The Repetitive Strain Injury Recovery Book

What do a pianist and a grocery checkout clerk have in common with a computer programmer? They continually repeat small hand movements that can cause Repetitive Strain Injury: disabling numbness, tingling or pain, mainly in the hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, and neck. In fact, anyone who spends hours at a computer terminal risks developing carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and other disorders of the muscle, nerve and tendon! Deborah Quilter, who was diagnosed with RSI in 1991, has assembled the best RSI treatment advice, including:

• techniques to avoid further injury at work and at home
• medical, nonmedical, and natural healing therapies
• tips on dealing with depression and the anxiety of job insecurity
• personal stories of injury and successful rehabilitation

The Repetitive Strain Injury Recovery Book is an effective, inspiring blueprint to choosing the right treatment, managing RSI symptoms, and minimizing flare-ups.

• Over 15 million people have been diagnosed with RSI disorders.
• RSI accounts for over 60% of all work-related ailments.
• A leading health insurance company reported that the average cost of treating one RSI case is $100,000.
• Last December, a jury in a federal district court awarded close to $6 million to three plaintiffs whose RSI was attributed to using the computer manufacturer's keyboards.
• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates RSI has increased 800% over the past decade.

Deborah Quilter is co-author of Repetitive Strain Injury: A Computer User's Guide (with Emil Pascarelli, M.D., John Wiley & Sons). She lives in New York City.

Robert E. Markison, M.D., is Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of California-San Francisco and co-director of Hand Surgery Service at Moffitt Hospital.