I was over in Spain last month and it is always great getting a good solid break from the computer. But I know that’s all it is; a break. It’s very easy to think that a week or two might be enough for your damaged nerves and muscles to start repairing and rebuilding themselves but it’s not. The break is great – but don’t expect anything more – it’s just a break. When you get back to your computer, you will be right back where you left off, with the same old aches and pains – and maybe even worse if you’ve also taken a break from your exercise routine.

I’ve read about this in various books too, people have actually gone on sick leave and holed themselves in bed for the duration, thinking this will be some sort of cure, whereas not using those nerves and muscles is the worst thing you can do.

So keep it in mind,; unless we’re talking about a very prolonged period is only a brief reprise, enjoy your break, maybe even use the extra time to strengthen your body – just don’t expect any miracles when you’re back from the hols.

When I got the Wristwand in the post I thought I’d been had. Saw the end off a sweeping brush and you’ve got the Wristwand. But in fairness it does have to be the exact width (ok we’re still in sawn-off sweeping brush territory) –  it is wrapped in nice foam on either end.

It does give your wrists a good stretch though. You just hold either end and raise your arms over your head while twisting at the wrists. Exercises can be easy to forget, so at the very least things like this act as a good prop; a reminder. Even if they’re not the miracle cure some of the pr would have you believe. And the WristWand is less than a tenner,  so no big deal.

• WristWand on Amazon
• www.wristwand.com

I ordered a new powerball today. One with a counter. If anyone out there wants my old one just leave a comment to claim it. Preferable location for me to post to is Ireland. The only difference between the new powerball and my old one is that the new one has a counter.

Read my post on powerballs for more info.

I’ve been working on a daily routine page recently. The only time I truly beat my RSI was when I fully took on board everything I ever read and every exercise my physio showed me and got up at 6am every morning and went through a half-hour routine. And in the evening I’d do another half an hour. Unfortunately I didn’t realise just how important it was to keep up the routine after I got better – so I’m trying to catch up again now. With two kids, it’s a bit harder this time around I’m just about managing 15 minutes most mornings. But the most important thing is to a little every day and try and get into a routine.

See: The Daily Routine page.

When my aches and pains get a bit depressing, I have a habit of reaching for my credit card and buying some RSI related gadget to try and cheer me up and add to my arsenal of RSI weaponry. A powerball, or gyroscopic exercise tool, is a ball with another rotating ball-like rotor inside. You start it spinning, like an old lawn mower, by pulling a string and then you build up the speed slowly by moving your wrist along with the rotor.

The powerball is fun in a gadgety kind of way but it can be good for building up arm muscles. I tend to play with it for a few minutes every day at low speed, but don’t really consider it a serious part of my daily routine. Update: I’ve since decided to use it for at least 10 minutes a day, one minute on each arm. Some people have testified to it being The Cure, though I tend to think that’s a flawed way of thinking in general. It can be dangerous to get too excited about any one thing being the end all cure. I’ve often got excited about my latest workstation setup or new input device and started slacking on exercise/posture/breaks etc and found myself back to square one very quickly.

Related links

• www.powerballs.com
• An RSI thread on the powerballs forum
• Buy from Amazon: Powerball Neon White Pro Signature
• Buy from Amazon: Powerball Neon Pro
• Buy from Amazon: NSD Powerball 250 Hz Blue – Regular

If I only get to do two exercises on a day, I do arm lifts and Wall Angels.

• Lie on your side with a cushion to support your head.
• Very slowly, raise your arm up straight and then back down to touch the floor.
• As with all exercises start off at your own pace and then work up. I do three sets of ten on each arm
• When you’ve got a bit more used to that add weights. I started off with those weights that are supposed to strap onto your leg and then got slightly heaver ones.
• It’s important to go slow

There are a few key exercises that you should add to your daily exercise routine. The main one is called angel wings. Both my own physio and Dr Casparelli highly recommend it, it’s both a strenghtening exercise and a postural realignment exercise. Like a lot of the exercises you will find here, it’s much harder to do than it looks, depending on the state of your arms.

• Your feet should be a little bit apart and a few inches away from the wall
• Your shoulders should keep in contact with the wall
• Do three sets of 10 or a straight run of 30 if you can manage it
• Do a few times a day if you can. They’re easy to do in a bathroom cubicle
• I’m usually groaning with pain by 30 but see if more or less is more suitable to you
• It’s important to keep your shoulders horizontal, a mirror helps, or you can use the straight line from tiles on a wall.
• And no laughing at my video! (even if it does have a creepy anonymous mask.)

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.beatingrsi.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/angelwings.swf" height="303" width="450" /]

(Video should have stop and play buttons, not showing up – I’m working on it)

The nodding dog is one exercise you really don’t want people to see you doing. It’s very silly looking but works really well for strenghtening your neck. If you get a sore neck either at the computer or while reading a book, do this exercise for about a minute every day.

• Nod your head up and down with small but fast movements (like a nodding dog in a car)
• Slowly turn your head all the way to the left, then all the way to the right while nodding
• Keep this up for less than a minute
• Do a few times a day if neccessary, maybe while you’re in the loo (but wait until you’re finished!)

We all know drinking plenty of water is good for you so that’s a bonus but this is a great trick for getting you away from your desk as much as possible. Drink lots and lots of water and you’ll be forced to go to the toilet frequently. Getting away from sitting in that same position for long stretches of time is very important.