Ask HN: How have you cured your RSI? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How have you cured your RSI?

#51

Post by robscallsign » Wed, Mar 31, 2021, 11:00 PM UTC

whitepoplar wrote: post #45

robscallsign wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just through a quick google search and chose one that happened to be near the route I drove between work and my sons daycare. Her website was pretty generic and minimal, so I didn't have high hopes going in, but feel I lucked out as she had an undergrad degree in Kinesiology (or similar), and was a semi-professional cyclist, and had a lot of applied knowledge on anatomy, health, wellness, performance. The keywords I…

I really appreciate this! How often did you visit the massage therapist? After looking at prices, I know many can be quite expensive, but if it works I'm fairly price insensitive.

I went about once a week for about 4 months

Re: Ask HN: How have you cured your RSI?

#52

Post by kevinherron » Wed, Mar 31, 2021, 11:30 PM UTC

Work out and lift weights.

But ergonomically speaking I use a Kinesis Advantage 2 keyboard and a Logitech MX Vertical mouse.

You may also need a long break to heal, which might not be an option if you're American. An engineer from Germany I know had something like 4 or 6 weeks off work when diagnosed with RSI and nobody batted an eye.

Re: Ask HN: How have you cured your RSI?

#53

Post by mixedCase » Wed, Mar 31, 2021, 11:40 PM UTC

It is psychosomatic for me. It took me a lot of reading on the Internet trying to find causes and solutions to give into the possibility that the crippling pain I had could be such, but what helped me keep it at bay semi-permanently was truly realizing it.

It still comes back in a mild form when I read about it or discuss it, and your thread literally triggered pain on my left hand and forearm.

Re: Ask HN: How have you cured your RSI?

#54

Post by akeck » Wed, Mar 31, 2021, 11:44 PM UTC

I've been putting my keyboard right at the edge of the desk so my wrists have to be held in the air. Pain has is definitely reduced since last summer.

Re: Ask HN: How have you cured your RSI?

#55

Post by youeseh » Wed, Mar 31, 2021, 11:49 PM UTC

Mobility work on all my joints (look up bodyweight warm up drills), and hanging off a pull up bar helped fix my RSI and shoulder impingement issues.

Re: Ask HN: How have you cured your RSI?

#56

Post by JackMorgan » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 12:06 AM UTC

I had it really bad, numb fingers, shooting pain

- Switched from Emacs to Vim editing

- Started pair programming nearly full time

- Went from obese to normal BMI

- Got a Microsoft Natural 4000 split keyboard (after trying all the expensive mechanical ones that didn't help due to various bad angles)

- Standing desk almost every day with right height keyboard and mouse

Been pain free for almost a decade

Re: Ask HN: How have you cured your RSI?

#57

Post by rlkf » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 12:12 AM UTC

Switched to a Dvorak keyboard layout, although I did so before it got chronic (meaning pain without typing), on an ergonometric keyboard. Also started using the mouse with the left hand, despite having (a fairly strong) right-hand affinity.

Re: Ask HN: How have you cured your RSI?

#58

Post by vlod » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 12:27 AM UTC

I never had it super bad, but I started getting the signs: numbness, strange tingles, shooting pain and got one of these [0] from amz ~$20 (the green one), to help strengthen things and it helped (for me) immensely.

Oh.. I also got a trackball (Logitech MX Ergo Wireless Trackball Mouse).

[0] https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00066D6K4 "TheraBand FlexBar Resistance Bar For Improving Grip Strength, Tennis Elbow, Golfers Elbow, Tendonitis "

Re: Ask HN: How have you cured your RSI?

#59

Post by leashless » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 12:37 AM UTC

A physiotherapist who specialised in treating pianists cured my RSI in six sessions.

30 years later you can still see odd bumps on my forearms, on the inside, but functionally I never has problems again.

She saved my career. Thank you.

Re: Ask HN: How have you cured your RSI?

#60

Post by rococode » Thu, Apr 01, 2021, 12:38 AM UTC

kevinherron wrote: post #52

Work out and lift weights. But ergonomically speaking I use a Kinesis Advantage 2 keyboard and a Logitech MX Vertical mouse. You may also need a long break to heal, which might not be an option if you're American. An engineer from Germany I know had something like 4 or 6 weeks off work when diagnosed with RSI and nobody batted an eye.

Did the mouse make a big difference for you? I came across it recently and was considering getting it as my wrist has been getting pretty creaky. I tried putting my hand in that position on my desk and it certainly feels quite relaxing, but I have no idea whether it'll actually feel more comfortable in regular long-term use.