This condition is commonly given to a group of injuries affecting the muscles, tendons and nerves primarily of the neck and upper limbs. However it actually covers much more, namely:

• Back pain
• Shoulder pain
• Constant muscle spasms
• Tendonitis (inflamed tendons)
• Calf injury
• Tendon damage

Many of the above can be traced back to poor posture and repetitive actions (i.e. typing) whilst sitting at a computer desk for more than a few hours a day. Having said this many people taking part in certain sports as well as playing a musical instrument or working on a factory production line can suffer these conditions from repetitive actions.



Symptoms can range from mild to severe and include: a dull ache, throbbing, numbness, tingling, swelling, weakness, cramps and tightness in the affected area. It is not a life threatening injury but it has the potential to cause crippling pain and disability, and perhaps more importantly hinder the action it stems from.

There are two types of RSI:-

• Specific - these include well defined syndromes such as carpal tunnel syndrome (pain and compression in the wrist), tendonitis (inflammation of a tendon), tenosynovitis (inflammation of a tendon sheath), frozen shoulder, bursitis (inflamed bursa), tennis elbow, etc.

• Diffuse - this is where there is no clear-cut diagnosis but a range of symptoms exist.

The condition is preventable and treatable. It is advisable not to ignore the early warning signs, the earlier expert advice is sought, the easier the management and recovery will be. Often resting the specific action and icing the area goes a long way in reducing the inflammation, however, this is not always practical as commonly it is a work related matter.



Osteopath’s in-depth knowledge make them useful allies in combating RSI, with a range of techniques and advice they are able to support you with the recovery process. To find an osteopath in your local area, please follow the link below:

Repetitive Strain Injury