I know that there are experiments with rats given RSI's that show the rats develop lower body symptoms. I believe but am not sure that this is related to the body wide inflammatory response cause by RSI.

Details are probably in one of these papers.


1: J Orthop Res. 2003 Jan;21(1):167-76.
Chronic repetitive reaching and grasping results in decreased motor performance and widespread tissue responses in a rat model of MSD.
Barbe MF, Barr AE, Gorzelany I, Amin M, Gaughan JP, Safadi FF.
Department of Physical Therapy, College of Allied Health Professions, Temple University, 3307 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA. mbarbe@temple.edu
This study investigated changes in motor skills and tissues of the upper extremity (UE) with regard to injury and inflammatory reactions resulting from performance of a voluntary forelimb repetitive reaching and grasping task in rats. Rats reached for food at a rate of 4 reaches/min, 2 h/day, and 3 days/week for up to 8 weeks during which reach rate, task duration and movement strategies were observed. UE tissues were collected bilaterally at weekly time points of 3-8 weeks and examined for morphological changes. Serum was tested for levels of interleukin-1alpha (IL-1) protein. The macrophage-specific antibody, ED1, was used to identify infiltrating macrophages and the ED2 antibody was used to identify resident macrophages. Rats were unable to maintain baseline reach rate in weeks 5 and 6 of task performance. Alternative patterns of movement emerged. Fraying of tendon fibrils was observed after 6 weeks in the mid-forelimb. After 4 weeks, a general elevation of ED1-IR macrophages were seen in all tissues examined bilaterally including the contralateral, uninvolved forelimb and hindlimbs. Significantly more resident macrophages were seen at 6 and 8 weeks in the reach limb. At 8 weeks, serum levels of IL-1alpha increased significantly above week 0. Our results demonstrate that performance of repetitive tasks elicits motor decrements, signs of injury and a cellular and tissue responses associated with inflammation.
PMID: 12507595 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


Clin Sci (Lond). 2007 Mar;112(5):305-14.

Inflammatory biomarkers increase with severity of upper-extremity overuse disorders.

Carp SJ, Barbe MF, Winter KA, Amin M, Barr AE.

Department of Physical Medicine, Chestnut Hill Health System, 8835 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118, U.S.A.

MSDs (musculoskeletal disorders) from overuse are common occupational health problems that cause pain, functional loss and loss of work time. The aim of the present study was to determine whether a relationship exists between the severity of early-onset overuse-related MSDs of the upper extremity and serum levels of IL-1beta (interleukin-1beta), TNF-alpha (tumour necrosis factor-alpha), IL-6 (interleukin-6) and CRP (C-reactive protein). Twenty-two subjects with upper-extremity MSDs due to overuse for no longer that 12 weeks were stratified according to the severity of upper-extremity signs and symptoms as determined by a UBMA (upper-body musculoskeletal assessment). Nine asymptomatic subjects also participated. Serum cytokines were analysed using ELISA, and CRP was analysed using a laser nephelometry technique. CRP was strongly correlated, and TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 were moderately correlated, with UBMA scores. Only CRP and TNFalpha were significantly associated with UBMA scores in an ordinal logistic regression analysis in which age and BMI (body mass index) were covariates. These results are of clinical importance as they suggest that early-onset overuse-related MSDs may have an inflammatory component. The possibility of using a combination of serum biomarkers to follow the progression of overuse-related MSDs or their response to therapeutic intervention may be of interest to clinical practitioners and should be the focus of future research.

Publication Types:
· Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH Terms:
· Adult
· Biological Markers/blood
· C-Reactive Protein/metabolism
· Cumulative Trauma Disorders/blood*
· Female
· Humans
· Inflammation Mediators/blood*
· Interleukin-1beta/blood
· Interleukin-6/blood
· Male
· Middle Aged
· Occupational Diseases/blood*
· Severity of Illness Index
· Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood
· Upper Extremity*

Substances:
· Biological Markers
· Inflammation Mediators
· Interleukin-1beta
· Interleukin-6
· Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
· C-Reactive Protein

PMID: 17064252 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]




: J Neuroimmunol. 2005 Oct;167(1-2):13-22
Increase in inflammatory cytokines in median nerves in a rat model of repetitive motion injury.
Al-Shatti T, Barr AE, Safadi FF, Amin M, Barbe MF.
Kuwait University, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, P.O. Box 31470, Sulaibekhat, Kuwait 90805, Kuwait. mary.barbe@temple.edu
We examined cytokines in rat median nerves following performance of a high repetition reaching and grasping task at a rate of 8 reaches/min for up to 8 weeks. IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-10 were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Double-labeling immunohistochemistry for ED1, a marker of phagocytic macrophages, was also performed. We found increased immunoexpression of IL-6 by week 3, increases in all 5 cytokines by week 5. This response was transient as all cytokines returned to control levels by 8 weeks of performance of a high repetition negligible force task. Cytokine sources included Schwann cells, fibroblasts and phagocytic macrophages (ED1-immunopositive). These findings suggest that cytokines are involved in the pathophysiology of repetitive motion injuries in peripheral nerves.
PMID: 16026858 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]