The Repetitive Strain Injury Handbook: An 8-Step Recovery and Prevention Plan - Softcover

Simon, Robert M.; Aleskovsky, Ruth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 080505930X ISBN 13: 9780805059304

Publisher: Holt Paperbacks, 2000

Synopsis

A proven recovery plan for the over 8 million sufferers of repetitive strain injury, and a guide for the prevention of future injuries.

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is a painful, potentially disabling condition that most commonly stems from damage to the upper torso. Long-term misuse or overuse of everyday tools like computers and cash registers results in the painful hands, arms, and neck that are symptomatic of RSI, a condition whose incidence has increased 80 percent in this country since 1990.

The Repetitive Strain Injury Handbook is a unique, user-friendly guide that is broken into two parts: (1) the 8-step recovery plan and (2) an RSI prevention guide. The 8-step plan moves RSI sufferers beyond the common denial of this ailment and into a diagnosis and treatment plan with a doctor. It provides:

o Nutrition advice
o An exercise program
o Breathing tips
o Traditional and alternative pain management suggestions
o A holistic maintenance plan for long-term health

The second section is filled with suggestions, stories, and tips for RSI sufferers that will help them live pain-free at home, at work, and in their social and intimate lives. There is also a special section of information on women and RSI, since pregnancy, PMS, osteoporosis, mastectomy, and menopause can all aggravate this condition.

About this title

About the Author

Robert M. Simon, M.D., is a physiatrist with a private practice who teaches rehabilitation medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center. He lives in New York City. Ruth Aleskovsky is a writer and a sign language interpreter who lives in New York City.

Reviews

Simon is a psychiatrist specializing in rehabilitative medicine, Aleskovsky a writer and sign language interpreter who developed a repetitive strain injury (RSI) from interpreting. Although they officially define RSI as ``a stress-related, cumulative injury resulting from constant repetitive movements, the authors also implicate awkward work angles and insufficient rest periods as contributing causes. They present an eight-step program for relief for injury to ligaments, tendons, and muscles, from getting an early, accurate diagnosis and seeking help from a knowledgeable practitioner. The other elements are exercise, nutritional therapy, and stress reduction to prevent future episodes of the problem (yoga is especially recommended as a supportive measure). Simon and Aleskovsky explain how to develop a personalized exercise program depending on the cause of the injury and the area affected. Help with pain management looks to both traditional and alternative medicine, and a section on ``Special Concerns'' addresses women's issues (RSI may intertwine with perimenopause, pregnancy, osteoporosis, and other physical states), office ergonomics, housework, and intimacy. There is an extensive resource list. RSI can run the gamut from annoying to disabling. Here is sound help for anyone affected. (4 line drawings) -- Copyright ©2000, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is an umbrella term designating a cumulative condition. Physician Simon and patient Aleskovsky's useful book on RSI includes understandable science, practical observations, and advice for those reporting this increasingly common complaint. It presents the many types of RSI, discusses factors contributing to it, weighs the many varieties of RSI treatment, and counsels what to do if one suspects having it. Simon and Aleskovsky urge sufferers to seek professional help early because delay can compound the problems of treatment and a patient's adjustment to possible altered living conditions. They also lay out an eight-step program; emphasize the right kinds of exercise, nutrition, and rest for dealing with RSI; and include discussions of RSI and women, rearranging home and office to deal with RSI, and overcoming RSI-related social problems. William Beatty

Edition details

• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 080505930X
• ISBN 13: 9780805059304
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224