(no subject)

[bedlamsbard]

Ugh.

I don't think I ever posted about what happened with the doctor when I went a few weeks ago -- he said not tendinitis or tennis elbow, definitely not arthritis, maybe early, early stages of an RSI, told me to a wear a brace as often as possible for a few days, take a few weeks off knitting, and gave me a referral for physical therapy that I haven't followed up on yet because I've been very stressed.

I tentatively tried to knit a little last night after a month off knitting (and it was basically just casting on! not even actually knitting!) and at the time it felt fine. Except I woke up this morning with elbow pain for the first time in weeks. Damn it. I don't want to have to take another three year break from knitting, and this would happen right after I dropped a few hundred bucks on new yarn. (This happened in 2013 too! Right after I bought new yarn!)

I get so frustrated because most knitters I know knit more than I do and don't get RSIs, so it ends up making me feel like I did something to cause this -- which I guess I did, that's the whole point of an RSI, but I just...I don't know. Posture, stress, body tension, body just not right for this, not getting enough exercise? Weather? Pure bad luck? I just want something to do with my hands during a 22-minute TV show that ends with something I like and will use, which is apparently too much to ask for.

Comments

[highlyeccentric]

I strongly suspect the problem is in your computer setup - poorly set up computer will destroy my wrists, shoulders and elbows. How high is your keyboard above your legs? I had an actual ergonomist set up my workspace when I worked for the govt, and the recommended max 2 inches above your thighs made a HUGE difference. I now sit on a stack of cushions like a small child in order to get to 2-3 inches between hands and thighs.

[bedlamsbard]

I basically spend 90% of my time on my laptop at my dining table, which should probably sum up exactly how ergonomically terrible my setup is. :(

[dhampyresa]

I hurt my shoulder some time back and switching which side of the computer my mouse was on helped with lowering stress on it. Maybe something that could work for you as well?