[Recovering from a repetitive strain injury requires vigilance. When symptoms are at their worst, or you are just beginning your path toward recovery, the more you stretch gently and consciously, the better.

Restoring your body to a more normal state appears to be a very front-end loaded process. By that I mean that you have to spend more time in the earlier stages of recovery doing things that enhance the restoration and healing of your injured arms, hands, neck and shoulders. This requirement will shift as more and more tissue returns to its normal state. You’ll eventually need to spend only a few minutes a day maintaining the balance you’ve achieved. But first, there’s a lot of work to do.]

http://www.selfcare4rsi.com/reverse-stretch.html

[RSI Articles -
The following articles have appeared in past issues of the Self Care For RSI's Newsletter. Please click on each link to view the full article.]
http://www.selfcare4rsi.com/rsi-articles.html

Jo,

Have you purchasd the thoracic outlet syndrome or any RSI programs from Sharon Butler? I read her book a long time ago and went to the website through your link and looked over the various programs. I'm very tempted to order that and start all over again, My right side is killing me and my WC case is coming to an end. Sometimes I just wish so badly for some physical therapy but pain management doctor says NO.

hi Sandy,
Yes, I bought her TOS program in 04.
It is more stretch specific for TOS than the book and with a sequence & time line {a loose time line}.
But most of the suggestions and fascia info are the same as in the book.
I just printed the stretch pages and kept them in the sequence til i got it memorized.

I never really "finished" the program, I still use it when i start to feel any tightness. I can tell when I put off doing it too.

It is about the easiest thing to do for yourself.
Many have the problem of not noticing the very tiniest sensation of a stretch feeling, and only going to that point.
You must only progress as your body allows, slowly without causing a flare up.

on the PM doc-
Does he not have any faith in finding a good PT for you?
Even if just for pain relief tx- ultra sound, massage, heat treatments?

Jo,

The pain management doctor's hands are tied. He can't order any more treatment of any kind since he's already put me at MMI. I have a court date in the morning to see if I am going to receive PTD-Permanent total disability or PPD-permanent partial disability through worker's comp. It's anyone's guess how that will be turn out. My lawyer says the judges are very careful to not appoint too many PTD awards during any year. After all, they are appointed judges, not elected. In case you haven't noticed, I'm nervous!!!! I've been pegged by voc. rehab person as not cooperative in my job placement. I had to work at my pace and even then I developed shoulder bursitis and finger tendonitis. She's the last person to come onto my case, I meet with her for 90 minutes and I've been treated by five surgeons, whop all say I can't do the same work...but yet in that short amount of time she's been allowed to dictate the rest of my life!!! and expect me to perform at levels I can't any more.
Thanks for the feedback on the Sharon Butler program...

Sandy

Good luck tomorrow.

thanks Jo for the helpful stretch


thanks rich

Jo- you rock! thank you for the stretches. One of these days I'll do them regularly