battle with tendonitis - career change??

[Michael Stevens]

I need some help and advice.

In March of 2000, I came down with bad patellar tendonitis in both my knees
from dancing and running. I had to stop both activities. The only thing I
can do anymore is just walk a mile or more (if I try to walk too far, it
flares up again;3 miles a day will not work). It seems to heal up to a
certain point and never gets any better; it can get reaggravated very easily
if I'm not careful. Almost as though there is permenant scar tissue or
something.

Then in February of 2001, I got tendonitis in my left hand. At this job I
was doing far LESS keyboard work than at my previous job(I am a software
engineer). The pain came from the tendons on the back of my hand that
connect to the index finger and the middle finger. Soon, my right hand
started having the exact same problem (within about a month). Doctors just
give silly advice like, "take ibuprofen and take breaks from typing every 30
minutes or so" Then the joints in my fingers started hurting and feeling
swollen (on both hands); blood tests for arthritis reveal nothing.

I got laid off from my job at the beginning of June. I thought it would be a
good time for my hands to rest and recover. Well, I had to spend some time
(3 or so hours) every day on the internet looking for another job. The pain
in my hands moved. The pain moved to the outer part of both my hands. From
the base of pinky down to the wrist (but it does not feel like it's pinky's
tendon) Now within the last 2 months, the pain migrated down to the outer
edge of my wrists (the joint there).... Then it slowly moved down to the
bottom of my wrists (where people complain of carpal tunnel). Even though it
seems like carpal tunnel, I have never had the numbness or tingling in my
fingers or the other symptoms.

Currently: the pain shows up mostly in the bottom of the wrists but also
shows up on the outer part of the hands and sometimes the stiffness of the
fingers re-occur.

I am a software engineer by profession. I am afraid that if I go back to
working 40+ hours a week, I am going to be in big trouble!!! I have done
tons of research on the internet about this problem and I am coming up with
no good answers. Yes, you can improve your posture; yes, you can get an
ergonomic keyboard. But overall that stuff does not seem to help.

I'm really thinking that I will have to make a career change. But what can I
do???? What jobs nowadays do not require use of the computer/keyboard (and
even writing with pen/pencil hurts!)? Maybe I can take a job where I only
have to type a little bit. But what kinds of jobs are like that? I hate the
thought of going from the pay of a software engineer to only making 30k or
less a year. That's really depressing (no offense to those of you that make
that salary) I would really appreciate the comments and support of those of
you who are going through the same types of struggles. It seems that maybe a
teaching job of some kind would require minimal use of a keyboard. Maybe a
salesman job. I just really don't know what to do or how to even break into
other careers. Computers is all I know; Its all I've ever done since
childhood. I don't even know where to start looking. It would seem to me
that blue-collar jobs would be out of the question because you have to use
your hands.

I have a computer science engineering degree. Wouldn't I be over qualified
for most jobs out there?

Surely there are other IT people or programmers out there that can tell me
how they handled this problem??? I would like to hear examples of what other
people have done. Did they stick with the pain and stay with their keyboard
related job or did they find another career? If so, what career?

[Marc]

Michael:

There are a few issues that may need to be addressed here but there
is a reasonable chance you won't necessarily have to change careers.

First, I have seen many computer people, even professional
musicians battle similar conditions and return to full function.

Tendonitis or Tendinosis is treatable but a lot depends on the
skill of the doctor or therapist. There is a big difference between
the two and treatment sucess often depends upon differentiating them
correctly. When patients describe pain in various parts of the hands
and the arms, the cervical spine or peripheral nerve entrapments are
often implicated. This needs to be considered as well. Have you had
quality treatment??

I have seen some decent research on ergonomic keyboards. It seems
that split and/or tented designs often help somewhat. In one study,
the spit keyboard help to reduce signs and symptoms in computer users
when used over a 6 month period. This study actually was randomized
and had a placebo control.
DO NOT use gel filled mouse or wrist rests. They will probably make
things worse.
Keyboard trays can be used to put the wrist in a neutral or
slightly negative position. I have seen much research on them
however. I have some ergonomic tips on my web page but it has been
giving me problems lately so I haven't been able to update the info.

So...........I don't know if any of this will help but you should
definitely not loose hope.

My background......I am pursuing a PhD in biomechanics and
ergonomics and I am a P.T.

Take care,
Marc
www.thebackpage.net

"Michael Stevens" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message news:<UnOo7.4301$Lq.128...@newssvr16.news.prodigy.com>...

[Marc]

Dear Michael:

I have some advice for you but I have tried replying to this post
several times without luck. Email me if you are interested. And,
no......this is in no way any business thing or marketing ploy.

Take care,
Marc

"Michael Stevens" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message news:<UnOo7.4301$Lq.128...@newssvr16.news.prodigy.com>...

[WA Howland]

1) It's hard to reply to you with that bogus address in your header....

2) Have you actually HAD a qualified physical therapist come to your home
office and do an actual ergonomics evaluation on your actual set-up? By your
description of symptoms moving from one place to another when you changed
workstations (from work to home) it soulnds like maybe you're just getting
older and things that didn't bother you before are now catching up with you.
Yes, getting older sucks. Call your local university hospital and ask to speak
to the occ med dept or the hand clinic therapists.

Good lick,

Wendie

[craig]

I would totaly agree with this. There are so many variables with pc
workstations an idea of how to set up one correctly has to be an advantage.
Somonec with knowledge can help you figure out why you get the pains etc
(dont know that i would put so much emphasis on age unless there is some
underlying problem)

Seen a PP presentation about this at www.occupational-health.net

Craig
"WA Howland" <waho...@aol.com> wrote in message
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