The Functional Programmer – Keeping Repetitive Strain Injury at Bay [video] • Hacker News Board

Re: The Functional Programmer – Keeping Repetitive Strain Injury at Bay [video]

#11

Post by 0xcde4c3db » Sat, Sep 01, 2018, 2:08 AM UTC

hfdgiutdryg wrote: post #8

bearhall wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a great list. One thing I want to add is that when I was suffering from tendinitis, I wasn’t able to really start building strength until I got cortisone shots. They’re a temporary solution but they can buy you the time to be able to function and start exercising. It’s a very powerful tool.

Yes. Also, consistent, responsible use of anti-inflammatories. For example, one 200mg ibuprofen three times per day, evenly spaced, seemed to pay off more than 400mg in the morning and 400mg before bed. And, of course, you have to remember that you're still injured. To anyone suffering RSI, get into physical therapy. They'll teach you valuable stretches and exercises that will be useful for the rest of your life. Pro…

> Probably the single most important thing is this: try to deal with injury before it becomes chronic. If your wrists seem sore or you get tingling sensations, seek help before you develop an injury that's going to take months or years to heal!

The problem I have with this is that I don't feel much difference between regular fatigue and pre-chronic-injury kinds of damage. Typically by the time I can even identify the discomfort as non-transient, I'm already in for weeks/months/years of recovery.

Re: The Functional Programmer – Keeping Repetitive Strain Injury at Bay [video]

#12

Post by swaggyBoatswain » Sat, Sep 01, 2018, 4:27 AM UTC

hfdgiutdryg wrote: post #5

Having been through several bouts of RSI-type injuries, here's my advice: 1) take up active hobbies that strengthen vulnerable body parts. Rock climbing did wonders for keeping my De Quervain's tendinitis from returning. 2) stretching is an enormous part of recovery, if you've already developed tendinitis. 3) fix your posture. I didn't realize that I was craning my head forward over the years to compensate for poorly…

I had ulnar tunnel syndrome. Rock climbing got rid of it

Re: The Functional Programmer – Keeping Repetitive Strain Injury at Bay [video]

#13

Post by clircle » Sat, Sep 01, 2018, 4:48 AM UTC

I had emacs pinky when I was in grad school. Now I have a job and I'm still pretty concerned about my RSI. Here's a few tips I've used, and a few things I'm considering:

Things that have worked well for me (cheap solutions):

- Use a keyboard that doesn't encourage you to 'bottom out' to execute a key press. I used to use a keyboard with scissor switches that I think just encouraged me to press the keys harder. I switched it out for a cheapo mech keyboard with MX brown switches and I think this helped a bit.

- Remap common keys like control to other keys that can be easily hit with your thumbs. Currently I map control to left alt and backspace to right alt. Makes a difference for me but ymmv. Try not to hit so many keys with your pinky. For example, when I need to hit return, I make an effort to use my ring finger instead.

- Got a lumbar support pad for my office chair and car seat. I have a lower back and hip pain. This helps with the sciatic nerve painI have had since college.

- Use a very tall wrist rest. The cheap ones don't really elevate your wrists much, but find a quality one that provides an inch or more of lift. If you have a desk with a keyboard tray, lower it to comfortable position.

- Lift weights. I spent a year in grad school lifting hard with a buddy three times a week. Did wonders for my back pain. I would love to find a new lifting partner and get back into it.

What I'm considering (expensive solutions):

- A standing desk. I'm seeing a lot of people in my office switch to these and I want one.

- A split keyboard with lots of thumb keys. This is always on my mind now and I'm trying to decide between a kinesis and keyboard.io.

Re: The Functional Programmer – Keeping Repetitive Strain Injury at Bay [video]

#14

Post by hfdgiutdryg » Sat, Sep 01, 2018, 5:54 AM UTC

0xcde4c3db wrote: post #11

hfdgiutdryg wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. Also, consistent, responsible use of anti-inflammatories. For example, one 200mg ibuprofen three times per day, evenly spaced, seemed to pay off more than 400mg in the morning and 400mg before bed. And, of course, you have to remember that you're still injured. To anyone suffering RSI, get into physical therapy. They'll teach you valuable stretches and exercises that will be useful for the rest of your life. Pro…

> Probably the single most important thing is this: try to deal with injury before it becomes chronic. If your wrists seem sore or you get tingling sensations, seek help before you develop an injury that's going to take months or years to heal! The problem I have with this is that I don't feel much difference between regular fatigue and pre-chronic-injury kinds of damage. Typically by the time I can even identify the…

I'm going off the top of my head and only from personal experience here, but for me the difference is primarily about joint vs muscle pain. Joint pain is almost always bad. If you just did a ten mile hike and you don't normally do that, a couple of days of knee pain is normal. If you're mousing for your usual work day and your wrists hurt, it's a problem.

I have managed to cause instant tendinitis where it basically felt like intense muscle pain, but that was a rare shock-load situation.

Most fatigue is just a drained feeling, followed by some muscle soreness for one to three days. Soreness in tendons and joints is almost always a problem, in my experience. If it doesn't clear up in about three days of relative rest, you're heading into chronic injury territory.

Re: The Functional Programmer – Keeping Repetitive Strain Injury at Bay [video]

#15

Post by 3v0k4 » Sat, Sep 01, 2018, 6:21 AM UTC

Wow, thanks for all the comments here! It’s a gold mine of tips

Re: The Functional Programmer – Keeping Repetitive Strain Injury at Bay [video]

#16

Post by vertak » Sat, Sep 01, 2018, 7:06 AM UTC

For personal health at the office, I think the biggest bang for your buck is to buy a water bottle that takes minimal effort to drink from (I’ve found those green sport Gatorade water bottles are prime) and sip continuously throughout the day. You will feel amazing from all the H2O alone. You will be forced to get out of your seat multiple times a day to visit the restroom. You will will get more facetime with people in your office from walking more. And walking more gives you more opportunities to fill up your water bottle. The virtuous cycle!

Re: The Functional Programmer – Keeping Repetitive Strain Injury at Bay [video]

#17

Post by didibus » Sat, Sep 01, 2018, 7:39 AM UTC

clircle wrote: post #13

I had emacs pinky when I was in grad school. Now I have a job and I'm still pretty concerned about my RSI. Here's a few tips I've used, and a few things I'm considering: Things that have worked well for me (cheap solutions): - Use a keyboard that doesn't encourage you to 'bottom out' to execute a key press. I used to use a keyboard with scissor switches that I think just encouraged me to press the keys harder. I swit…

I just use opposite keys. Like right control and right alt with right hand, and the keys to the left of the keyboard with left hand.

As soon as I switched to this opposite side leader key, my emacs pinky went away.

Re: The Functional Programmer – Keeping Repetitive Strain Injury at Bay [video]

#18

Post by toyg » Sat, Sep 01, 2018, 9:07 AM UTC

tlarkworthy wrote: post #4

My anecdote is I switched to a vertical mouse[1] and a split keyboard[2] and it solved it for me. I went from constant dull throbbing pain and fear of career death to not even thinking about it anymore. Yay! [1] Evoluent [2] Kinesis Freestyle2

Split keyboard did it for me too. It allowed me to correct the whole posture.

Re: The Functional Programmer – Keeping Repetitive Strain Injury at Bay [video]

#19

Post by smittywerben » Sat, Sep 01, 2018, 10:59 AM UTC

Avoid Diablo-esque games if your hands are susceptible to injury.

My brain likes picking up loot, but my hands don't :(

Re: The Functional Programmer – Keeping Repetitive Strain Injury at Bay [video]

#20

Post by 0xcde4c3db » Sat, Sep 01, 2018, 2:17 PM UTC

hfdgiutdryg wrote: post #14

0xcde4c3db wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Probably the single most important thing is this: try to deal with injury before it becomes chronic. If your wrists seem sore or you get tingling sensations, seek help before you develop an injury that's going to take months or years to heal! The problem I have with this is that I don't feel much difference between regular fatigue and pre-chronic-injury kinds of damage. Typically by the time I can even identify the…

I'm going off the top of my head and only from personal experience here, but for me the difference is primarily about joint vs muscle pain. Joint pain is almost always bad. If you just did a ten mile hike and you don't normally do that, a couple of days of knee pain is normal. If you're mousing for your usual work day and your wrists hurt, it's a problem. I have managed to cause instant tendinitis where it basically…

> Most fatigue is just a drained feeling, followed by some muscle soreness for one to three days. Soreness in tendons and joints is almost always a problem, in my experience. If it doesn't clear up in about three days of relative rest, you're heading into chronic injury territory.

In my experience, if it doesn't clear up in three days, I'm already there (and usually also have no fucking idea what I did to cause the injury).

The more I look into this, the more I suspect that in my case it's a sensory deficit, i.e. I literally can't feel the initial pre-injury discomfort that trains most people not to move/position their bodies in ways that acutely damage joints or connective tissues.