Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI): Why Overuse Alone Is Not the Cause
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- Learn why repetitive strain injuries (RSI) are more than just an overuse injury.
Clinically, we know our hands and fingers are 100% designed to be used. We also know that the body adapts to the things we do. So there must be more to this equation than we immediately realize if use (or overuse) leads to pain.
Thankfully, there's something else to this puzzle that I think we miss/overlook... the neck.
Let me know what you think!
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- Grant
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#rsi #repetitivestraininjury #overuse
I hope these relatively new connections that I'm finding clinically help you in your quest to conquer your RSI! Don't neglect that neck!
Professional musicians get better over time sure but good ones know to rest and do warm ups etc. Age also unfortunately sets in and its just how it is. Be careful.
I'm an artist and I have had rsi for a long time - it took forever to come to the understanding that my neck and shoulders/posture were a big factor in the pain I have in my wrists, so it's so good to see this resource to fast track people to healing their pain. The ball exercise for the neck is new to me, and really useful. Thanks!
Glad to hear you have been heading down this path already! Are you back to full health or still working your way through it?
@@YourWellnessNerd I'm still in recovery but definitely seeing improvements!
@@chwlsea1216 I have pain in my wrists and fingers too. How are the results? BTW I realized that if I press on the right side of my back neck I feel pain\stiffness, something I never observed before
@@chwlsea1216 Did you recover completely?
Yes most of it is cus of my posture
Everytime I have an RSI flare up I can very easily link it to a highly stressful event. It's not just the movement but the emotional stress that really makes things happen
I hear you. It's such a potentially important component for a lot of people that goes unnoticed!
I hate doctors claiming every "difficult" symptom to be psychosomatic but stress, which resides in the body and not just the mind, plays a huge role for me, too. Hope you're better now.
there is a book called "The mindbody prescription" about that
I am experiencing this too. Pain gets intensified as stress level increases which causes muscle to undergo tension or stiffening. I am doing mental therapy to manage stress, and also physicAl therapy for strengthening.
@@juanmarcodandle Yes, stress exacerbates anything one is dealing with when addressing a health condition, stress makes everything and anything worse.
As an expert in posture correction, I totally agree with you. I once fixed the tightness between my shoulder blade by loosening up the side low back muscle on the other side. Love your philosophy and I'm glad you address the whole chain
Appreciate the kind words!
I’ve once again been dealing with wrist pain from drawing this week. As soon as I started massaging my trapezius with a ball, the muscle felt so good! I kept going with the spinatus muscles and the deltoid. The warm throbbing in my wrist diminished. I tried drawing right after and didn’t feel any sharp pain! Might be too soon to claim victory, but my upper back did seem very tense and it very well might have been impacting my wrist. Thanks so much! The video was awesome, very informative!
Brilliant! Really happy to hear it hopefully had an impact! What kind of drawings do you do?
Wow!
I'm a 31 year old software engineer and am a VERY active computer user, and have been for much of my life that's been struggling with forearm and elbow pain the past few months, and this neck exercise IMMEDIATELY helped my symptoms!
This is incredible! I now have a great start for a place to help myself long-term. Thank you so much!
Fantastic to hear Tevor! Glad it had such a profound impact!
How is it going? I’m a software and getting forearm and elbow pain..
I knew I wasn't alone.
Everyone around me would parrot the phrase "you use your muscles too much".
Despite the fact they use them every single day.
How do we know?
The pain of basic function.
"It becomes very impractical to rest something that you're supposed to use every single day"
Thank you so much!!!
Also, I love the philosophy or mindset you present: The movement should not be the problem! The body - if set up properly - should thrive and not break under stess. Awesome video!
Appreciate the kind words mate, I find that perspective is often overlooked a lot these days!
wow, I literally dont have words, I injured my right wrist when i was 21 (im now 29) and its never been the same since, over time i've become more and more aware that my right hand felt heavier than my left, I've had flare ups, woken up in the night to my whole arm feeling numb and I basically just accepted that when i get to 40-50 I probably wont be able to use my right hand. Dear god man you have changed my life.
While doing the ball exercise I pressed down on a specific spot and I felt a kind of "pop" like when you crack your knuckles and after 2-5 minutes I realised I couldnt notice a difference between m left and right hand... IT FEELS NORMAL AGAIN? this is actually insane. Obviously what happened to me wont happen for everyone else but PLEASE try it. I swear on my life hes onto something here! Thank you so much!
Amazing to hear Nathan! I’m so happy to hear it may have helped you figure out the root cause!
I can't thank you enough for this video... It was my neck all along... It's crazy because I knew my neck was kinda sniff, but I just dealt with it because it wasn't that bothersome to me, I had no idea it was correlated with the rsi issues of my hands. I'm already seeing so much improvement on the same day of finding this video. I used a heat pad on my neck + the ball trick to loosen everything up... Amazing. Thanks again. I literally want to pay you lol
Amazing to hear Keith! I'm glad you're already finding some relief. RSI can be such a mix of frustration and persistent dysfunction and it's great you're seeing progress! You're always welcome to shout my wife a coffee via the Super Thanks button but I'm just happy to hear the video was helpful!
True, most of my pain is in my fingers and wrists, but I definitely feel some tightness in my shoulders and neck as well.
I’m in my 70s worked most of my working life at a sewing machine ..so head down so .. neck pain at the back ..now in retirement I use an iPad an awful lot .. now really bad thumb pain on using the iPad or pc I can actually feel the neck pulling to the hand ..what you are saying here I have thought for a while ..I know feel everything you’ve said is spot on for me .. thank you ..
Great to hear! Hope it helps!
Pain in hand and thumb from holding my phone while gaming. In short time i felt better. Honestly thank you ❤❤❤❤❤
You’re welcome mate! Glad it had an impact!
THABJ YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! What a great video! Health saving tips and amazing explanation where the pain may be coming from. I only came across this clip last month after months of pain in my right hand (mostly my thumb) for over 6 months. I nearly quit my new job because it was all unbearable and the thought of being on strong painkillers every day wasn't an option! Disappointingly my doctors and physios kept misdiagnosing me and giving conflicting advice. I got my husband to massage my neck after watching this and it turned out I had this big knot on the right hand side, behind my neck. It took as days to kill it, but what a relief! You're genius!
Still can't believe that Grant (the guy on You Tube) knows more than my doctors! the pain occasionally comes back but what a massive difference. I'm taking care of my posture now, use a mouse when working on my laptop and do other things you've suggested. It is working!!!!! Thank you ever so much!!!!
Amazing to hear you've potentially found that underlying issue Edyta! Glad you're excited to feel better too!
This is great. It’s helped me realize the missing piece of the puzzle and I can play my piano more once I get back to my yoga practice and some good massage.
Great to hear Nick! Hope its a swift recovery!
I have terrible bilateral arm pain and hands specifically the thumbs. I've had this for 2 years and it all started in my hands after playing the Nintendo switch for hours and hours non stop. Tried physio, injections, mind training, anti depressants and nothing. Thank you for your advice I'll try and target the neck and spine with the ball test.
Good luck with it mate! Hope its the missing piece!
@@YourWellnessNerd Thank you so much for your kindness.
did this work?
Thank you so much for this video! I'm a professional musician who gets chronic flare ups on the left upper trap, from work. I've been doing strength training and mobility exercises to counter it for years. It's all been great and then 3 months ago suddenly wasn't able to bear any weight on extended left wrist. Was diagnosed with dequervain's (since all pain is thumb side, failed the finkelstein test, and there was extra synovial fluid around tendons via ultrasound) PT isnt doing much. Surprisingly it hasnt affected my playing yet since pain only happens with dorsiflexion of the wrist. But now considering my long history of upper trap tightness, your theory sounds very possible!
Genuinely hope it helps!
Wow this is eye opening. I thought my physical therapist was wasting my time by focusing on my neck. We did localized acupuncture on my wrist extensors and while my symptoms went away, once I returned to rock climbing they immediately came back. My neck is so, so very tense that the stretches are aggravating that I didn't want to do them, but I think I'll try to persist now.
It certainly something to keep an eye on and explore fully. Please feel free to let me know how you go!
Put your arm out to the side, fingers down and palm outward, keep your shoulder down, and bend your neck to the opposite side. You can also put your palm on the wall
Thank you for the interesting video and "hot take"! I've suffered from computer-related De Quervain's and tendinitis for about a year and a half now, and I love talking about it and discussing ways to recover.
I completely agree with your point that the body is a holistic system, and that RSI is a symptom of problems elsewhere. Also like how you described how to bring awareness to your body and symptoms when trying relief activities, especially new ones. Those with symptoms need to evaluate their daily habits including desk posture, diet, sleep, and exercise.
That said, I think overuse is still a serious risk. Office workplace culture (at least in the US) makes it easy for those with obsessive tendencies and passive/timid personalities to work themselves into injury. Overuse strains the body (esp. to those predisposed, as you mentioned), as well as holds the mind in a stressful/flight-or-fight state - I suspect this was the cause of my body's tension and stress, and eventual RSI (along with being a couch-potato, gamer, and poor diet).
Definitely. I am now suddenly aware of my stressed state probably being the main cause of my similar issue, as opposed to simply over using it. I think it’s posture too as I quite obviously was doing too much twisting just to continue typing with my right hand. I must stop!!
How did you get better?
I've been going to an acupuncturist recently for tightness/loss of mobility in one of my fingers and the first thing he spotted and started treating was my neck. Starting to see slow progress, definitely something a lot of people do see the connection with. Great vid.
Appreciate you letting us know Kye! Best of luck with your recovery!
I really appreciate this video! I was explaining this concept to a friend, suggesting that 'not using' a painful body part labeled with RSI does not necessarily heal anything, and you actually need to find the root cause and work with that. I love that you are questioning the nature of RSI in the first place. I feel this applies to a lot of injuries, not just those labeled RSI. Years ago I had plantar fasciitis 2 different times. I was told to 'ice and rest' for several months. It did not improve. This was torture for me as I'm a very active person & teach kids yoga. I ended up learning Egoscue exercises that addressed the areas of dysfunction, especially tight calves, and gradually the PF healed as I strengthened and realigned other areas.
I hear you Erika. The concept I touch on in this video really speaks to the way we need to look at all aches, pains, and injuries. There's always more context at play than we immediately realize!
@@YourWellnessNerd Totally agree!
Holy cow. I suspect I have RSI in my right wrist but I did always notice tension in my neck and upper back, even all the way through my right arm, even though the pain is only in my wrist. Thank you so much for this
Hope it helps you get on top of those issues! Let me know how it goes!
I have exactly the same thing happening
How is your recovery?
@@lollolovic2422 it's okay. The symptoms have receded a lot, I went to physical therapy quite a bit after 3 months, I had to adapt my lifestyle a lot, using the PC with an ergonomic mouse etc. I'd say I'm 70% healed
@@TanguyBlanchard I have soreness (only when i push it) between neck and right shoulder, and when I was doing it the first time yesterday I felt numbness in my median nerve fingers when I raise my arm to the right. I guess I need to work on that trigger point. For 2 months I thought I had carpal tunnel syndrome, lol.
This all makes sense as my pain is felt throughout the outer forearm and elbow soreness. Overuse of mouse movement and clicking has become very painful. I will try the neck pressure points. I am also looking into alternatives with ergonomics for my work setup at home. Thank you for this info.
Glad to help! Hope you can find a few connecting areas!
Legend!!!! Instatnt relief of pain!! My mum suffered greatly with RSI when I was growing up & now I also suffer with it. If she had this information 30 years ago our lives wouldve been quite different. It dramatically changed our home life at 15 years old - I had to vacuum, iron etc as she was so incapacitated (& we had a big house with lots of ironng!) & her life was effected in every way because of RSI. The neck / shoulder connection is a no brainer when explained the way you did. The old song the leg bones connected to the hip bone song we sung as a kid told us this all along!!! Great video! and youre an Aussie so of course I trust ya! 🤙
Amazing Fran! Really happy to hear you felt some immediate positive changes!
Thank you for all of your observations, experiences, and research. Sharing this has helped me to better know my body and where and how and why to tend to it.
Unbeknownst to me, my very upper neck was really needing some tending to and feels so much better now.
Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.
Also I really like and appreciate your methodology of test, try something, test for change and how you want the evidence to attest for the procedure.
Ps. I've tended to it last night and this morning, and I was really wandering if it wasn't a muscle I was feeling but something else and just on the right side. Then moments ago I was talking to Yah and asking him to teach my hands and heal/help my neck. Before I relised it, the material on the right side relaxed or freed up and became like the muscle in the left side.
Thank you again for taking the time to share with others your observations, experiences and research.
Also I stopped using the ball in favor of my fingers to better feel, understand and target
Appreciate it mate! Really great to hear its helping you hopefully find some answers to some ongoing issues!
I agree with what your saying. But if you went to the gym every single day and never rested that wouldnt be good, as your mucles never get a chance to adapt. They get over worked. I don't think it's the movement that cause rsi it's the frequency of movement without proper rest that causes inflammation
Thank you for this. I saw a subtle improvement in my hands when I tried this. I have had hand pain for three years and I hope I can finally resolve it with neck work.
Hope it helps you sort things out long term!
Yes you are right.
My problems are in my neck and shoulders
Hope it helps you sort out the issue Cassandra!
The chiropractor who gets a pout patience on my neck and hands did a good work and I'm going back and also going to see a massage therapist.
The thumb numbness and tingling and my hands were gone that night and it has come back. Thank you for the confirmation that it's in the neck.
Hope you find some benefit moving forward Petronia!
Thank you so much for posting this! I've been dealing with what I assume to be De Quervain along with some sensitivity in my fingertips. I took a finger and fell around on my neck and rubbed a little bit and immediately felt sensations Down the hand so I think you've hit the nail on the head thank you again so much!
Great to hear Colton! Hope it really helps you figure out your symptoms!
I’ve been dealing with this RSI in both hands/wrists for 5 months now and I do have nerve damage in both Arms as well as muscle deterioration in my left wrist.. I have not been sent to physical therapy yet because of a circumstance with my employer so this video really helps me figure out what I can do in the meantime.
Sorry to hear about those wrists! Did the video help?
Thank you, this is really interesting information. I make things with my hands all day and I need to start taking care of my hands. Your video is great to have found, and I will be looking after my neck and shoulders too.
Wonderful to hear Claire! I really hope the video helps you keep doing what you enjoy!
Thanks illustrator here with lots of wrist pain. I will definitely go get a ball to try these excercise. My acupuncture doctor told me it all starts at the neck . I am trying also to work on my desk ergonomics. Thank you
You just affirmed what I was thinking. My upper back and neck are really messed up so always thought my hand rsi was connected. Thanks
Awesome to hear Andy! Hopefully the video helps you sort it out!
My neck has felt very stiff for the last 6 months and haven't been able to budge it, when I started working as a chef permanently (had a 12 year break due to painful RSI back then) my RSI has come back with a vengeance and neck pain is killer. Currently seeing an oseteo fortnightly to reduce pain. This video was great and hopefully I can get some more relief.
Hope it helps in some way too Leigh!
I'm an oil painter started working on having good posture with my neck and shoulders and within a month I've acquired osteoarthritis symptoms in my hands but I really hope it's just RSI. It started after a 5 hour painting session. I'm trying out the ball thing now. thank you
Sorry to hear that Ruby! Hope the information in the video helps you!
@@YourWellnessNerd Actually good news The doctor thinks it’s tendinitis!
Well explained and it worked. Was able to squeeze out a few more minutes of activity! Nothing huge, but made me realize how tight my neck was.
Great to hear! Hope everything is smooth sailing from here!
Hi, thanks for the video! I am an artist and also a gamer so I spend a lot of time using my hands throughout the day. Around a year and a half ago I started working every day making art and playing games without much problems until the past few months. Suddenly i could only draw or play games for maybe an hour before feeling like my thumb was getting sore and weak with occasional sharp pain in my palm and wrist.
I’m seeing a doctor tomorrow and I have just been incredibly nervous that i wont be able to do the things i love with as much skill that ive been working towards. But I’m happy that your video at least restored some hope that if i change some lifestyle parts like posture and my work setups and take better care of my body as a whole, I can still do the things I love. I really hope that i can soon return to at least doing art full time again.
-Michelle
Good luck with it Michelle! If you can get to the root cause of why it's become an issue then the process of getting back to where you need to be becomes easier!
@@YourWellnessNerd Thank you :) After nearly 2 weeks of OT now I'm definitely on the road to recovery :) I changed my desk setup and have been icing my hand and arm a lot to fight the inflammation, as well as doing exercises and stretches at therapy. Thanks again!
I've had what seems most likely to be an RSI in my thumb on my right hand for years. I try my best to keep it as free as possible, resting it and have even switched alot of my day to day things to my left hand. I play guitar and darts, but it has an impact on my darts more than anything. It's very frustrating not to be able to throw as freely as I once was able to without even thinking. Thanks for this video, I will definitely be trying out the movements around my neck and shoulder with the ball.
Best of luck with it mate! Hope it settles quickly and you can get back to doing what you enjoy!
Great Video. I was looking of some content on UA-cam that talks about those issues. I'm disappointed to see all the content in UA-cam is missing those ideas... ass a physiotherapist student I wish this video could elaborate more, though i understand the main audience doesn't look for more. Thank for the video!
Thank you! Really helpful I think. Not tried the ball yet but I will tomorrow. I seem to have radial nerve compression issues all down my right arm, from a) using only my right hand to type and b) sitting on my sofa to do it. I was told by doctor to try yoga or Pilates and then found your video as none of the workouts focused on resolving my issue. I have tried (from another video) just pressing in certain places and the relief has been outstanding. I now feel much better about the future and will combine much better posture with regular stretches, massaging and this ball thing. Thanks again! Definitely stems from up the top, I’m thinking shoulder at the moment but it’ll be interesting to see if it’s spine. I have all sorts of nasty symptoms. Numbness, tingling, boiling hot, freezing cold, pain, a stretched feeling; it can be awful. So I need and want to get on top of it, being a writer.
Great to hear that you're hopefully getting on top of things Becky!
This makes perfect sense to me, I was slouching at work when my rsi started.
Hi can you show exactly where you roll the ball around on your back? We can't see it really in this video.
Hey! The key is to just place to ball in the middle of the spine at the level you're interested in, and then let it roll slightly off to the side. You're basing it on how it feels so you want to move it around until you feel what's stiff, tight, tender. The main part of the exercise is not rolling the ball around, but just letting it press into those spots you find. If you check out my channel I have a few videos on how to use a ball for your neck and upper back if you need more info.👍
@@YourWellnessNerd but we should not apply pressure on the spine, it is just the reference, right? The pressure should be applied one the muscles, correct? I ask this because I use a baseball that is quite stiff and might hurt if rolled over the spine
@@Room3102 As you said, you want to have the ball right next to the spinal bumps down the middle. This definitely finds some muscular things but its the deeper spinal joints underneath this area that are of most importance! Hope it helps!
Thank you for the information. I have RSI in my right hand below the thumb area and i have been struggling since past 2 years almost. I am going to try this technique.
Genuinely hope it helps Prashasti! Let me know how it goes!
Hi me too, may i know how's your condition now?
Thank you. Love hearing something logical to try that I haven't heard before. Top side of my hands and forearms nearly always feel yuck rather than painful. I massaged top of arm with knuckles and it was quite tender so will try the ball. I could only see a picture on video instead of you?
Did you find some benefit from the exercises Gaye?
Yes. I used a tennis ball on my upper back area which was extremely tender and it had an immediate beneficial effect. Thanks very much. Life changing advice. Good on you. 🙂
Brilliant! Sorry for the late reply. Glad you found some sneaky things going on back there!
I found your link in the RSI group on FB. I have chronic shoulder tendonitis had decompression surgery in 2013.
RSI of hands and upper arms can also be a pinched nerve in the back. Try forcefully lowering your shoulders and also stretching your elbows back behind as when waking up. This may clear the RSI of hands instantly, with the nerve signal unblocked in this way.
I've saved links to lots of your videos. Thank you so much, they have helped me so much! I'm going to spend some time with a small ball and get to know the areas on my back that need releasing.
Really happy to hear that Claire. Appreciate it! Best of luck with the ball and feel free to let me know if you have any questions!
Very helpful. Will have to put it into practice and see.
Hope it helps mate!
Awesome video, thanks a lot. Would you say the summary is basically, bad posture and dysfunctional neck/core/back muscles make you more predisposed to getting RSI? A bit like if you have bad technique in the gym lifting weights, you are more likely to get injured.
You're on the right track Ivan! I find that neck dysfunction (usually associated with poor postures and positions) is the first step in setting the hand and fingers up to fail. Basically the neck starts off a chain reaction that makes the areas it associates with problematic over time.
Thank you! This was super helpful :) I do a lot of keyboarding/mousing and using my hands in general for work
Great to hear! Glad it was helpful!!
I was playing my bass and was doing new very difficult and long stretching exercises. It feels like what you are describing as RSI. The only thing that helps is wearing copper-fit gloves. But I will try these exercises. Thank you, Tony
Hope the exercises help Tony! Would love to know how it feels after improving your neck function!
@@YourWellnessNerd The strangest thing is my neck and shoulders have been sore for years and I have been playing the bass for 4 years. I don't know why this is happening now. But I will try it out. Thank you!! T
Any improvement ? I also play bass and have this issue
Thank you for this help!
You're welcome!
For over a decade I've been dealing with wrist pain that comes and goes. Some days the pain is so bad that I'm unable to type on a keyboard, and the next day the pain is completely gone. It's strange. I have noticed that massaging my traps and neck muscles to loosen up tight and sore spots makes a massive difference.
It’s great to hear that you might be figuring it out a little bit. Hopefully by improving the function, mobility, and strength of the neck and upper back it may help you feel like you can get on top of those peripheral hand symptoms more completely!
Amazing thank you❤❤❤❤
You're welcome 😊
I had some pain in my right wrist when i would bring it up - the position of the wirst when doing push ups for example, and i felt like all the computer work i do at my job made it worse or were the thing that brought the pot to a boil. The pain is not too bad but annoying and hindering me from some movements in the gym.
I did what you recommend in the video with a tennis ball and it felt really good. After some minutes I even had the weirdest tingleling sensation in my hand so definitely felt the connection and also I know that i have a chronically stiff neck! So everything you said resonates with me. I will try to rest my wrist as much as possible the next couple of days and see what happens... (hopefully I update this comment with a positive confirmation about the "cure" soon)
Hope it helps Ivan!
It worked! Took me a couple of days to continuously stretch my neck and doing the thing with the ball as well, and it got better each day. Thank you for this video!!!
I am 17 and was really into powerlifting and calisthenics for abt 4 years but unfortunately had to stop all pressing exercises as I got bicept tendonitis in both of my shoulders from over training. I have gone to physio for abt 5 months but unfortunately now 10 months later I still have pain when attempting any press exercise/movements.
I am also really into eSports gaming and just recently got an over use injury in my wrist from using a mouse too much. I am now desperate to solve these issues as I am not able to pursue any of my favourite hobbies.
Sorry to hear that mate! Hope the ideas and exercises in the video help! Also, here's a video I put on bicep tendon issues and the link to upper back stiffness and reduced shoulder internal rotation. ua-cam.com/video/GF-oc_eSQbM/v-deo.html
I do a lot of knitting and crocheting. As a result I am having pain in the trapeze umbrella scaphoid area and also in the shoulder. The lower arm appears to be alright with no nodules or tender spots. It seems to be more in the upper arm and around the head of the humerus in the shoulder.
Hi Jenni! I hope you’ve since found some relief!!
Loved this great video will Def try it!
Hope it helps!
@@YourWellnessNerd I used the ball technique last night and despite their still being pain in my wrist today it feels a lot better and i could def feel the nerves linking my spine, neck and shoulders all connecting to my wrist while doing the exercise. I'm going to keep at it. Do you have any example exercises to strengthen the wrist to minimise the occurrence of RSI? ive started pilates and im hoping its a good balance to my computer work.
Also thank you. I didn't want to hear it but needed to hear it.
Genuinely hope the video helps you conquer it!
@@YourWellnessNerd Thank you. ♥️🤞 Going to be adding it to my work out plan.
thank you so much for this informative video. such a legend
You’re welcome mate! Hope it’s helpful!
I’m applying for ssdi bc this onset in college while I was in art school for graphic design and illustration. I wish my ot’s knew half as much about it as you do. Thank you. Could you do a video of demonstrating this ball test w your body or another person doing it for better reference and instruction? Thank you. 🙏💕✨
C6/C7 area is the ulnar nerve I think? So this makes sense.
Worth having a look to see if there’s a connection there for you!
Here because im about to give birth and trying to hand express for my baby. Had super stiff and sore fingers as a result.. :’(
I push through the pain anyway twice a day because i need to do it for my baby. Hoping it will get better soon
Hope it settle too! And good luck with the birth!
It was my 2nd or 3rd really bad round of RSI (computer mouse) that I learned that wearing a brace does not help, and actually impedes healing. No practitioner ever discussed neck/spine issues other than basic ergonomics.
Haven't watched the full video yet but in the comments I see you suggesting rolling out muscles and streching, both of which are contraindicated by my hypermobility. I've had PTs do that and it also made it worse. Do you have any idea how to approach it differently or can you suggest resources? I've tried so many doctors and therapists and none of them were knowledgable about hypermobility. Having random rsis which last for months leave me unable to work and also hinder me getting forward in uni and I'm just exhausted at this point.
The key I find with hypermobility is that most automatically assume that because there’s a tendency to be looser that everything is loose. For a lot of hypermobilie people there are still areas that may be prone to stiffening and tightening on top of that more mobile tissue. It’s important for everyone to find those spots as it is with those who aren’t hypermobile. Similarly, good posture and strengthening the affected area still need to occur to optimise the way something is loaded.
It kind of clicks that neck issues are related to wrist pain. I'm an artist with cervical kyphosis and my physical state (not only for wrist but other parts as well) has become worse bit by bit during the last 2 years... tried do some exercises to reduce pain but it seems like a lot more need to be fixed
I believe I have tennis/iPhone elbow, so I’m guessing hunching over didn’t help this. Do you think this ball exercise would help that specific ailment?
I have a few basic videos on tennis elbow if you’re still dealing with it!
Great video! My therapist, from the beginning or my treatment, has focused on my neck and upper back as the real source of my problems. I have a couple questions:
First, what are your thoughts on percussion massagers (theragun, etc) as an alternative to the ball work? Second, I’m pretty sure my poor posture is a big source of my neck and back problems. Could you do a video on posture improvement strategies, geared particularly to RSI. Thanks!
I'm not as big of a fan of percussion massagers as I dont think they work as well as a simple ball. Tissue responds better to contact touch IMO and percussions falls short a little in that regard. If it helps I have done a video already on postural strategies if you're happy to search for it. Very applicable to RSI!
Your Wellness Nerd thanks!
@@CurtisSchiewek Any time!
Hi, I am a competitive Esport player and I think you are describing my exact problem. I live in southern Orange County California and was wondering if you have any contacts or know any good therapist in my area?
Hey mate! I used to live in Dana Point/Laguna Niguel. John Thomas of Laguna Orthopedic Rehab is a great guy and knows his stuff!
@@YourWellnessNerd Oh no way, that’s basically where I am located (San Juan Capistrano). Awesome, I will make an appointment, thank you very much for the video and advice. Honestly, the best breakdown I’ve heard.
@@SargeGG Awesome mate! I used to work with John and the team there they’re great!
@@YourWellnessNerd 🙏🏻🤞❤️
Valuable perspective, thank you.
Regarding practicality, are we supposed to be doing the neck ball rolling daily? hourly? Preventatively or reactively?
I have recurring tendonitis in my hands and forearms, and my fingers become stiff to bend, also feel slight sensation in bicep/shoulder. If i rest for weeks i can use the mouse/keyboard but soon the pain comes back after a few days of intense use, so i need a long term solution...
Is it worth me trying to get either an MRI or ultrasound ?
I used to do the same motions/activity endlessly when younger for years without issue before I developed problems, I'm honestly so frustrated. Please advise if you would be so kind, thank you 🙏🏻
I can’t speak to your condition specifically unfortunately, but the ball exercise can be done daily to find and reduce joints stiffness and dysfunction. Whether there’s any soreness there or not, if there is still some restriction than there can be the potential for dysfunction.
@@YourWellnessNerd ok thank you for the help
great video thanks! i'm physically fit and 41 years old. dealing with stiffness in all fingers at night and in morning in particular. disrupting my sleep. in the morning i have some trigger finger symptoms in little fingers on both sides but goes away. throughout the day i can feel it also but not as intense. i started weight training again after years (pushing it quite hard) and simultaneously crochet for hours a day. one or both initiated symptoms. i have experienced complete loss of movement in left arm and hand before accompanied with intense pain, it lasted a month about a year ago. i can see the left lower forearm in particular seems to be a bit atrophied in comparison to right but they may be because im right handed. doing your ball exercise now. i obviously want to avoid this ever happening again so if you have any videos on specific exercises to strengthen and stretches etc it would be much appreciated. thanks again for this great video i haven't seen anyone approach the issue like this. makes sense.
would love to hear what condition you think it is exactly?
Interesting video. I have chronic tricep.tendinitis and a bit of golfers elbow. Interested to see how my neck and back play into this as I'm running out of options in having a healthy arm again.
I recently relapsed in my tendinitis pain. The first time around eccentric exercises helped me overcome this
Have a go at the basic exercises and let me know how it goes. Hope its the missing piece!
Very helpful, cheers bro
100% correct my hands (both of them extensor/top of hands and wrists) are being caused by my neck as my phys. therapist told me last year. Been doing arm/forearm wrist exercises twice a week just not sure what neck shoulder exercises to do but this ball treatment should help thanks so much for confirming what she told me.
Glad to hear! Have a red hot go at the exercise and let me know how it goes!
How is your recovery?
@@lollolovic2422 Well I went ahead and got a bulging disc in my neck around the time I posted, just my luck, then got misdiagnosed (they thought it was cervical strain) and so in Feb the MRI revealed a bulge (not herniated) so I've been putting this off until that's healed which they said should happen on its own. I'm not sure if this will irritate it but the surgeon told me to lay off any kind of physical therapy...so just biding my time. Not sure if WellnessNerd can say if its ok or not to start this cause I really want to.
@@cimerians hmm, is cervical strain related to the upper trapezius? I have soreness (only when i push it) between neck and right shoulder, and when I was doing it the first time yesterday I felt numbness in my median nerve fingers when I raise my arm to the right. I guess I need to work on that trigger point. For 2 months I thought I had carpal tunnel syndrome, lol.
Thank you Grant for this wonderful video. I am a concert pianist, due to overdoing some finger exercises at the piano many years ago (which I played with a lot of tension), I now sometimes get tiredness in my fingers when I play certain passages, which I shouldn't get, affecting my technique and dexterity. I tried the ball exercise yesterday when I was having this problem and got maybe a 40% improvement in my symptoms. I did the exercise again before going to bed. I wanted to ask: is it normal to have some neck pain/soreness in the hours after doing the exercise?
Glad to hear its been beneficial so far Aaron! It's a good question. Ideally, it should just be a positive experience to do. If a patient of mine reported some soreness I'd ask them to make sure they didn't feel like they were pushing too hard, or using a ball that was too hard, or possibly doing it for too long. If their neck had been stiff for a while it's not uncommon but they should certainly expect things to feel progressively nicer as the days go on. I wish I could be more specific to you but it's hard without assessing you first. In short, as long as it's manageable and the overall experience is a beneficial one then it's usually ok.
Thank you so much Grant for this feedback, I may have been pushing a bit too hard and for too long (the ball is relatively hard too), I'll pay attention to this as I'm doing it from now on. I'm planning to do it around twice a day. Thank you so much again, I also love the way you presented the exercise with all the background explanations in the video.
Thanks so much for these videos! Please keep them up, they are awesome resources. Would you say that restrictions in upper back cause issues primarily because leads to brachial plexus dysfunction preventing blood and nerve energy from flowing properly, or is there simply a structural muscle connection with posture unrelated to thoracic outlet that can cause dysfunction?
Curious as well if you could provide some content on delineating wrist tendinitis vs carpal tunnel vs thoracic outlet or the difference between tendon and nerve issues. I have been to many doctors and PTs for my wrist pain and after MRIs and EMGs the case is still "not straightforward".
Are you rolling the spine (bony part of the neck) or the muscles that suround it? @Your wellness nerd
Essentially the ball gets gently pressed into the joints either side of the bony bumps down the middle. There will be muscle over the top as well, but the idea is to get to the underlying joint restrictions. For that reason I usually ask people to keep constant pressure on an important area rather than roll around over the top of it. 👍
Very thoughtful and clear, but please mate bring the headline to the start so we have the concept upfront of mind to understand the explanations rather than teasing it out for 5+ mins 🙂🙃
Appreciate it mate. I’ve become better at the delivery in recent times!
I started having symptoms of RSI in my wrists in the first half of the year and it hasn't gotten better so I might try this and see if it works.
Let me know how you go!
@@YourWellnessNerdWow, I've seen immediate improvements, I might try doing this everyday and night.
Any luck ?
@@LoopSeek3r It's gotten better, but unfortunately it will never be the same as it was before.
@@linear1224 thanks for the reply. What helped ?
I know this video is 2 years old but I have a question. Both my hands are tender, sore, numb, and the pain gets worse after a long day hunched over st my desk working on my computer.
Can RSI happen in both hands at the same time?
It can in theory, but bilateral symptoms - particularly numbness often suggest we need to take a good look for a more central cause relating to something like the neck. Hope the video is still helpful for you Anthony!
THANK YOU
You’re welcome!
Can I get relief doing this ,from sore wrists? Had this problem for years….
Hi Julie clinically I do find neck dysfunction can be one of the hidden underlying causes of a lot of hand wrist and finger RSI. It’s been over a year since you posted this comments. I sincerely hope you found the relief and progress you’ve been looking for and hopefully the ball into the neck area was able to assist in some way.
Thanks so much for this video! I tried out the ball exercise and it has definitely made a difference! 🙏
I wanted to ask about whether or not my injury could possibly be an RSI. I’m a gamer and musician, so I use my hands and arms quite a bit. I have been getting a repetitive injury that causes burning in my wrist, top of hand, and forearm (the worst is up near my elbow and bottom of my wrist) after gaming extensively. Also just burning from my neck down to my wrist. I have been to a specialist, an ER, a PCP, and physical therapists and no one has been able to give me a solid answer of what’s going on. I was told Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, then told I have a nerve issue (which was debunked after a perfect nerve test), then told I had a muscle injury. The injury lasted about 2 months and then slowly went away with rest and posture change (one consensus was that the root issue is my neck, so I worked hard on posture and neck exercises). After being symptom free for a few months I started gaming (handheld/controller games, not PC) pretty hardcore this past week and the burning and pain are back just like before. Does this sound like it could be a RSI? I’m not at all asking for a diagnosis, as I know you can’t do that. I’m just wondering if the symptoms follow those of an RSI and If I should ask my doctor about it further. Either way the exercise in this video is great, definitely subscribing! Thanks!
Hey! Thanks for watching! If the consensus was that your neck was the main issue then regardless of any eventual diagnosis that's going to be the most important place to focus on based on what they've said. I'd be interested to know how everything feels after doing the exercise in the video!
Thanks so much for the reply! There is definitely a big difference in my arm after doing the exercise! It’s not gone totally yet, but I plan on continuing with this exercise daily to see what happens! Thanks again, truly appreciate it!
You're welcome! Let me know how you go!
@@MelissaKM235 how are things now?
how are you doing?
Thanks
Appreciate the support Becky!
trigger finger??? I am told by a Naturpath that the issue is in the fascia and lympth..backed up lymph that needs to be addressed w/diet and proper protocols for lymph an kidney to get the lympth flow again and dislodge obstacles, so I'm told that these functional things don't really work in the long term unless these other things are addressed as well. Have you heard this also?
Hi Johanna! For me, diet and lymph may be related but they are generally more global issues - and may not be specific enough to explain why one exact part of the body has become dysfunctional. Technically, most people could benefit from an improvement in those things so they’re clearly not irrelevant!
Really fantastic information. I have rsi in my little finger, ring finger, wrists and forearms, from knitting and crocheting! I also have a very stiff neck which spasms now and then, so painful and often have restricted neck movement, and I was beginning to wonder if the two were connected. This video has consolidated how I can approach these issues with massage and exercise, pilates and yoga, thank you! I am also wondering though, if there may be some connection to a tendency in the body to inflammation, such as autoimmune conditions? I wonder if you have come across that?
Great to hear you feel like you're connecting some dots Ashleigh! Inflammation is a tricky thing as there may be some genetic predisposition, but its hard to tell considering how many inflammatory agents exist in the modern world. Things like toxins, pollutants, crappy foods, poor drinks, etc. From my experience we can certainly lower our threshold to pain and dysfunction by consistently bombarding ourselves to "threatening" things!
Any luck with this issue ?
Right wrist pain started back about 4-6 weeks ago.
There is a very sore spot that I've now found in my neck in the very upper part on the right side.
I'm not for sure how to test the differences or effect of the message though, other than it being present
Once you've loosened the area with the ball method, what's the best method of recovery? Is it strengthening the area that is hurting / damaged? For me it is mostly around my rhomboids due to playing accordion (my scapula is protracted and strained for long periods of time, also carrying a heavy load in one arm often). So should I strengthen the rhomboids in order to prevent the problem recurring?
Hey Sophie! For most people there are three things that can often improve to help fix up an issue. It's important to be able to find and loosen the restricted tissue, strengthen the weaker areas and then put things in better positions/postures. You might benefit from all three but best to have yourself checked by somone to figure out exactly what that means for you!
Hey Grant! Great vid. Im just catching some signs of overuse in my right wrist from sitting at a computer 8-12 hours a day! Was hoping you could point me to the video to losen up your neck/upper back that could be tied to this? You mentioned you already did a vid for this so lmk! Thanks!
Not a problem! This one goes through the ball exercise, make sure to use towards the base of your neck and up/down depending on what you find. Let me know if you have any questions! ua-cam.com/video/UfF7_QYBhks/v-deo.html
@@YourWellnessNerd Gotcha! I will stick to this one for starters then. Just wasn't sure if you had a more in depth vid to losen things up in the neck/upper back with the lacrosse ball. Thanks Grant!!
@@JTCFilms Sorry, here's a specific video on the ball/neck exercise. The previous one was the one i was referring to in the RSI video! ua-cam.com/video/caCG4phf3ag/v-deo.html
Hey man, great video, you've earned a subscriber. I have a question if you don't mind, of course I'm gonna try the exercise you recommend, but if hypothetically they don't help, how scary is rsi really? What i mean is, when I look up information on rsi, they make it sound really terrible, like it might never heal or could keep getting worse until you can't move your hand, stuff like that. So what I'm wondering is, are those just worst case scenarios and most people recover okay or are those statements accurate and I really need to be careful? Thanks in advance.
Appreciate the support mate! RSI can be scary for some and not for others like a lot of common issues. It really depends on the person to be honest. From my experience, the people who's RSI turns into a monster generally fit into two categories. 1. They either keep using/irritating the area because they have to for work or 2. They have some underlying stress or anxiety that moves RSI beyond just an "overuse" issue and into more of a chronic pain scenario. Ultimately its an exercise in trying to balance out not consistently irritating the area and allowing it to settle, while working hard on the subtle things that set it up to fail ie) the neck/upper back, postural habits, constant stress etc. Hope that helps!
Hi, thank you for sharing this, I'm a graphic designer who works in bed in very bad postures, I got RSI a month ago and I've been off work since then. I'm on meds, collagen peptides, vitamin D and wearing a splint. Still the pain is not gone, it's much better though, my question is should I get back to work now or wait till the pain is completely gone?
Unfortunately I can't give specific advice over the internet Maie. But from a general perspective I ask my patients to make sure they feel their pain is under control before increasing their work demands. Things can very easily deteriorate if someones strength, posture, mobility and function aren't at the required level to tolerate increased duties. Best discuss this with someone who has seen you in person!
@@YourWellnessNerd will do, thanks for replying:)
Hello. I have difficulty closing my hands. The flexor and extensor tendons are painful. What should I do? Thank you.
Hi, unfortunately I can really be too specific over the internet as I can assess you for myself. But I hope the tips in the video help!
Thank you for your videos! Quick question, if you don't mind - I suffered SIDS hours after birth leading to hypoxia diagnosis, which predominantly affected my right side. More specifically, I have difficulty maintaining calm movement when lifting a full glass of water or any liquid to my mouth. I'll just suddenly tense or jerk and spill the cup. Picture someone just intentionally squeezing a cup spontaneously! Anything that can help with this?
Sorry for the late reply, have you uncovered anything since?
@@YourWellnessNerd hi, thanks for the reply. Actually, it's something I am still dealing with - just thought to get some ideas and other perspectives. Perhaps this will never go away, but I think my fear is mostly the embarrassment of spilling something, esp. in public.
My tendon slides over my bone on my inner elbow Iv had it since I was 14 and I’m 22 now still trying to find something to help I’m desperate at this point
Hi mate, I hope you’ve since found some answers to your problems. If you have please feel free to let me know!
Hi I have rsi in my index finger and middle finger from working in a factory and I tried a tennis ball on the back of my neck but I couldn't find any stiff spots. I'm thinking the worst of maybe a hair line fracture. But I'm going to try the ball behind my neck again but I'm not sure how long or how many times a day you should work on the neck? Thank for the video and I did subscribe.
Hey Shaun! The idea is to do it enough so that you feel some meaningful change in how flexible your neck feels. It might be 10mins a day, it might be more depending on how restricted it may feel for someone!
@@YourWellnessNerd Thanks I will try that.
Hi, around a year and a half ago I had a RSI on my wrist from basketball. precicely from the Shooting motion of flicking the wrist. This injury made my wrist painfull and unusable for MONTHS!!! I had just kept it in a wrist cast and treated with rest. Now a year later, I over did it and flicked my wrist too much while playing basketball, For the past few months I've been fine playing a hour or two per day but yesterday I played for too long and was trying to improve the back-spin on the ball, which is done by flicking the wrist harder. In the middle of my session my wrist started becoming sore so I stopped playing. It is the next day and it is still sore, I am praying its not like the last time, but now I will try your method and hopefully it works!!. I will keep in touch with the progress. Quick question how long and how much do we do these exercizes?.
RSI starts especially in winter times when it gets cold
Hope the video helped!
I have this I get slight tremors weakness and my wrist to x feel like I can’t grab
I have congenital torticollis and have very bad pain in my arms/hands. Is there any hope with my condition? I’m 45 .
Hey Carissa! I can't comment on you specifically without assessing you first, but from what I see clinically, its a matter of working hard on the basics of mobility, strength and good posture. It might be worth seeing someone to give you some specific things to work on.