Health and Wellness
Repetitive Strain Injuries By Dr. Asha Bajaj, Resident Since 1986
R
epetitive strain is related to the overuse of muscles and tendons in the upper body.
Certain things are thought to increase the risk of RSI, including: • • •
repetitive activities doing a high-intensity activity for a long time without rest poor posture or activities that involve working in an awkward position
Cold temperatures and vibrating equipment are also thought to increase the risk of getting RSI and can make the symptoms worse. Stress can also be a contributing factor. If you work at a computer all day, make sure your seat, keyboard, mouse and screen are positioned so they cause the least amount of strain. Let’s begin with a few basics: Most of the back and neck strains that occur are often due to repeated patterns. The combination of prolonged poor posture, faulty mechanics and lack of movement during the day, sets up a
cycle of pain, stiffness and subsequent disability. The human body is designed for locomotion not for sitting for prolonged periods. Anatomy: The spine is divided into 3 levels: the cervical spine consisting of the top 7 vertebrae, thoracic spine attached to the ribs by the 12 vertebrae and the lumbar spine (5 vertebrae) attached to the pelvis with the sacrum junction. The spine has 3 natural curves slightly forward (lordosis), at the cervical (neck) and lumbar region, counterbalanced out by a slightly backward curve at the thoracic spine. As long as we maintain these 3 natural curves the biomechanical forces are distributed evenly and efficiently, allowing for pain free motion. However sitting often reverses the curve in the lumbar region and pushes the head forward putting the neck in a vulnerable position! Adding insult to this injury is the use of laptops and handheld devices and your head may not look up for many hours!
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