OSTEOPATH FOR REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY MELBOURNE CBD
A repetitive strain injury (RSI) can also be referred to as an overuse or cumulative driven injury. It is a term that is used for pain caused by repeated movement of the body. It is also a common term used within occupational health settings because many injuries in the workplace are driven through repetitive cumulative use.
RSI commonly affects the shoulders, elbows, forearm, wrists, hands and fingers. The tissues impacted include muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints.
Symptoms include pain, stiffness, weakness, tingling, pins and needles or numbness, muscle cramps and swelling.
For those individuals who experience repetitive strain injuries, seeing an osteopath can help with identifying a diagnosis and providing manual therapy treatment for pain relief. In many circumstances, a combination of rest, pain medication, activity modification and treatment can result in symptom improvement over a couple of weeks.
KEY FACTS
- Job roles that involve repetitive activities and use of the upper limb i.e. hairdressing, trades people, manufacturing and administration can result in an increased risk of one developing RSI
- Sports or hobbies such as tennis, golf, gardening, knitting that involve frequent use of the upper limb can increase ones risk of developing RSI
- Conservative treatment measures are often the easiest and best strategies for helping an individual with repetitive strain injuries
The True Cost Of RSI
Repetitive strain injuries, also commonly known as cumulative strain injuries or work related upper limb disorders commonly effect tendons and muscles.
For those individuals who have a repetitive strain injury, this can be persistent pain, reduced function and capacity to undertake work, activities of daily living, sports and hobbies.
CAUSES OF REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURIES
These risk factors increase your chance of developing RSI:
- Deconditioning and lack of capacity: If you are starting out in a new job, hobby or sport, it is important to gradually build your capacity up over time so that the body has time to adapt. Excess exposure in a short period of time to an unaccustomed activity may increase your risk of developing a repetitive strain injury
- Job-related risk factors: Jobs that require heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, or twisting can injure the back. A desk job may also play a role, especially if you are not moving frequently enough or are sitting in awkward postures for prolonged periods of time.
- Age: AS WE AGE OUR GENERAL CONDITIONING AND TISSUE HEALTH AND REPAIR ABILITY CAN DECLINE OVER TIME. THEREFORE IT IS IMPORTANT TO GRADUALLY EXPOSE YOURSELF OVER TIME TO ACTIVITIES TO MINIMISE THE RISK OF DEVELOPING AN RSI COMPLAINT.
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1. WARNING Repetitive strain injuries can have a huge impact on ones health and wellbeing as they may result in persistent pain, reduced function and capacity to undertake work, activities of daily living, sports and hobbies.
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2. WHAT TO DO Rest is important in reducing the aggravation of RSI, it is important not to rest for more than a couple of days and one should look to implement some activity modifications. Resting may well help with reducing pain, however if rested for too long, the area can become reconditioned and symptoms often return quickly when using the limb or affected area.
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3. GOOD NEWS The vast majority of RSI complaints can resolve in a short period of time if addressed early and key aggravating and maintaining factors are reviewed and modified.
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4. NEXT STEP Book an osteopathy consultation with one of our industry leading osteos.
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INITIAL CONSULTATION
60 MINUTES- For clients who have not visited Principle Four Osteopathy before or who have not been to the clinic for an osteopathy consultation for some time (>2 years years since your last osteopathy consult).
STANDARD CONSULTATION
30 - 40 MINUTES- For clients with one regional complaint and/or simple musculoskeletal complaint.
- Our standard osteopathy consult will provide adequate time to address your musculoskeletal complaint.
LONG CONSULTATION
60 MINUTES- For clients with one or more regional musculoskeletal complaints and/or complex musculoskeletal complaint.
- Also for those clients who feel they need a bit more time than the standard osteopathy consultation.
Note: Private health claiming is available onsite for all osteopathy consults. Please consult your private health fund provider to determine your osteopathy rebate for our initial and subsequent osteopathy consultations..
WHAT TO EXPECT
- Step 1: Booking your consult – Once you have booked a consult with one of our osteopaths, you will be sent a confirmation email and a pre consult questionnaire. We want to find out why you have booked to see us and what you would like to get out of your consultation
- Step 2: Assess, Diagnose ad provide symptom relief – Your initial osteopathic consultation will take about 60 minutes in duration and during this consultation we will listen and talk to you about your complaint and what your goals are. We will then take you through a comprehensive assessment and then discuss with you our findings and recommended treatment and management plan. Treatment and management may include manual therapy to provide symptom relief and then a discussion around pain management and symptoms modification strategies. If you require a referral elsewhere, we will discuss this with you and facilitate this.
- Step 3: Improve capacity and performance – Once your symptoms are under control, our goal will be to assist you with building your functional capacity, ability to perform everyday activities without pain and performance. Our osteopaths will work with you to provide you with strategies to do so. This may include exercise and work related assessments and training.
Can Osteopathy Help Repetitive Strain Injury
Many people call and ask us, “does osteopathy help RSI?”. And the answer is yes. Our osteopath will take a detailed case history, perform a thorough physical examination and then implement manual therapy techniques such as massage, stretching, dry needling, shockwave therapy, bracing or taping and the prescription of exercises.
Osteopath Treatment For RSI
Osteopathic treatment can assist by reducing pain and also improving movement in the region and those regions above and below the problematic area. The osteopath is also likely to provide you with education on how to continue working or undertaking your preferred hobbies without further aggravation of your complaint and will also prescribe stretching and strengthening exercises when appropriate.
Pain management may involve hot or cold therapy as well as medication via your pharmacist or general practitioner.
Common Types of Repetitive Strain
The most common repetitive strain injuries include rotator cuff tendinopathy, golfers and tennis elbow and de quervains tenosynovitis. Often there is a combination of muscular tightness, tendon irritation and also joint stiffness. Regular exposure to movement and activity can result in irritation of these tissues that subsequently leads to pain, inflammation, tightness and stiffness.
Book An Osteopathy Treatment For RSI
If you are suffering from RSI pain book a treatment with one of our osteopaths at Principle Four Osteopathy on Collins St Melbourne CBD.
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