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Rsi?


Peter Clark

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I'm a writer and am working on another book - nothing to do with music, but rather Mithraism - and I'm also a bit of a text addict. Here's my problem - is constant working at a computer keyboard as well as texting likely to affect adversely my manual technique on the organ? I've noticed a mild deterioration of a sort recently but that could just be age and gin. Thoughts? :mellow:

 

Best

 

Peter

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Guest Nigel ALLCOAT
Here's my problem - is constant working at a computer keyboard as well as texting likely to affect adversely my manual technique on the organ? I've noticed a mild deterioration of a sort recently but that could just be age and gin. Thoughts? :mellow:

 

Best

 

Peter

 

Scales and arpeggios - legato & staccato (15 minutes) at the start and conclusion of each day on the piano. If you already do this, add 5 minutes to each session.

 

Perhaps just as serious, I think you should have Tonic Water with the gin.

 

Best wishes,

Nigel

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I'm a writer and am working on another book - nothing to do with music, but rather Mithraism - and I'm also a bit of a text addict. Here's my problem - is constant working at a computer keyboard as well as texting likely to affect adversely my manual technique on the organ? I've noticed a mild deterioration of a sort recently but that could just be age and gin. Thoughts? :mellow:

 

Best

 

Peter

 

Too much texting is not good - we see some problems with this from students at school

 

AJJ

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Last summer, I was signed off for 2 months with RSI. No organ or piano playing during that time, either! It was a pretty miserable and painful experience. I put it down to using the computer with bad posture - a lot of time sitting on a sofa using a laptop on my lap and using the track pad really screwed up my right thumb, although everything was complaining.

 

Eventually, I found a modest amount of playing seemed to help the RSI a bit - no more than 10-15 mins to beign with - and I've since made a pretty full recovery. I also found Gin with a modest amount of Tonic water also helped...

 

I've since reformed the way I sit at my computer and the Health & Safety people at work were a great help. So I'd suggest you check out how you sit at your computer: everything should be at right-angles - rather like the "Baroque" organist seating arrangement in Peter Hurford's book, with horizonal forearms, flat wrists and the screen about an arm's distance from your eyes and at eye level. Reaching for the keyboard and mouse if they're too far away can put a lot of strain on your shoulders, which can lead to RSI. Latest research suggests leaning back a bit reduces wear on the spine.

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Guest Barry Williams
I'm a writer and am working on another book - nothing to do with music, but rather Mithraism - and I'm also a bit of a text addict. Here's my problem - is constant working at a computer keyboard as well as texting likely to affect adversely my manual technique on the organ? I've noticed a mild deterioration of a sort recently but that could just be age and gin. Thoughts? :unsure:

 

Best

 

Peter

 

 

One of my colleagues had a very serious RSI caused by 'self typing'. He was not trained as a typist yet did all his own typing with one finger, using rather more pressure than a trained typist would. The result was three weeks off work and steroid injections in the elbow.

 

I have known of organists who have had a similar problem, invariably through playing tracker action organs. I had a temporary RSI (in the shoulder) after playing a modern tracker action organ where the action went through 90%.

 

RSI is a common and very serious condition that can give rise to compensation claims if the injury arose in the workplace.

 

If you do not type correctly, (i.e. the correct fingers on the keys) then take a course as soon as possible. It is well worthwhile and will ensure that you do not develop bad habits on the computer keyboard. Correct posture is also important at the PC. (See another reply for details.)

 

Barry Williams

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I do all of my own typing in the office, about 3 hours a day solidly, and the risk of RSI is a real concern.

 

Learning to type properly certainly reduces the strain on the hands and arms.

 

Also, I type on one of these ergonomic keyboards whcih are split down the middle, with each side rotated slightly and lifted up so that your forearms lie at a completely natural level. I would not be without it. Whenever I have to type on a flat, square keyboard, within a few minutes I notice the strain on the outside of my forearms. You can get one at any good computer shop, and I highly recommend them.

 

M

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I do all of my own typing in the office, about 3 hours a day solidly, and the risk of RSI is a real concern.

 

Learning to type properly certainly reduces the strain on the hands and arms.

 

Also, I type on one of these ergonomic keyboards whcih are split down the middle, with each side rotated slightly and lifted up so that your forearms lie at a completely natural level. I would not be without it. Whenever I have to type on a flat, square keyboard, within a few minutes I notice the strain on the outside of my forearms. You can get one at any good computer shop, and I highly recommend them.

 

M

I am sure there is something inherently problematic with word processor keyboard action and particularly the mouse. My wife is a trained typist of over 30 yrs experience who has suffered rsi since inputting on a database - onset during 2001. Mouse work seems more problematic than straight typing. She had no problems during the previous 20 years, which included old fashioned manual type writing. Working for the NHS, she has had full occupational health and medical investigations which recognise her condition; the employer has fortunately recognised the need to make industrial injury recompense. She finds the ergonomic keyboard helpful. Personally I avoid laptops with their flat and cramped keyboards which I find very uncomfortable and unnatural in use.

 

Surely Rubenstein & co would have suffered rsi if it were provoked by instrumental keyboards?

 

PA

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