RSI and Software Development

Back in 2014, I started to experience repetitive stress injury (RSI) pain in my forearms and wrists. At the time, I’d moved from a hybrid “talk to people / type at a computer” type job to a job that was pretty much full-time “type at a computer.” The pain started to become pretty debilitating, and I even developed a ganglion cyst in one of my wrists. Things weren’t getting any better on their own so it was time to do something.

I’m definitely more of a “try to fix it yourself before resorting to expensive medical treatments” kind of guy, so I started doing some research, making some changes, and trying a few different things. Now, almost 10 years later, I’m completely pain-free so long as I stick to some good habits and use good tools. In the hopes that my learning will help others, here’s what helped me overcome RSI as a software developer.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, so please consult with yours before making any changes. The following is more a summary of my journey that you can hopefully use as a jumping off point for your own recovery and should not be taken as medical advice – use at your own risk.

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