Symptoms of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

Medically reviewed by:

Dr Dan Bunstone - Medical Officer

Updated: Aug 18, 2021

Next review: Aug 18, 2022

With a RSI, at first, the pain is usually only felt when carrying out the repetitive movements. The pain usually develops over time, and can range from being mild to very severe.

As the injury gets worse, and if you continue with the repetitive movement, the pain may last for longer, or become constant.

The condition commonly affects the neck, shoulders, elbows, arms, wrists, hands and fingers.

The most common symptoms of RSI include:

Pain
Stiffness
Tightness
Swelling
Tingling (like pins and needles)
Numbness
Cramp
Tenderness
Weakness
A dull ache
A throbbing pain
Sharp, shooting pain
Loss of sensation

As we mentioned, when you first develop RSI, the pain may only be present when carrying out certain activities and the pain may be mild. However, if left untreated it can cause the condition to worsen, and lead to more severe, or more regular pain.

Learning to live with, and manage RSI pain on a daily basis, can become stressful. You may find the pain gets worse at certain times, or you may have to stop carrying out certain activities. For example, you could start to feel numbness or become less able to grip things if your wrist or fingers are affected.

Seeking treatment as early as possible will help you to get things under control before they start affecting your life too much.

If you recognise these symptoms and think that you may have a Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) and you’re finding it difficult to cope, it’s recommended that you see a doctor.

They’ll listen to your symptoms and get a good understanding of your situation. They’ll be able to provide an expert diagnosis that will take you a step closer to getting the correct treatment. The doctor will be able to rule out similar conditions and refer you to a specialist for treatment or tests if needed.

NHS, Repetitive strain injury (RSI): Symptoms of RSI, 27/01/2016.
nhs.uk/conditions/repetitive-strain-injury-rsi/#symptoms-of-rsi
Marjorie Hect & Dr Alana Biggers. Healthline, Everything You Should Know About Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), 09/03/2017.
healthline.com/health/repetitive-strain-injury#symptoms
Tim Newman & Dr Gregory Minnis. Medical News Today, Repetitive strain injury (RSI) explained, 19/01/2018.
patient.info/health/impetigo-leaflet#nav-1

RSI Symptoms

Dr Dan Bunstone - Medical Officer

RSI symptoms

How the symptoms of RSI can affect your daily life

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