Tendonitis in my wrist

Question

Hi,

My left wrist has been feeling 'numb' recently, or really hot, like it's on fire, with pain localised in a specific area.. typing has been very uncomfortable.

After a few days of pain and 2 sleepless nights, I ended up at the hospital, convinced I'd fractured my left wrist (which I had done a few years prior, hence the concern).

To my surprise I've been told I have tendonitis in my wrist. This doesn't sound good! I was sent home with my wrist in a splint and told to take anti-inflammatories but a quick google suggests that there's more to it than that, especially since my ability to earn a living, as a contractor, is directly related to my ability to code quickly.

If anyone is interested, here's some links:

http://g42.org/MiscInfo/tendonitis.html http://sportsinjuries.suite101.com/article.cfm/managing_tendonitis_in_the_wrists

Anyway, the question(s):

• Does anyone have this condition?
• Did you recover quickly? If so what did you do?
• How many hours a day were you able to put in whilst recovering? (I currently have multiple contracts and 12 hours a day of coding is not uncommon)

Currently I work with a normal flat QWERTY keyboard and don't use a wrist rest or similar. I've never had these problems before.

Thanks, Jim

Edit:

these problems are in my left wrist.

i believe part of the problem is that my right arm was in a sling for 4 months last year (unrelated injury) so I did a lot of one-handed work (not going to work wasn't an option), and still tend to favour my left over my right.

i am looking into the problem a lot right now and making a recovery plan. i see a good physiotherapist about my shoulder so i'm going to talk to him about this next week. he does acupuncture too, so i guess it wouldn't hurt to try that - i've had success with acupuncture reducing inflammation elsewhere...

i know 12 hours is a long day, unfortunately i don't have much of a choice. due to huge medical bills from knee and shoulder problems that, if untreated would have left me permanently disabled, i need to earn a lot of money at the moment..

Another edit:

s lott: very good advice!!

i have played piano most of my life however and am also a keen weightlifter, so believe i have reasonable posture.

my KB is about the same height as a piano keyboard - i keep a high chair and low desk (i sorted desk height etc out when my shoulder was in a sling).

however, as you say, i shouldn't be resting my wrists on anything. having read up on the condition i can appreciate how the act of keeping my wrists flat on a surface is causing problems.

gamecat:

use a good chair and table and adjust it to your body size.

done already

take frequent stops (walk to the coffee machine.

i try to, though i'm guilty of being lazy. i may find (else write) a small system tray app to make sure i take breaks.

limit the mouse usage.

done already, i type at about 120-130 wpm so tend not to use the mouse much

try different keyboards and mice until you find the right one.

agreed i need to do this, i've never been a fan of the 'natural' keyboards but may look into them

try to find a sport

weightlifting is my sport, though i can't train at the moment due to my shoulder.

Answer 1

I have had RSI problems in the shoulder several years ago.

I had anti-inflammatories, several massages and a lot of rest. It took about a year but I made a full recovery.

A 12 hour day is extremely long. You should take care with yourself else the problems are going to get worse until you are completely unable to use your arms.

Good luck with the recovery!

Other tips to avoid problems:

• use a good chair and table and adjust it to your body size.
• take frequent stops (walk to the coffee machine.
• limit the mouse usage.
• try different keyboards and mice until you find the right one.
• try to find a sport

Answer 2

[NOT AN ANSWER] moved to question body

Answer 3

Take piano lessons.

Change your range of motion dramatically between work and non-work time.

A competent piano teacher will provide you with proper position for wrist, shoulder and back. Until you've been taught how to sit for extended periods of time (i.e., practicing piano), you have no idea how to sit, hold your shoulders or elevate your wrists.

You'll probably find that your keyboard is way, way too high when compared with a standard piano setup.

If you're wresting your wrists on anything, you're doing it wrong.

Musicians have spent years figuring out how to spend years playing their instruments. Small changes in posture can limit a musician's ability to earn a living, also.

Answer 4

[NOT AN ANSWER] moved to question body

Answer 5

Hello, I have this condition also. I'm a programmer since 1996 and the first symptoms appeared on 2001. Usually when you START to feel akward you should immediately REST and get the pain area cold. Put some icecubes on a towel and let the ice towel on your area of pain while resting. Don't push it to the limits it will only become worse. Also the ice will not help a long time after. It needs to be done immediately. Now, if you were in such a pain that you ended up in hospital you'll need at least 1-2 weeks rest or minimum work time with lots of breaks and slower typing. Pay much attention to HOW YOU SIT and WORK. Get asap directions on how to get the proper position. As a programmer I know this is tricky but is mandatory ( and since we're all so good in giving directions than following them).

The worst case scenario is a surgical operation so I believe that if you work less for now it will pay off in the future by NOT having one.

Answer 6

I've found Baguazhang practices and exercises good for alleviating pain in my wrists - there's a lot of attention paid to tendons, rather than just muscles.

Answer 7

This time last year, I had this in my left wrist. At the time of writing, I have it in my right. I think part of the caus of the recurrence was that I switched a lot of tasks from one hand to the other to rest the problem hand!

The condition takes time to clear, and while you should be able - with care - to continue a reasonable amount of keyboard work, you MUST NOT ignore it.

What you should do:

• See a reputable physiotherapist regularly. They should provide ultrasound treatment, exercises, etc. In the UK, a 30 minute session with a private physio costs ~£30 (probably more in London), but you can usually get treatment on the NHS, but the waiting list may be a problem.
• Rest
• Regular Breaks
• Tell your clients - manage their expectations
• Normal RSI workstation recommendations

Answer 8

hi there,

With regards to your question:

No and thank god. As i started having some right wrist hurting sensation last week, that got me scared enough to change to a trackball mouse and currently i'm using that with ms ergo 4k keyboard.

there's an improvement in that i don't feel the wrist hurting that bad anymore, but i still try to break often from what i'm doing to either flex my fingers and wrist or go for a short walk to drink some much needed water.

And i find these links helpful in knowing more about it and how to deal with it too. Checkout Jeff's blog regarding this issue and i just got the thinking putty and the powerball to exercise my wrist :)

you might also want to look at this: what-is-the-best-keyboardmouse-for-ergonomics-or-to-prevent-wrist-pain

Answer 9

Two more suggestions- talk to a Chiropractor- people think about chiropractic treatment being just for backs, but it can be very helpful for this kind of problem as well, in my experience providing a quicker and longer lasting solution, but this may be because I have an unusually good chiropractor and I don't know how one picks out a good one from the many except by trusted recommendation.

Secondly, you might look at the Alexander Technique. Again, this is often thought of purely in terms of posture and back problems, but it can make a big difference to how you perform most physical activities and can really help change the patterns that lead to RSI in the first place, forming a useful part of recovery and preventing future problems.

Answer 10

I've had it too -- the culprit was not work, but the fact that I spent several hours after work with my 12" Powerbook! After having a couple of days off and the usual drugs, it got better, but it comes back if I use the laptop at home.

On the same note, I got neck problems at work. The problem here was actually that I used the work laptop on a shallow side of my desk. I got better by simply moving it to a wider side of the desk, enabling me to sit back more comfortably in my office chair.

These kinds of things are scary, and I now pay more attention to how I sit and type. I also try to stretch a bit and move around every 20 minutes or so, but I should definately be more serious about it!

Answer 11

I've never had it get that bad. Just the beginning of feeling that perhaps something was wrong, and I headed it off by changing my habits.

• Use the mouse as little as possible. My problems seem mostly related to this one simple thing. If I spend tons of time on the mouse instead of the keyboard, the wrist starts to hurt. I've tried trackballs and can't stand them. Same for trackpads. When using a laptop, the best solution is a Thinkpad with the little pointer nub thing.

• If possible, use an ergonomic keyboard. The Microsoft line has worked the best for me. However, this is almost a non-issue. Only really makes a difference if I've been overusing the mouse.

• A quick stretch periodically, and an occasional quick walk around the office are beneficial. Not only for these issues, but it also helps fresh ideas come through. A couple minute walk around the office can save hours of wasted coding effort...

Answer 12

If you need a reminder to take regular breaks, try using the free and open-source Workrave to remind you.

I also started to use the Logitech Trackman Wheel, which really helped (although you do say that your mouse-usage is low). Takes a bit of getting used to though.

Answer 13

See my answer to a similar question here: How do I know if have RSI or carpal tunnel? Reprinting answer here for convenience:

Three years ago, I started having problems with pain in my arms when typing. Over the course of half a year it gradually became worse and worse.

I went to see several doctors, as well as several physiotherapists, and none of them could help me. The first doctor I saw thought the pain was caused by inflammation in the joints, and gave me anti-inflammatory pills (which did not help).

With physiotherapists I tried a lot of different exercises (such as weight training), as well as acupuncture and heat treatment. None of this worked for me, and it became pretty clear to me that my problems were something that they had not encountered before.

So I started to do my own research on the web, and trying different things. I read the book “It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome! RSI Theory & Therapy for Computer Professionals” by Jack Bellis and Suparna Damany, which I thought was quite good.

I tried a lot of different kinds of mice and keybords, and the ones that work for me is a split keyboard called Goldtouch that lets my hands stay at a more natural angle when typing. For a mouse I use a pen-like mouse called Ullman Penclick Mouse, that let’s me avoid twisting my hand when holding it.

I also went for a 10 sessions of rolfing, which I feel also helped me get better.

But the biggest part of the solution for me was getting a break-program that forced me to take periodic breaks from typing (before that, I could program for hours without any breaks). At the time I was using Linux, and it was not easy to find a program that worked for Linux. The one I found and still use is called WorkPace. It reminds me to take micro-breaks for 10 seconds every five minutes, and longer breaks (with exercises) every 45 minutes.

I feel that the break-program together with the ergonomic keyboard and mouse is what saved me. I can now work without problems.

In hind-sight it feels pretty obvious that I should treat the cause and not the symptom (just like when debugging). However, none of the doctors or physiotherapists I saw recommended that. Instead they were all in one way or the other treating the symptoms.

So my advice is, as soon as you start to feel any pain when typing, address the problem. It won’t go away by itself. Most people don’t have any problems, and consequently don’t pay much attention to ergonomics (why should they – they don’t have a problem). However, I had been programming for more than ten years without any problems, and then it started to happen. It is called RSI (Repetitive Stress Injury) for good reason – it is the many repetitions of the same motions over many years that cause the problems.

In my case, the combination of a break-program and an ergonomic keyboard and mouse made all the difference.

Answer 14

I tend to be paranoid about this, and over the years I've had twinges on several occasions. However I keep it under control and nothing serious has developed yet. You must make sure the tools are your trade are up to scratch though and for this I highly recommend the following.

1. Get a trackerball. The logitech cordless ones are really good. If you're like me and work on several machines then I would recommend getting a couple of different styles - a combination of the thumb driven and finger driven gives variety. The important point with trackerballs is that they tend to stay in one place on your desk so you are not constantly pushing a mouse around. Also the muscles in your thumb are considerably stronger than your fingers, so a trackerball where the left mouse button is thumb activated tend to be gentler on your hands.

2. I really like Microsoft split keyboards - the ergonomic ones where the keypads are split into two groups angled for your hands. The build quality of these tends to be better too - heavy clunky keyboards will cause finger muscles problems which can work their way to your wrist.

Be aware that just because the pain is in your wrist it doesn't mean that that is the direct source of the problem - often the effect can be refered on from some other muscle group that is the one being directly stressed.

By using MS Ergonomic Keyboards and Trackerballs I can repeatedly pull full days coding without hassle. However I do find that if I go out and code on clients sites where I have to use their keyboards/mice then a full day will give me aching hands - I haven't so far taken a keyboard but if I''m going to be onsite for a couple of days I always take a trackerball.

Last thing i would advise is to avoid using a laptop for extended periods - the ergonomics are just all wrong for the sort of use a coder will make of them. If you have to take a trackerball and keyboard, plug those in and use the laptop simply for the display.

Answer 15

Regarding recovery from tendonitis: it's best for your health if you refrain from any activity that would stress your wrists while recovering. You will recover faster (and better) and be able to work normally earlier than if you try to balance your recovery with your working schedule. Do not take chances, because you can quickly make this condition permanent/chronic and that'll cost you a lot more than a single 2 week delay...

Since most replies here focus on tips for avoiding such injuries, I'll chime in:

I'm 36, I've spent a large part of my life in front of computers (since the age of 10) and I've never suffered from RSI and many other "bad ergonomics" related problems. I don't do any special exercises, don't use ergonomic keyboards or mice, don't have an expensive orthopedic chair. The "secret" is to simply pay attention to your body and whenever you feel a bit uncomfortable, stretch, flex, turn, twist (gently) the affected extremities, change position, whatever feels right (you'll get the hang of it).

I'm sure that there is some wisdom in standing up and walking around periodically, doing elaborate exercises every week and buying expensive ergonomic equipment, but my honest feeling is that they are not necessary if you just watch out for early signs of trouble and react accordingly (still, do avoid uncomfortable equipment such as crappy laptop keyboards for "real" work... If it does not feel pleasant when you use it, it probably isn't)

Answer 16

I live in Philadelphia and it can be a little chilly in the morning, so I wear gloves without fingers at work, I notice my hands feel a lot better. It's really helped with my arthritis.

Answer 17

First of all, to answer the question, no. However, after suffering a pretty major accident a few years ago my wrist currently has a plate and screw holding bones in place, an injury that still needs supervision in case one of my bones decides to die. The wrist works fine, but I need to take good care of it and pray to God that I don't break it again.

This being said, being someone that has spent a large amount of his life in hospital dealing with injuries I can recommend only one thing, something I recommend on every single health related question on this website.

Go see your Doctor!

Seriously. No one here has the experience nor the training to give you good medical advice. Whilst we're all the same the wrist is a very complex part of your body and following what works for one person may cause damage to you. If you get the opportunity go see your Doctor or a Physiotherapist and tell of your concerns. They'll either give you good advice on maintaining health in your wrist or refer you to someone who can.

Answer 18

RSI is a very serious condition. If you insist on typing through the pain, you may develop a lifetime disability and possibly lose your career as a computer programmer. Many people have lost their hands to RSI, including myself. Please be careful.

RSI is a complex condition that is not yet well understood by medical science. Its prevalence is a relatively recent phenomena, and so most doctor know very little about RSI. In order to complement the advice of your doctor, I recommend you read through the following documents:

• Health and ergonomics at Brown University Computer Science
• RSI : Information and ressources at MIT
• Dr Deepak Sharan, preliminary research results on the incidence of RSI
• It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!: RSI Theory and Therapy for Computer Professionals by Suparna Damany
• and my own page on how to react to the onset of RSI.

I wish you the best of luck.

Answer 19

I had a lot of hand pain a few years back. Most of it was due to regular typing - but there was also some Ratchet And Clank-related pain.

Most of my pain was in my fingers - especially ring and pinky and the pinky side of my hand hurt more than the thumb side.

After getting to the point of having to go to a specialist, getting steroid injections, wearing splints, not wearing splints --- yadda yadda, I finally decided to make some changes.

First, I bit the bullet and made the switch to Dvorak. (it took me about 3 months to feel really comfortable - and that didn't happen until I had fully committed and only typed Dvorak.)

I swear - that one change was almost entirely responsible for the elimination of my hand pain.

Second, while learning Dvorak I purchased a typeMatrix 2030 Dvorak keyboard with a cool gel skin.

I thought the skins were cheesy at first - but after a little typing, I soon loved the "soft/padded" feel, which really helped ease the tension on my fingers.

The smartest aspect of the typeMatrix boards is the grid-aligned key structure. I wish that every keyboard maker would offer aligned alternatives, and it's the one thing that I would miss most about my typeMatrix.

I'm much happier now, even if my qwerty skills are pathetic now.

On a side note:
I'm currently in the process of looking for a new keyboard - my typeMatrix is still in great shape, but I want a full size board with num pad. I'm interested in the Cherry G80-3000 and das keyboard, but I'm worried about the staggered key old-school key arrangement and the extra 'work' that my fingers will have to do due to taller keys.

Answer 20

i got a cortozone shot in my wrist the same day i was told i had tendonitis in my wrist, the pain was gone that day

Answer 21

http://www.ergodirect.net/ergorest.aspx

Get 2 long rests. Weight of your arm will how fall on forearms, not wrist.