Guys,

Would like to do the survey, please give honest answers.

Ramdas

Seriously? I can spend 20min TOPS at a keyboard. After that my clavicles start aching and I can't feel my hands.

Anne

lol, i "work" 3.5 hours at a computer but it's a joke bc i have on a neck brace and i'm barely typing

also can't double click on a mouse, i have to use a marker still

i'm on my android phone all the time though, thank god for smart phones

I can work on the computer, for specific periods, lying down on my bed. Sitting, the forward head posture really makes life difficult.

Seriously, 15 mins of work, start burning and pain around my shoulders and shoulder blades. I had to leave a very high paying job in computer programming

After a year or so of reduced computer time (to zero at my worst) I am back to full-time computer work. Sometimes working long hours and weekends. Sigh.

Using stand-up desk and hand-held mouse to reduce bad posture.
Having frequent breaks, walking 20-40 min plus light exercise 3 times a day, working from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays so that I don't have to drive to the office two days in a row.

So far so good.

Hi Hiker,
Glad to see you can work on computer.Hows your symptoms after so long computer work? I get ulnar nerve issues at elbows.


Ramdas

For the most part no symtoms in arms/hands except some occasional minor finger numbness. Upper traps sometimes achy after a long day if I forgot to do the break/exercise.
Neck is the biggest problem right now. More or less constant low-grade pain.

Hi Hiker,
Were you having ulnar nerve symptoms before? My upper traps are extremely tight because of cervical strain between c7-t1. Massage helps temperory but traps goes in spasm again.
Traps causing tight muscles in thoracic outlet and mouse , keyboard causes injury to thoracic outlet structures.

I am on break from my software job from last 8-9 months, my pain has definitely not noticeable but I am desperate to go back to same job in a months time.
Computer work also gives me pain above my knees.
Any suggestions please based upon your recovery.
I am going to try prolotherapy for my neck as my ligaments are loose between c7-t1 due to troma .

Ramdas

Hi Ramdas.

No, I did not have major problems with ulnar nerve. I did have some on and off pain in my wrists and numbness in fingers. Mostly consistent with median nerve. I do have heightened sensitivity at the elbows which probably means some mild ulnar nerve compression, but nothing too bad.
Don't have pain above knees either. Toe numbness and some on and off pain in the hips (usually after certain exercises) and lower back pain (usually without particular reason).

If you can afford not goind back to computer work for a while, I'd suggest that. I chose to cointinue working and this is making the recovery so much more difficult.

Things which I found helpful:
making sure to take a break from computer regularly and lay down on the floor for 15-20 minutes doing some diaphragmatic breathing and what not.
This is hard to do when working in an office, but this is the only thing that helps the muscles relax completely.
Alternating standing and lying down throughout the day and avoiding the bad posture.
Avoiding driving, sitting down, airplane travel or any other activity that comes with bad posture.
If I cannot lie down, I take a 20-minute walk. This helps a bit as increases the blood flow in the muscles.
Very important to avoid stress. I had to ask my boss for assignments which don't come with a lot of pressure and allow for some flexibility in the schedule.
Stretching regularly, but avoiding overstretching.
Avoiding any exercise that causes discomfort/pain. For me it is chin ups, pull ups, shoulder dips, bicycling. Doorframe stretches and swimming don't seem to be problematic anymore, but still limit these. It is surprisingly easy to flare up the symptoms with excersise and is usually not clear what caused the flare up.
What I did was stop all exercises initially except very mild ones designed to promote relaxation (see Edgelow protocol). After several months, I would add one new routine and test it for several weeks to make sure it is safe. If any discomfort occurs, I would stop it completely and maybe try again in a few months.