Clinical Features

What are the symptoms?

RSI conditions have many varied symptoms. The following may indicate an onset of RSI.

• Recurring pain or soreness in neck, shoulders, upper back, wrists or hands.
• Tingling, numbness, coldness or loss of sensation.
• Loss of grip strength, lack of endurance, weakness, fatigue.
• Muscles in the arms and shoulders feel hard and wiry when palpated.
• Pain or numbness while lying in bed. Often early stage RSI sufferers mistakenly think they are lying on their arms in a awkward position cutting off circulation.

Interestingly, symptoms may be caused by apparently unrelated areas – for example hand numbness may be caused by a nerve being pinched near the shoulder. Occasionally in the initial stages of RSI an area may be in quite bad condition but not feel painful unless it is massaged, or weak unless a long endurance exercise is performed.