There is a way to treat this, actually the only one, all others are just masking the problems until the mask no longer works and/or simply not working at all.violet wrote:RSI of the basal thumb joint (CMC/carpometacarpal joint)
I have developed it in both thumbs over the past two weeks. I ignored the early warning signs over a couple of months before it really flared up. I have a wider screened phone (LG G3) and I had been stretching my thumbs across it regularly rather than using both hands at once. I kept doing it even when I started to feel the strain of doing it. my laptop track pad and keypad have contributed to it as I don't hold my hands in a very good way when using the laptop.
I've tried a few taping techniques. I keep taking the tape off though as i hate when it starts to come loose (despite being waterproof, it isn't when it's on your hands). Maybe it would help if I could actually keep it on consistently for a number of days.
Anyone experienced this pain (it's more on the palm side of the base of my thumb near the wrist)?
If so, how did you deal with it?
I really wish I'd paid attention and changed my behaviour when I was first aware of the strain from stretching my thumbs across the screen of my phone. Warning to others who might be feeling it.... rest your thumbs and don't stretch like that!
edited to add that I just found some Spray Ice and my hands feel better for it. Hopefully regular application and a cutting back in phone use will help. I'm still interested to hear if others have experienced the same though
First to know what is actually happening: During the overload, the Mitochondria energy supply mechanism of the thumb(s) get(s) exhausted, without sufficient recovery in between the overloads. The result is, the Mitochondria energy supply mechanism is diminished in "volume"/"capacity"/etc. In technical terms, you killed your Mitochondria population in that area. Since there is an alternative energy supply mechanism, the tissue does not die, though starts to hurt, because the alternative method produces a lot of lactic acid. A nice warning sign of the body, unfortunately ignored by the human being, due to social needs, etc.
The human body is, fortunately, able to restore the Mitochondria population. Mitochondria wear out during the day (with the result to feel tired) and as such are normally recovered/recuperated during rest periods at a 1:1 ratio.
It is possible to extend the Mitochondria population. To do so, you need to challenge the Mitochondria population a little bit (though certainly without overloading - which is the most difficult part since the needed load for the minimal challenge is a feed forward process) and give the relevant body part subsequently some 4-5 days of (nearly absolute) rest for recuperation.
Because of the created challenge, the human body will recreate a little bit more Mitochondria during the recuperation process then originally present. This way, you restore the Mitochondria population size and the bearable load goes up again. Though unfortunately, this mechanism is very "slow", think about 0.5 - 1 % increase of the Mitochondria population with each 4-5 days cycle. Have another overload and you are immediately back 1-2 months in progress.
The above is nothing "new", it's the base of sports-training results, an area where quite a lot of practical experience is available, though unfortunately not so much fundamental knowledge. The mechanism is called "super compensation". Have a wiki lookup on that.
It's also the mechanism used by the body during your childhood to resupply body cells with enough Mitochondria, after a cell-split. Hence the need for young children to have a sleep during the day.
Unfortunately, the older you get, the more difficult the replenish goes
Good luck !