Repetitive Strain?

Sixteen year olds do not get RSI, you'll be fine.

It's all good then, I was starting to worry about it.

Joshy, I'm 25 and have trouble with my right wrist, arm, and shoulder. It's exacerbating trouble with my sciatic nerve which is in my lower back, a condition known as sciatica (amongst other reasons for it, primarily stress) but began from extended computer usage in my young teens. The issues didn't start occurring until my early 20s though.

PLEASE watch your posture when you're sitting at the computer. Mine will tend to fire up after sitting and clicking for just 10 minutes straight if I'm not careful with my posture.

If you spend lots of time at the computer, save yourself a lot of pain in the long run and look up proper ergonomics. Of course, always use good judgment as doing anything repetitively for extended periods is harmful to you.

If you don't spend lots of time at the computer or doing things repetitively with your offending hand/wrist then it could be unrelated... but from the sound of it, it started from your long sit the other day, and I'll take it that as a graphic designer you're doing a lot of micromanipulation with the mouse and this is a terrible offender.

Yeah, my post doesn't mean you shouldn't take every step necessary to prevent long term disabilities from happening.

Don't be absurd. RSI has nothing to do with age. If he really spends 12 hours a day on the computer, he's the perfect candidate for RSI.

Well.

Fuck.

/Studies ergonomics.

You have RSI, and you're going to die.

Alcar...

I have had RSI. It went away when I changed my habits.

Yes Nate, exactly.

Joshy you're evidently an excellent graphic designer. We just don't want to see you crippled at the wrist if that's going to be your career.

I think what Joe meant was that RSI generally isn't diagnosed in 16 year olds. The demographics are going to show it appearing usually at more advanced ages (20+).

Now that our youth are beginning to use computers starting at younger ages, it is also starting to become more of a problem and is in fact being diagnosed younger than before; say, the era when women were required to take typing classes in high school to prepare them for jobs as secretaries... and even then were taught proper form.

Through years of abuse via video games, guitar and masturbating, I have had heinous RSI problems for the past few years. If I use my hands too much, I get really sharp pains in my hands, like being stabbed. Every now and then I have to go to a chiropractor to get shit checked and tell me how to sit and do things proper.

What a waste of time. I can tell you where and how to sit...

Leto: Have you tried changing your computer setup?

It has changed many times over the years. I think what tipped it overboard is when I started learning guitar around 10, and had incorrect hand posture for playing the instrument (which wasn't rectified for about 5 years).

The 12 hours was a one off, but I generaly am at the compuuter and looking at my desk now it has the worst setup for posture.

For example my wrist is always resting on the corner of my desk and the keyboard and screen are on a slant, plus my chair is really shit.

I am going to have to do something about this. Thanks for all your advice.