RSI Prevention tips

General recommendations for RSI prevention:

  • Take the first symptoms seriously.
  • Ensure good blood circulation in your hands and avoid tensed muscles before starting PC work: cold hands are prone to injury!
  • Have regular breaks while working.
  • Balance the amount of permitted breaks across your working day. Relax for a moment by shaking wrists and shoulders, breathing calmly and deeply, moving your head and blinking your eyes.
  • Two-second breaks are already effective: if you don’t use the mouse let go of it and rest your hands on your lap. The same holds for keyboard work.
  • Take your time while exercising.
  • Limit the use of the computer when possible, using voicemail instead of e-mail and limiting PC use at home.

    Swaying your arms (approximately 10 times)

  • Bow a little forward and sway your arms from left to right and back.
  • Sway your arms in opposite directions: left forwards and right backwards and vice versa.
  • Swing your arms in a relaxed way round your body. Start by relaxing the shoulders and having them follow the rotating movemen, then move on to your hips and lastly your head.
  • Wrists: Flap your hands up and down, sideways and round and round as if you were drying your hands.

    Mobilising exercises (approximately 10 times)

  • Shoulder exercising in seated or upright position. While breathing in pull your shoulders up towards your ears; let your shoulders drop in a relaxed manner while breathing out.
  • While breathing in push your shoulders forward and up without bending your back; pull your shoulders backwards and down while breathing out, thus pulling your shoulder blades together and down.
  • Place your hands on your shoulders and rotate them backwards.
  • Place your hands on the back of your head; then start pulling your elbows together and away in front of your face.

    Neck exercises

  • Bow your head forward, pulling your chin towards your chest and back up again.
  • Push your chin outward and inward making a double chin.
  • Turn your head from left to right.
  • Bend your head sideways to your shoulder.
  • Wrists:Rotate your wrists.
  • Fingers:Stretch and bend them, making a fist.
  • Spread your fingers and bring them together again.

    Stretching

    (Hold for at least ten seconds and repeat three times, but not on cold muscles)

  • Neck: Stretch your back, (an active posture), retract your chin a bit and bring your ear to your shoulder.
  • Shoulders: Hold your right elbow with your left hand and pull your right arm as far as possible to the left across your body. This stretches the muscles around your shoulder blades. Relax for a moment and repeat the exercise for your left shoulder.
  • Lift your left arm up to your head and place your forearm between your shoulder blades. Hold your left elbow with your right hand and move it downwards and backwards – this stretches the front and lateral part of your armpit and the back of your shoulder.
  • Wrist and elbow:Lift your right arm forward but hold it just before reaching the horizontal position while keeping your elbow straight. Place your left hand under your right hand palm and bend your right hand upward.
  • Repeat the exercise but now bending your right hand downward.

If you would like Ergomotion to help you reduce absence due to work related injuries in your organisation, please contact us for detailed and free information. P: +31(0)20-6737244 M: +31(0)625116011

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