Repetitive Stress Injury Treatment

Repetitive stress injury (RSI) is a term used for the inflammation, muscle strain or tissue damage that can result from overuse or misuse of various parts of the body. Common spots for RSI include the hands, wrists and arms, but the condition can also arise in the elbows, knees, hips, shoulders, neck, ankles or feet. Treatment for RSI includes a combination of rest, medication and prevention of future symptoms.

Understanding Repetitive Stress Injury

• RSI is not a specific ailment. Rather, it is a class of conditions defined by the causes of injury. Strain and overuse can cause any one of a number of specific conditions, including carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis, epicondylitis (tennis elbow), tendonitis, shin splints or stress fractures. If you have one of these conditions, you will frequently receive a secondary diagnosis of RSI.

The Importance of Appropriate Medical Care

• In order to receive proper treatment for your RSI, you will need to find a doctor who understands and actively supports the validity of an RSI diagnosis. Despite the pain and discomfort you might feel, some doctors do not believe that repetitive stress injuries occur. Others believe in the validity of RSI, but are not well-equipped to treat it. In some instances, a doctor may recommend surgery as a frontline response to the symptoms of RSI. While surgery may indeed be an eventual option in some cases, it should typically only be considered if other less invasive treatments have been unsuccessful in diminishing your pain or movement difficulties.

Resting the Affected Area

• As part of your treatment, your doctor will ask you to limit, cease or modify any activities that aggravate your injury. This may involve altering your exercise or work routines, or using devices such as splints or braces to support or limit motion in the affected the area.

Medications

• Your doctor will also likely recommend the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications to reduce the inflammation associated with RSI. Common choices include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Naprosyn). He may also recommend an acetaminophen product such as Tylenol to relieve pain. Corticosteroids such as prednisone may be directly injected into the affected area, particularly in cases of carpal tunnel syndrome. Make sure to discuss the risks and benefits of these various compounds with your doctor.

Prevention

• A substantial portion of RSI treatment centers around prevention of the circumstances that led to the original injury. Preventive steps may include exercises designed to strengthen underdeveloped or at-risk areas of your body. You may also need to relearn motions or habits related to improper body alignment. This might involve learning proper postures for actions such as typing or lifting, or altering motions you habitually employ in sports such as golf or tennis. Additionally, you may have to temporarily or permanently limit the amount of time you dedicate to activities that aggravate the condition, or plan short breaks as a regular part of performing motions that cause you pain. Consult a physical therapist or a sports kinesiologist (motion expert) for a complete strategy on preventing possible future causes of RSI.

Surgery

• As indicated above, surgery is sometimes needed to resolve symptoms related to RSI. Consult your doctor for appropriate surgical options.