Musings on Repetitive Stress

I think this lady is the epitome of workplace related repetitive stress - imagine having a tiny horseman galloping over your metal hat all day long! (Maybe the fact that I have a really bad migraine today is also influencing me.)

There's been much excellent discussion on the blog this week about repetitive stress injuries and ways to avoid them. I can't add much so I'm bringing a few photos from my collection of 100+ year old Victorian  trade (advertising) cards to add visual interest to my post. As we all know, the Victorian liniments and nostrums Cured All the Things, right?

I first encountered RSI at the age of 19, when I worked in a drycleaners' for a year and developed bursitis in both shoulders that's stayed with me for my entire life. We had to lift the heavy packets of starched shirts over our heads onto shelves all day long - not a good idea. (No, I didn't do laundry in the Victorian age.)

I've had RSI in both wrists and both thumbs because I've always been on the computer, typing away, mousing away...so a few years ago I switched to a trackball mouse and that literally gave me my life back (plus I like the science fiction-y look of the thing!). Yes, Donovan might be my maiden name.....a little extra trivia for you there...

Some excellent advice here: I think all musicians have at one time or another experienced one physical problem or another. I have had tendinitis a couple of times, so I try to be really careful. It takes patience and persistence to overcome injury.

Yo-Yo Ma

And I like the spirit here: I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. No matter what the injury - unless it's completely debilitating - I'm going to be the same player I've always been. I'll figure it out. I'll make some tweaks, some changes, but I'm still coming.

Kobe Bryant

That's how I feel about writing - I'm never going to stop, no matter what, so I'd better take care of my physical self. I set a timer and I get out of my ergonomic chair with the ergonomic footrest every 43 minutes and spend 10 minutes doing something active.

I'll leave you with this cheerful person, advertising Ginger Tonic, which as you can see, if used discreetly (hmmm, wonder how much alcohol content this stuff had???) could prevent much sickness and suffering. So it was probably good for RSI too, you think?