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Repetitive Strain Injury and Autism

MelonCauliflower

Hi,

I hurt my right wrist and hand (dominant hand) a few years ago due to repetitive course work at university. It keeps flaring up and stops me from doing basically everything remotely interesting (gaming, baking, knitting, sometimes even reading) 

When I got diagnosed with autism the lady said "try all the stimming stuff that you stopped doing because you were masking" But all of the stuff that I used to enjoy that I've since stopped all involves repetitive movement (like drumming my fingers of the table, stroking a nice texture) so it hurts to do these things now.

So is Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) a common thing for autistic people? Are autistic people more vulnerable to RSI? How do you stim without aggravating RSI?

I'm pretty sure the reason I hurt my hand and wrist in the first place is because one of my autistic traits is to get hyper focused on tasks so I did my coursework for hours without breaks and did it super intently and really tensed my whole arm to try and get it perfect (I was drawing in CAD on the computer and using Photoshop to edit images) I really wish I hadn't because the degree so wasn't worth it Slight smile I wish I could trust myself to work on stuff without getting so sucked into it that I hurt myself in this way. I really struggle to limit myself even with things like online clothes shopping because even the pain isn't enough to make me stop.

Just curious if anyone else has experienced similar. 

Parents

  • In 2014 I developed a rotator cuff injury (shoulder) from the repetitive movements of micro-pipetting, when setting up very many PCRs within a short period. I was in constant pain for about four months - physiotherapy and acupuncture eventually rid me of the pain. However, I cannot do any repetitive movements with my right arm without getting pains in my shoulder again. It effectively put an end to my career as a research molecular biologist, I had to go over to managing scientific services and facilities and some health and safety work full-time.

  • in reply to Martin

    Martin that sucks that you had to change careers, I hope your new roles are just as fulfilling. 

    I messed up my right shoulder too, years before the wrist, and if my wrist doesn't stop me doing something, the shoulder does. 

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