Journal: News & Comment

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Paying the price

My intense work on newsletters for the Canadian Paediatric Society last week seems to have cost me something. I'm now showing signs of a repetitive strain injury (probably tendinitis) in my right pinky and elbow.

It is likely a consequence of using a notebook computer perched on a table that was too high for the chair I was sitting on, even though I did use a mouse instead of a trackpad to try to avoid such a problem. I've since been investigating some resources on RSIs, and, if things don't improve swiftly with some of the measures I'm taking, I'll have to see a doctor to find out what I can do.

My wife had an RSI last year, not from typing, but from constantly carrying our then-infant daughter. After some physiotherapy and other treatments, plus plenty of rest of her arm, she's better now. Unfortunately, I can't really avoid typing and drumming, two possible RSI aggravators, since they are my jobs.

I'll simply have to be very aware of what I'm doing and see how things progress as I start my summer-long three-day-a-week technical writing contract for Sierra Wireless Inc. tomorrow. Or try using only my left hand!

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