RSI is traditionally viewed as an injury affecting the muscles,
ligaments and joints of the body. In my view, RSI can also affect the nerves
and the circulation. This neurovascular nature of the problem leads to a condition
that does not get better with rest and does not allow the person to return
to the task that caused the original injury without worsening the symptoms.
Effective treatment is therefore counterintuitive.
Over time, the RSI patient who does not receive effective treatment will spiral
into an ever-worsening disability that is discouraging and depressing. All
too often, treatment programs result in temporary relief, and returning to
work soon brings back a condition as bad or worse than before treatment commenced.
After 37 years of treating patients with myriad disabilities as a physical
therapist, and after the last 12 years treating over 1,000 RSI patients who
had lost hope of ever returning to normal living, I am firmly convinced that
there are treatment techniques which can alter this downward spiral.
