[.ca] It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!: RSI Theory and Therapy ... (ISBN 0965510999)

best book I've seen, in years of lookin':
This is a terrific book. I've been an RSI sufferer for eight years and it's the best I ever read. Damany & Bellis stay humble about the things they don't know. They provide just enough structural and physiological information to help the reader anchor themselves in a real understanding what's going on. A lot of the books spew out a lot of muscle names and nerve names kind as a way of groping for credibility, without really making sure that information is something the person can use. They're open to the ambiguity, and lay out alternative explanations, for some of the big imponderables in RSI -- such as why some people get injured others don't, or why some recover and others don't. They have pretty darn good descriptions of the nerve glides and stretches and so forth that a person needs to do. One of my great frustrations with even skilled physical therapists is that they describe a stretch and then walk away, without giving the patient good instructions that that they can follow when they get home. The most important thing of all is this: the book seems honest and clearheaded and genuine, and it's clear that they're really interested in helping to move the ball forward in understanding RSI.

The first book about RSI you have to read:
If you suffer, like me, from a RSI, namely from PC overuse (although there's a lot of ways of acquiring this illnes, like knitting, playing golf, tennis or other repetitive motion) this is the book for you. There are many books out there, and although I have not read them all, I have researched a lot about this illness and this is one of the best books to get. Filled with information about Computer acquired RSI, the authors go through every major detail about the illness: Posture, genetics, diet, work habits, ergonomic workstations, you name it, they have researched a lot. Then book features a direct and easy language, nice B/W illustrations, and many sites for research all over the Web, which you can use to further your knowledge about RSI. This book doesn't feature too many excersices, it is mainly informative, and the authors just give a few pointers and encourage the reader to find professional help. Now the negative: There are a couple of things I did find somwhat odd in this book. After describing and defining RSI, and documenting how missunderstood this illness is by the medical community, they jump into their major recommendation: Go to a doctor and get a proffessional opinion. Well then you have to find a doctor versed in RSI, and not one that only want to operate, like they did on the many cases described in the book. Second, I actually found a little offensive. They are quick to dissmiss any form of alternative therapy such as herbs, taking vitamn B6, homeophaty or even acupuncture regarding them as 'new agey' and not worth trying. To the mainstream or regular medical community, massages and physcal therapy like the authors suggest are also alternative. I have personally combined exercises with acupuncture and healthy eating habits plus suplemments, with good results. In all, a great resource book, not many excersices but a lot of info, and we all know the best tool against any illness is information. Buy it along with Conquering Carpal Tunnel Syndrome : And Other Repetitive Strain Injuries by Sharon J. Butler and begin your journey towards recovery. Peace and Health to you.

Great for obsessive computer users:
I liked this book because it perfectly described my problem: obsessive computer use. I am a programmer who can easily spend all day and all night writing code. This book was written for that kind of user, and it helped me understand exactly what was causing my problem and what had to be done about it. If you hate your job and think that your boss is to blame for your condition, try another book. If you're a computer-using animal and have noticed that your hands or arms have started to go numb or weak - get this book *now*. The down side to this title are its amateurish computer models used to demonstrate exercise techniques.

Detailed Reality About the Overall Problem:
I really enjoyed the voice and details of this book. It conveyed a much better understanding of the underlying problems to all the pain I was going through, repeatedly. Simply understanding the fact that I have to maintain my body, do things to help it repair itself from the damage I do to it on an everyday basis really helped me figure out what I had to do to be pain free. This book offers very clear, respectful advise and case studies. It shows that the symptoms can vary according to the severity of the cause and how people's bodies are built. No Instant Cure, no promises, but it does give a very useful, general approach to how to understand and manage the overall problems.

Best book on RSI by far:
I read "It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!" and all I can say is it's a great book. I've determined that my particular problem is that the ulnar nerve in my elbow is being pressed on because I'm constantly supporting my entire upper body by putting my elbows on the arm rests of my chair. This has caused serious irritation to the nerve and recently I've been waking up in the middle of the night because my pinky and part of my ring finger is numb. To anyone with RSI, I can't recommend the book strongly enough. It is by far the best book on the subject. I even gave my Doctor a copy of it because he, like most, is totally clueless about RSI. Even I knew I didn't have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome after doing 5 minutes of research, yet that's all he kept talking about was Carpal Tunnel. Not once did he even attempt to address the root cause(s) of my problems ... he just wanted to give me anti-inflammatory drugs and told me to wear a brace. No thanks. This book really opened my eyes ... it should be mandatory reading for all Doctors.