It is now known that Repetitive Strain Injuries fall into two broad categories, although these may overlap. These are:
 Localised or pathological conditions
Diffuse conditions
Some of the most common localised conditions are:
Tenosynovitis
Tendinitis
Epicondylitis
Bursitis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Diffuse conditions are less localised, spread through areas of the body, much less well understood and hard to diagnose. They are characterised by pain, muscle discomfort, burning and tingling sensations.
Some of the common reported symptoms of RSI are:
* pain
* tenderness
* burning sensation
* pins and needles
* crepitus (a crackling feeling when tendons are pressed)
* loss of sensation (numbness)
* sensation of cold
* swelling
* ganglion (cyst-like swelling)
* muscle weakness
* muscle spasm
* joint restriction/loss of movement
* loss of grip
These symptoms can occur at any stage in the development of RSI and there may be a delay between doing an activity and experiencing the symptoms. Often there are no visible signs at all.
The table below describes the nature of the types of RSI-related conditions and their symptoms. Localised conditions usually have a specific medical name, are more easily diagnosed by mediacal examination. They are usually confined to one part of the body and the symptoms are localised close to the affected area. The conditions can be grouped as follows: those involving inflammation of the muscles, muscle-tendon junctions or associated tissue (eg tenosynovitis); those involving inflammation of the tissues of the hand, elbow or knee (eg beat conditions such as bursitis); those involving compression of the nerve (eg carpal tunnel syndrome); and those involving fatigue of muscles because of excessive load or awkward posture and repetitive activity or movement.
RSI Condition | RSI Symptoms | Usual Causes | Bursitis
Inflammation of soft tissue between skin and bone or bone and tendon at knee, elbow, shoulder | Pain and swelling at site of injury | Kneeling, pressure at elbow, forceful movement, repetitive movement | Carpal tunnel syndrome
Pressure on the nerves passing through wrist | Tingling, pain, numbness in fingers and thumb, especially at night, weakness in hand | Repetitive work with a bent wrist, use of vibrating tools
| Cellulitis
Infection of palm of hand following repeated bruising | Pain and swelling of palm | Use of hand tools eg hammers and shovels, together with abrasion from dirt or dust | Cervical spondylitis
Inflammation of discs and synovial joints in neck and shoulder | Extreme pain in neck, possible referred pain in other parts of body if nerve trapped | Awkward postures, repetitive twisting of neck and shoulder | Dupuytren’s contracture
Thickening of tissue under palm of hand causing fingers to curl up | Occasional burning pain and development of palmar nodules, gradual inability to extend fourth and fifth fingers | Vibration and manual handling, may be hereditary | Epicondylitis
Inflammation of area where bone and tendon join, may be called "tennis elbow" when it occurs at elbow | Pain and swelling at site of injury | Repetitive, often forceful work | Ganglion
A cyst at a joint or in tendon sheath, usually on back of hand or wrist | Hard, small swelling, usually painless | Repetitive hand movement | Osteoarthritis
Damage to joints, resulting in scarring at joint and the growth of excess bone | Stiffness and aching in the spine, neck and other related joints | Long term overloading of spine and other joints | Peritendinitis
Inflammation of muscle-tendon junction and surrounding tissue | Swelling, pain in wrist and forearm | Repetitive movements plus force to move heavy weights | Rotator cuff syndrome
Inflammation of muscles and tendons in shoulder | Pain, loss of mobility in shoulder, with referred pain further down arm if nerves trapped | Repetitive use of shoulder | Tendinitis
Inflammation of tendon. May lead to tendons locking in the sheaths so that fingers, hands or arms cannot move easily
| Pain, swelling, tenderness and redness of hand , wrist or forearm, difficulty in using hand
| Repetitive movements | Tenosynovitis
Inflammation of tendon sheath | Aching, tenderness, numbness, sometimes with a crackling sound in wrist (crepitus), developing into extreme pain spreading to neck and shoulders | Repetitive movements of wrist, may be associated with sudden increase in workload | Tension neck or shoulder
Inflammation of muscles in neck and shoulder | Localised pain in neck or shoulder | Maintaining rigid, awkward posture | Trigger finger or thumb
Inflammation of tendons and/or tendon sheaths of fingers or thumb | Inability to move fingers or thumb smoothly, locking of affected digit, with or without pain
| Repetitive movements with repeated or prolonged gripping or pinching |
RSI is a progressive condition which can be divided into three broad stages although the symptoms experienced by sufferers do not always follow these simplified rules:
Click here for The Three Stages of Repetitive Strain Injury |
