What are other types of Repetitive Stress Injury?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, while being the most common,
is only one type of Repetitive Stress Injury. There are three
basic categories of RSI:

  1. Repetitive Stress Injuries involving nerves: Carpal Tunnel
    Syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, ulnar nerve compression
    at the elbow and wrist
  2. Repetitive Stress Injuries involving tendons, muscles and soft
    tissues: bursitis, myositis, rotator cuff tendinitis, tendinitis
    including “tennis elbow” ganglion cysts, DeQuervain’s disease
    and trigger finger.
  3. Repetitive Stress Injuries involving the vascular (blood vessel)
    system: Raynaud’s syndrome and thoracic outlet syndrome.

The following charts summarize the most common types of RSI and
their symptoms.

 

Bursitis
Other Names  
Primary Area Affected Shoulder, Elbow
Type Connective tissue
Symptoms Grinding sensation, Pain or irritation, Restricted motion.

 

 

 

 

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Other Names CTS, writer’s cramp, occupational neuritis, partial thenar atrophy, median neuritis
Primary Area Affected Wrist & hand
Type Nerve
Symptoms Tingling, pain or numbness in the area of the hand served by the median nerve– the thumb, the pointing finger, the middle finger and the half of the ring finger closest to the middle finger. Sensations also occur in the palm and back of the hand. In more advanced CTS, the pain can be excruciating. Symptoms often are more severe during sleep.Loss of sensation, notably a feeling of clumsiness and loss of sensitivity to hot and cold.

 

 

 

 

Ganglion Cyst
Other Names Bible bump
Primary Area Affected Wrist
Type Connective tissue
Symptoms Bump or concentrated swelling.

 

 

 

 

Golfer’s elbow (Medial epicondylitis)
Other Names Tendinitis
Primary Area Affected Inside of the elbow
Type Connective tissue
Symptoms Pain or irritation on the inside of the elbow, often radiating down the arm.

 

 

 

 

Myositis
Other Names Muscle inflammation
Primary Area Affected Arm
Type Muscle
Symptoms Aching, tiredness.

 

 

 

 

Raynaud’s syndrome
Other Names Raynaud’s phenomenon, Raynaud’s disease, Vibration syndrome
Primary Area Affected Hands and fingers
Type Vascular
Symptoms Unusual sensitivity to coldPale white or blue hands, particularly following exposure to coldOccasional tingling or numbness. Can lead to loss of sensation & control

 

 

 

 

Rotator cuff tendinitis
Other Names Superspinatus, tendinitis, subdeltoid bursitis, subscromial bursitis, partial tear of the rotator cuff
Primary Area Affected Shoulder
Typ Connective tissue
Symptoms Pain, sometimes intense, or irritation in the shoulder.

 

 

 

 

Tennis elbow (Lateral epicondylitis)
Other Names Tendinitis, bowler’s elbow, pitcher’s elbow
Primary Area Affected Outside of the elbow
Type Connective tissue
Symptoms Pain or irritation on the outside of the elbow, often radiating down the forearm.

 

 

 

 

Tenosynovitis
Other Names Tendosynovitis, tendovaginitis, tenovaginitis, peritendinitis
Primary Area Affected Any tendon
Type Connective tissue
Symptoms Pain or irritation, particularly while using the hand or armSwelling can occur.

 

 

 

 

Stenosing tenosynovitis
Other Names  
Primary Area Affected Any tendon
Type Connective tissue
Symptoms Pain or irritationCan result in uneven movement of fingers (see Trigger finger).

 

 

 

 

De Quervain’s Disease
Other Names De Quervain’s syndrome, De Quervain’s disorder
Primary Area Affected Side and base of thumb
Type Connective tissue
Symptoms Aching in affected area.Weakness in thumb.Loss of muscle tone (muscle atrophy).

 

 

 

 

Trigger finger
Other Names Stenosing tenosynovitis crepitans
Primary Area Affected Forearm
Type Connective tissue
Symptoms Pain in the forearm or wrist.Snapping or jerking movement of one or more fingers.Rattling or crackling sound in hands or wrists.

 

 

 

 

Tendinitis
Other Names Tendonitis
Primary Area Affected Forearm, elbow, shoulder
Type Connective tissue
Symptoms Pain or irritation, particularly while using the hand or arm.

 

 

 

 

Thoracic outlet syndrome
Other Names Neurovascular compression syndrome, hyperabduction syndrome, cervicobrachial disorder, brachial plexus neuritis, costoclavicular syndrome
Primary Area Affected Shoulder, arm, hand
Type Neurovascular
Symptoms Tingling and/or numbness in the fingers and hands.Weak hands.Atrophying muscles in the hand.

 

Pale or bluish hands (as in Raynaud’s syndrome).

Arm pain.

Chronic tired arms.

 

 

 

 

Ulnar nerve compression at the elbow
Other Names Cubital tunnel syndrome, cubital outlet syndrome, cubital canal syndrome, beer drinker’s arm, telephone operator’s arm
Primary Area Affected Elbow, forearm, hands
Type Nerve
Symptoms Tingling, pain or numbness in the area served by the ulnar nerve, particularly the little finger and the half of the ring finger closest to the little finger, as well as on the ulnar side of the hand and forearm. (The ulnar side is where the little finger is.) The sensation can be more severe at night.Hand weakness.

 

 

 

 

Ulnar nerve entrapment at the wrist
Other Names Guyon’s canal syndrome, Guyon’s tunnel syndrome
Primary Area Affected Wrist & hand
Type Nerve
Symptoms Decreased hand strength