Repetitive Cat-Strain Injury

[waitingman]

I have a painful twinge that has started in my left elbow & affected the tendons across the back of my hand & the one on the side that moves the thumb. Annoying, because I'm left-handed & today I couldn't even hold a pen properly to write anything & when I really tried, it looked like my writing from when I was about 7 years old

Apparently I can still type though... L-SP has suggested a hand-brace, or some kind of sling to give the arm & hand a rest. For now, it's anti-inflammatory pills & Deep Heat cream which, while it may, or may not help my hand, is certainly cleaning out my nose... what an aroma!!

The prime suspect for the ailment is Bella, who has developed a liking for curling up on my chest while I sit at the computer desk & I have to support her with my left arm & hand. She's not a kitten any more & weighs somewhere around the 4-5 kilogram mark, which may not sound like much, but is quite a dead weight to support while I learn to type one-handed. She just came in & tried to take up her favourite spot & was quite put out by my lack of co-operation in assuming the required position. Or maybe it's the Deep Heat cream...

I'm kind of hoping I can parlay it into a few days off work. Relief for both the body & mind

Comments

[paserbyp]

Quick recovery!

[waitingman]

Thank you... Feels a bit better this morning, but we'll see... I should try to write something with a pen & see how that feels

[paserbyp]

I forgot when I used pen... only typing and mousing...

[basefinder]

That sucks. Doing a 5 kg press while typing is a likely culprit. I've had RSI issues over the years, once leading to tendon release surgery. Since then I change my sitting/keyboard positions frequently if only slightly, and alternate mousing with right and left hands. (Oddly, using a computer mouse is the only thing I can do equally well with either hand.) Right now I have my work computer mouse to my left, and my home computer mouse to my right. I'll switch them out from time to time.

I have used different type of hand/wrist braces, gloves, forearm straps over the years, with varying results.

The hard part for me is having the good sense and willpower to stop typing when I've had enough. I don't have to enter all the data or surf all the web sites tonight.

[waitingman]

Good sense & will power doesn't come in tablet form, does it? I always seem to need a top-up of those things...

I have used the mouse with my left hand, but it does feel a bit strange... I've found that when I try to type one-handed, I'm better at it with my right hand, than my left, which is weird, being left-handed you'd think it would be the other way

My hand feels a little better this morning, but it's just had about 9 hours sleep, so we'll see how it goes during the day

[basefinder]

*carefully checks contents of medicine cabinet*

I guess not, but I'd pay plenty for a bottle of those tablets!