Tips to avoid Arm pain due to PC usage

In the days of typewriter, a common condition was prevalent know as ‘writer’s cramp’. The typewriter has since been forgotten but the condition has worsened with time. Now, almost everyone who works on a computer for a living complains of pain. It may seem innocent when it starts but in cases the pain starts from arm and moves out to wrist and shoulder. “The problem routinely spreads to the entire arm, through the shoulder and up to the neck” said Orthopaedist Oliver Dierk. It has so much worsened that it has been recoined as Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).

"Anyone who hunches over a computer and makes a series of short, quick movements risks a painful inflammation of the lower arm and its musculature," said Nils Graf Stenbock-Fermor, head of the German Orthopaedic Association.

With growing duration of use in work place and at home the symptoms have become serious and has started to come in notice, which went unnoticed previously for a long time.

"Women can be more susceptible than men, but, in general, it depends on a person's career," said Ursula Marschall, a doctor and head of a special clinic that works with a German health insurer.

The signs usually start with prickling sensations or numbness leading to loss of touch in the affected body part. This results in pain along various parts between wrist and shoulder. Initial symptoms are normally evident after long periods working at a PC, but tend to disappear after a good sleep. If the disease gets chronic, pain breaks out during everyday activities like shifting gears in a car and picking up articles.

Stenbock-Fermor advises against trying to treat the problem with medication. "You can use medication to minimise the symptoms," he says, adding, "But in the long term, they just mask the actual causes."

The problem can be controlled with regular exercise and using proper posture. Yoga and stretching exercises on a daily basis reduce the exposure to such disorders. But, if the problem gets severe its advised to consult your local physician.

Thanks to Rahil for this valuable information.