Ergoblog

What Do You Want to See from Ergoblog?

After a year or so of not posting here much, I've been wanting to get back to this topic and post more often (and maybe even give this site a needed design update!). But what I'd really like to know is what you all want to read about?

I've gone from having repetitive stress injuries and joint problems to the point that I could barely work at the computer to getting that largely resolved (for more on the how, read my old post on how undiagnosed food allergies were causing my RSI and several other health issues). I've read quite a few books on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome/RSI and office ergonomics, and I've tried lots of funky ergonomic chairs, computer peripherals, keyboards, etc.

Given my background, is there anything in particular you'd like to get information on as this blog goes forward?

Yes, Food Allergies Were Causing My RSI Issues

I've started posting to this blog again after a break of a year or more, mostly because there is still lots of interesting stuff going on in the field of ergonomics and health related to repetitive stress injuries and other ailments attributed to the daily modern grind.  I originally stopped posting because my main incentive for starting this blog four+ years ago went away: after several years of suffering from repetitive stress injuries (my hands were my main problem), the pain disappeared.

No, it wasn't magic.  It was a visit to a doctor for other unrelated (or so I thought at the time) problems.  She had me tested for food allergies, and I came up positive for sensitivities to gluten and dairy (and a few lesser ones).  It was hard to give up these foods, which show up in nearly everything, (and I do cheat from time to time) but one of the benefits was that my hand problems gradually diminished.  Today I can spend a full day working at the keyboard (or playing World of Warcraft *furtive guilty look*) with pain.  Eliminating the allergy foods also helped me get rid of my other issues (I was having heartburn at night, insomnia, headaches during the day, and needed an inhaler for asthma).

Interestingly, when I cheat, as I am wont to do now and then (especially for desserts, mmm), I'll often know it as some of my symptoms will flair up. 

So, for those of you suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or other joint issues/RSIs, it's probably worth a trip to the doctor to get tested for food allergies.  It doesn't take much time or cost much (I think I paid about $125 for a blood test that checked for allergies to close to 100 common foods), and it may make a world of difference.

Just Checking in

I guess all the ergonomics news and gadgets on the market have started to sound the same for me, because I haven't been that inspired to post lately.  My hands have been doing fairly well, though I've given up hope that they'll ever be 100% again.  I'm pretty sure if I ever went back to a real job, typing all day, I'd be back where I started pain-wise in no time.  It's interesting what you can do when forced to change how you work though.  I make more working from home and setting my own hours than I ever did working for someone else (I work fewer hours too).  I suppose in that way, this whole RSI thing has been an opportunity.  I'm not sure I wouldn't have been so driven to make the work-from-home thing feasible if not for my sore hands.  Lemons and lemonade, I guess. 

Does Writing Hurt Your Hands too?

It figures that after posting about how my hands were doing pretty well, I'd start having some flare-ups. ;)  Interestingly, it seems to have been from writing rather than typing or mouse-clicking though.  For a couple weeks, I was doing a lot of writing on a project, and my hands began to ache a bit, especially around the knuckles of my right hand (which makes sense, since I write with that hand).  I've backed off and my hands have been feeling better again.  I will probably switch back to the computer and fire up the voice recognition program to finish the project. 

Has anybody else had RSI or Carpal Tunnel issues from writing?  (I'm sure the extensive hours of keyboarding produced my original issues, but I suppose now I'll have to be careful, because it seems that other tiny precise motions with the fingers/hands can aggravate things too). 

I Ordered a TheraCane

I decided to put an Amazon gift certificate to use by ordering a TheraCane (link goes to Amazon where there's a picture if you're curious).  In case you haven't heard of them before, Theracanes are nobby sticks with U-shaped hooks that allow you to massage the muscles in your back.  I know I have trouble with trigger points in my left upper back (thanks to reading The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, which is one of the two books I recommend all the time for people with RSI, tension headaches, or any other kind of computer/stress-induced aches and pains), but it's a hard place to massage yourself, as you can imagine. 

The TPTW recommends using a tennis ball against a wall, but that always felt awkward to me, so I'm going to see if I can hit the spot with the thera cane.  Most of the time, when I feel tension in my neck and shoulders, I can really feel that spot in my back (kind of in the middle of the trapezius), so I suspect it's causing some of the tension in the other muscles.

The Theracane should be here in a couple days, so I'll report back on how it works.  I'm not sure if it comes with an instruction manual, but I think I know enough from reading the TPTW to hit the spot just right.  We'll see!

Ergonomics Seminars Aimed at the User

I've seen all sorts of workplace ergonomics courses aimed at corporations (with the idea that an individual in the business will be trained and then disseminate the information down to Joe Blow in the cubicle), but I haven't seen too many that just anyone can attend.  Businesses are more worried about productivity than your health (oh, they want you to stay healthy, so you don't take sick days...), so I think we should be the ones taking an interest instead of working with second-hand knowledge that may or may not be particularly helpful by the time it gets passed down to us.  Besides, we tend to ignore it at the time anyway.  When it comes right down to it, we have a hard time caring much about ergonomics until we start getting symptoms (whether it's RSI, sore neck, headaches, or what have you). 

In a couple weeks, Colorado State University is offering a seminar on ergonomics for anyone in the area (free for staff and students).  That doesn't help me up here in Seattle, but it's nice to see more of this kind of thing--education that's aimed at you and me, the people who deal with the pain.  Usually, we're stuck surfing the web for information on repetitive stress injuries.  That's... just great considering surfing the web is probably what got you the problem in the first place.  I for one would love to see more of these kind of classes cropping up locally, where they cover topics like setting up your workstation correctly and taking breaks, doing exercises at your desk, etc.  We could all use this knowledge!

Recommendations for Ergonomic Office EQ

A visitor noted that there are lots of links and posts about ergonomic equipment in this blog, but--aside from a few reviews--not too many recommendations.  He wanted to know what he should buy.  Since I'm just one writer, I can't claim to have tried everything available on the market or even a large portion of what's out there.  However, I decide to make a list of what I'm currently using in case some people find that helpful.  I have done quite a bit of trial and error, especially with keyboards and mice, to find a set-up that works well for me. 

Keyboard: Kinesis Contoured Keyboard from http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/
Mouse: iGesture from the now defunct FingerWorks http://www.fingerworks.com/
Chair: Herman Miller Aeron Chair http://www.hermanmiller.com/
Desk: An L-shaped desk from Office Depot (nothing special here, but avoid desks with keyboard trays/slideouts since they're rarely at the right height) http://www.officedepot.com/
Keyboard Tray: Solution Platform, again from Kinesis.
Voice Recognition Software: Dragon NaturallySpeaking from http://www.nuance.com/
Break Reminder Program: Albion Stop Now from http://www.albionresearch.com/astopnow/

Hope this helps.  Good luck!

Vacation

After much scrimping and saving, I'm heading off to Europe for a three week tour plus a couple extra days in Paris.  I'm looking forward to giving my hands a rest, so I probably won't be hunting for any cyber cafes in order to post to this blog.  Expect the usual RSI and ergonomics news, reviews, rants, etc. to resume at the end of September.

Karate

A couple months ago, I finally finished my Bachelor's degree and suddenly had my evenings back after years of classes (was going the night school route).  I decided to start taking Karate, something I did and enjoyed as a kid.  I was a bit concerned that it would be too much for my hands with my history of RSI. 

So far, it's going ok though.  We usually do a few pushups during the warmup section of the class, but it's never enough to bother my hands.  There was one day where we did punches on a heavy bag that I bowed out of, but other than that most of the kicks and punches are just done at the air, so they have not been a problem (other than the problem we all have of keeping our balance while standing on one leg and kicking).  A couple weeks ago, I got my yellow belt.  (I'm not sure which belt is the one where you start being dangerous to others rather than yourself :P)  So far, so good.

Bicycling after RSI?

As I've mentioned previously (complained, whined, etc.), I've had quite a bit of trouble with RSI over the last couple years.  I've had to give up some of the sports I like (or would have liked to try someday) because the weight-bearing stuff makes my hands sore, sometimes for a couple days after.  The times I've gotten on my old mountain bike, I've regretted it later.  Since I live a mile away from a really great, 20-odd mile trail, it's been kind of a bummer.

Today, however, I was out rollerblading and noticed someone on a road bike who had his weight on his forearms, and then the bike actually had handles out in front of the usual handle bars (the brakes may have been up there, too).  So, he was holding on with his hands, but not putting any weight on them.

This weekend, I'm going to hit the bike shop and see if this is some kind of custom modification or if it is a new option that some bikes are offering.  I'll let you folks know what I find out.