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AHHHHH! Stop using your computers right now!!!! Quick, stop before you break your wrists!!!! Don't even try to respond to this message or you might loose the ability to use your arms permanintly!!! Run as far away from your computers before they get to you!!! Run!

We had Deborah on because one of our listeners asked to do a show on RSI. She has written 2 books on the subject and is considered an expert. She has appeared on tv several times and has generated some press on the subject. Some people do have RSI injuries. They are real. Back in my band days I started getting numbness from my elbow down to the tip of my left pinky. It was the early stages of Carpel Tunnel syndrome. I stopped playing for some time and the condition went away. My brother in law had surgery for Carpel Tunnel syndrome about 9 months ago on both hands. He works in one of the regional distribution warehouses for a major hardware chain. Not computer related at all. It was a tough time for them because they very little income coming in while he was recovering.

Get a good keyboard. You can get decent ergonomically shaped keyboard for under $100... or at least don't cheap out and use a $20 one from compuseless. And stop using emacs if you can help it, there's a reason why RMS and Gosling can barely type any more. Some typists recommend dvorak layout but I'm not sure how feasible that is for Unix users.

Also, I find the following two tricks help me out alot:

Add the following to your ~/.Xmodmap turn your caps lock into an extra control:
remove Lock = Caps_Lock
keysym Caps_Lock = Control_L
add Control = Control_L

And for us Vi users, I find switching the tilde and escape keys:
keysym Escape = grave asciitilde
keysym grave = Escape asciitilde

(and remember to add "xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap" to .xinitrc or .xsession)

IMO it was an interesting interview. i suffered with some sort of RSI complaint in one hand last year, first time ever in 25 years of tapping a keyboard daily and until then i had no idea quite how uncomfortable it was although i was aware of the complaint but figured 'it wont bother me'.

by the sounds of it, i experienced just the early stages and it subdued after a week. believe me, it hurt like hell whenever i moved the fingers on the affected hand and i sure as hell wouldnt want to experience similiar again.

TankCatNinjaFish wrote:Get a good keyboard. You can get decent ergonomically shaped keyboard for under $100... or at least don't cheap out and use a $20 one from compuseless. And stop using emacs if you can help it, there's a reason why RMS and Gosling can barely type any more. Some typists recommend dvorak layout but I'm not sure how feasible that is for Unix users.

Haven't heard the show yet, but from what I've read, keyboard use is not a cause of RSI in a good ergonomic setup. I've been on a keyboard 8 hours a day for at least 6 years, with no problems. When I use the mouse too much, I have pain, but the keyboard doesn't bother me at all. Of course I use an adjustable chair and keyboard tray and have them adjusted correctly, but I don't use an ergonomic keyboard.

As far as Emacs causing RSI, I'm pretty sure that's not true either. According to RMS and his doctors, he does not have carpal tunnel syndrome.

Hi!
Just listened to the show about RSI and I think this was a very good and informative interview with Deborah.
I myself am suffering from early stage RSI since 3 years and changed my computer habbits. I totally quit computer games which I had played very much before. I also have thrown away my mouse and now I use a Wacom graphic tablet as an alternative pointing device which is a great relief.
Basically I can only give you the advise not to underestimate this issue like I did before it hits me @ age of 31 after billions of hours in front of a computer.

peyote wrote:Hi!
Just listened to the show about RSI and I think this was a very good and informative interview with Deborah.

I agree that it was a good interview, and very informative. I wish she would have given better advice on what people can do to reduce risks, though. "Don't use a computer at all and buy my book" may be good advice, but it doesn't help me.

I was doing some mild weight training on my upper body, and the pain in my shoulder (from using the mouse all day) went away completely. I've slacked off on the workout and the pain is back. I'm not reccomending anyone use weights to combat RSI, I just think the stretching involved was making a difference for me.

I'm also trying to be more conscious of taking breaks often. Like a lot of people I work on a computer all day and that's not going to change. Telling my not to use a computer doesn't help.

Gomer_X wrote:"Don't use a computer at all and buy my book" may be good advice, but it doesn't help me.

I was doing some mild weight training on my upper body, and the pain in my shoulder (from using the mouse all day) went away completely.

What worked for me was learning a few Tai-Chi exercises a friend of mine taught me (he's a Tai-Chi instructor AND Linux user ).

I do any of these four exercises once or twice a day and that keeps me from RI problems that I started to experience a couple years ago.