward, and then backwards.  Lift weights, squeeze rubber balls, etc. for building strength in your arm. Place your arms over your head and reach toward the ceiling. Stretch your fingers.  Hold for five seconds and then relax.  Repeat several times. Roll your shoulders backward, using a wide circular movement. At work, move around as much as possible:  Walk to the printer to pick up the work you've printed out. Take advantage of the breaks outlined in the college handbook. Exercise your legs by rotating your ankles whenever possible. Extend your legs while sitting to increase circulation. Force a yawn to relax your facial muscles and release tension in other parts of your body. At home, try not to repeat the same movements you use at work.  Also: Whenever you get a free moment, stretch and relax your hands and body. Get involved in physical activities you enjoy. Exercise aerobically by walking or swimming.  See your doctor if you feel ongoing discomfort in your hands or wrists.