Yoga FOR THE UPPER BODY
Self-care for relieving and preventing tension and pain in the upper back, shoulders, neck, wrists, and hands
Preventing repetitive strain and carpal tunnel syndrome
Empower yourself to prevent and treat repetitive strain
This webpage lists my recommendations for resources you can use to take care of yourself if you're required to spend a lot of time working at a computer.
The reason for this site is that I want to share what I've learned. I've been dealing with my own computer-related repetitive strain for years, and I've explored many methods of treatment, from mainstream medical to self-care approaches such as yoga.
I began having unusual tension in my upper back and wrists when I was a Computer Science major in college in the early nineties. A few years after I'd entered the workforce, my pain worsened, and it led me to mainstream doctors, physical therapists, and massage therapists. I received multiple diagnoses: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, and DeQuervain's Syndrome. I received cortisone injections, wore wrist braces, and took a detour down the demeaning road of workers' compensation. In the end, when everything failed, surgery was the only option offered to me by three different doctors.
I chose to take matters into my own hands instead, and decided to change careers. I became a yoga teacher, and in 2003 I started a yoga studio. Being a business owner required me to carefully return to computer work, and I've succeeded in creating a tech-savvy yoga studio, successfully keeping myself out of pain.
Repetitive strain hit me when I was young. As a result, I've been learning about it for 15 years. Since then, I've been luckily to find the tools I need to take care of my own health while returning to computer work. I now teach workshops and maintain this resource website, to share these tools with my students and the public about self-healing approaches to repetitive strain injuries.
As long as you continue working on computers, you cannot expect computer-related strain doesn't go away on its own. The best we can hope for is to manage it by taking extra-special care of ourselves. This is what I've been doing for years with yoga. I hope this site helps you to feel empowered to take care of yourself. I invite you to send me your feedback.
Debbie Daly
debbie@debbiedaly.com
Recommended Resources
Complete Guided Yoga Practices (DVDs)
Viniyoga Therapy for the Upper Back, Neck & Shoulders with Gary Kraftsow
This DVD consists of A 20-minute introduction followed by three practice sections, totalling 1.5 hours of actual yoga practice. Kraftsow is a leading teacher and researcher in yoga therapy and he has direct experience working with thousands of patients. For this reason alone, this is an extremely valuable resource - we know these practices have worked for people. Practically speaking, the instruction is a bit too dry and clinical to really promote a sense of relaxation and mindfulness. The main focus is on physical movements, stability and alignment. It's excellent for beginners - the pace is slow, and the instructions are very clear. My recommendation to beginners would be to use this CD as a learning tool for the physical movements, and eventually try to do the practices in a less rigid, more mindful and relaxed way than the DVD might suggest.
Yin Yoga: The Foundations of a Quiet Practice
I recommend this DVD for two reasons: (1) Learning the concepts of yin yoga from this DVD will teach you how to stretch in a new way, to target fascia (AKA connective tissue, which is recognized by many to be the main culprit in RSI). While the sequences of this DVD focus on the lower body, Yin Yoga can also be applied to the upper body. (2) The final segment, Yang Sequences, illustrates an excellent way for healthier people to practice yoga who want to stay strong, healthy and flexible in the upper body. If you want to be a "Computer Athlete," this would be the way to go. The Yang Sequences on this DVD are definitely not recommended for anyone with an active RSI injury.
Books
Repetitive Strain Injury: A Computer User's Guide
The first book of its kind, this is still an excellent introduction to repetitive strain, covering topics such as ergonomics and prevention, with an excellent section explaining the different diagnoses one might expect if they consult a doctor (DeQuervain's, cubital tunnel syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc.). This book introduces the "Computer Athlete" approach - that if we want to continue working on computers without pain, we have to keep our bodies and minds in supreme condition.
The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief
by Clair Davies (2004)
Highly recommended for repetitive strain sufferers, this book teaches you how to conduct deep-tissue (myfascial release) massage on yourself, using your hands, a simple tennis ball, and other optional self-massage tools. If you never thought learning about your own anatomy could be fascinating, this book will prove you wrong. Empowering and transformational, this book has gone viral on Amazon and has spurred a whole culture of self-healing and additional trigger point research.
The Frozen Shoulder Workbook
By the same author, this book is not just for shoulders that won't move at all, but for any kind of shoulder pain, injuries or limitations to range of movement. Those with mouse shoulder will find more detailed approaches to what is introduced in the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, including partner work.
It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome! by Jack Bellis & Suparna Damany (2000)
Jack Bellis knows better than most about the frustration and disappointment that RSI patients experience once they enter the medical system, which offers little for RSI suffers aside from surgery, splints, and painkillers. Although the book reads a bit like an action novel, it is well-assembled. Those looking for specific information about mouse-related injuries will not find it here (perhaps because the book was published before things became so heavily mouse-driven) however the overall theories and approaches are applicable to all RSI sufferers. Bellis may have been the first to popularize the effectiveness of Trigger Point Therapy for RSI sufferers. He teaches us that working with a doctor or therapist does not absolve us from the need to learn about repetitive strain. If you can't find an RSI specialist, the trick is to find someone who is willing to work with the ideas and techniques that you bring to them.
Yoga for Computer Users: Healthy Necks, Shoulders, Wrists, and Hands in the Postmodern Age
A great introduction to how and why yoga can help, written by Pixar's in-house yoga teacher, Sandy Blaine. The postures and yoga practice outlined in this book are mostly meant to be done at your desk, and because of this I find the posture section to be limited. Blaine does state in her introduction that she's not an RSI sufferer herself, and in the practice section, I believe this shows. She has transcended that limitation in the non-practice section of the book, however, and her writing on the yogic approach to repetitive strain, including mindfulness, relaxation, awareness, and movement, is an excellent resource. For that reason, I still do recommend this book.
Articles
Yoga for People with Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) by Deborah Quilter
An excellent and well-researched article. Quilter has obviously worked with people in pretty bad shape, and because of that, this article stops short of offering specific exercises. Instead she recommends yoga therapy sessions with a professional. My advice is, don't waste your time with "just any" yoga teacher or therapist - find someone who thoroughly understands RSI (Note: a yoga therapist with this knowledge will be hard to find).
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Repetitive Stress Injury, and Yoga by Ellen Serber
Subscapularis & Mouse Usage by Gary Gammon
Mouse Shoulder - Two articles
Got Mouse Shoulder? Try a Short Keyboard - really good article
FightRSI.com - Only about 5 entries in this blog, but all worthwhile.
Websites
SoreHand.org - The longtime email list for RSI sufferers. For those of us who have been suffering from RSI since the 90's, this was the ONLY resource in the early days, and it continues to be a great resource today.
RSI Exercises: Preventing and Healing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Repetitive Stress Injuries by Ellen Serber
RSIRescue.com - Jack Bellis' website (author of It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!)
RSIWarrior.com - At-desk exercises in a downloadable program that includes visual instruction and self-scheduled rest reminders.
RSIhelp.com - Deborah Quilter's website
RSIaction.org - Boston-area support for people with repetitive strain injuries
Yoga Teachers & Therapists
Debbie Daly (San Francisco Bay Area, CA) - Yoga and self-massage workshops and private sessions.
Sandy Blaine (San Francisco Bay Area, CA) - Author of the book "Yoga for Computer Users" and owner of the Alameda Yoga Station.
Deborah Quilter (New York City) - Physical therapist and yoga instructor; author of one of the first books about repetitive strain injuries and computer use in the 90s, and continues to be an active participant in helping RSI sufferers
Website maintained by Debbie Daly
Products
Evoluent Vertical Mouse
Evoluent Mouse-Friendly Keyboard
Kinesis Ergonomic Keyboard
Massage tools (read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook
* Theracane
* Knobble
* Backknobber
* Tennis ball or lacrosse ball
Foam Roller by Altus Athletic
An excellent way to stretch the middle and upper spine and to counteract computer-related tension. Foam rollers have become a standard physical therapy tool, particularly for shoulder injuries. Here's a YouTube Video on how to use a foam roller.