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Subject:Caution in treating CTS From:Linda Meissenheimer <lmeissenheimer -at- DJTTD -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 22 Aug 1997 15:26:12 +0100
Several contributors have recommended exercises to alleviate symptoms of
CTS. The problem is that some CTS symptoms, such as wrist pain, are
commonly present with other RSI conditions, for example, tendinitis.
Furthermore, it is not unusual for someone to have more than one RSI
affliction concurrently and present an array of symptoms.
Naturally a sufferer might be eager to try suggested exercises as a
remedy and/or to protect against further injury. Caution! Competent
medical diagnosis by an experienced specialist who is very familiar with
treating the whole range of RSI conditions is a must. Second opinions
are often necessary, as accurate diagnosis is often difficult to
achieve. But for someone whose wrist pain is caused by acute tendinitis
or epicondylitis, wrist exercises even with light weights can do serious
harm. And since CTS can be caused or aggravated by repetitive wrist
flexion, exercises involving similar movements may well do more harm
than good.
RSI-type symptoms in the forearms often have their source in the upper
back, neck, and shoulder area, even though this may seem far-fetched to
the sufferer.
Take immediate steps to improve your posture, based on reading some
authoritative sources on the subject. But be sure that remedial
exercises you try are appropriate for treating your own symptoms, not
someone else's.
Linda Meissenheimer
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