Carpal Tunnel fix?

[MrRubix]

Does anyone with CTS have any experience with... I guess, getting around it? I've been playing FFR/SM for a while now, and it really starts to hurt. My wrists especially hurt a ton when I play, and then my right hand just starts to lose strength rapidly.

This is primarily why I am taking a break from the game, but I am curious if anyone has any advice on how to either hasten the healing process, or how to limit the damage when playing. Are there different play styles that are easier on the hands?

[darkshark]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

Surgery is pretty much your only available option, as it will only worsen throughout your life =/

[Bynary Fission]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

Carpal tunnel doesn't have a definitive cure, unfortunately. I've heard several cases of FFR players clearing up after quitting the game upon the early onset of symptoms, but it appears your case is more advanced given the length of time you've been complaining of symptoms - I doubt there would be much hope at this point to eradicate it.


The treatment most touted as being successful is surgery - success rates are at least 75% from what I've read. However, this is also the riskiest and most expensive route - one that you might not be able to (or want) to take. Another option is to use wrist splints and special exercises to aid in alleviating the pain and strengthening your hands again over time, but since it doesn't directly alleviate pressure on your median nerve as does surgery, it's less likely to be successful.


As for styles being easiest on the hands, I'd say index would probably be the best route - that style incorporates movement of the arms over the wrist more than anything else. You could also try one handed styles, but since the pain is predominantly in your right wrist (and you mention that being the weakest of the two), I wouldn't recommend it unless you plan on using your arm, which can be painful during very hard songs (it's what I do).


Best of luck dude - I hope this helps, and if you need more information, I can give you some links.


~Bynary Fission

[MrRubix]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

Thanks, I'd like that.

And yeah, I really don't want to get into surgery. I recently spoke with a doctor about it who recommended it. But I really, really don't want to do that unless I can't do everyday functions or something (the pain really only happens when I play FFR/SM or type for extended periods of time). Unless I have trouble picking up a phone or something, I'd rather just look into ways to keep pressure off the median nerve.

[darkshark]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

I say your cubes caused it.

Speedcubing is more wrist intensive than FFR. Quit playing with em xD

Also, ever done tournies or anything on speedcubing? I can only barely get it under the 2 minute mark rofl, I use a crappy solving method though.

[TheRapingDragon]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

You might not necessarily have CTS yet. Personally I ended up with RSI and quit and never ended up with CTS, though my hands are still not the same after over a year. For example, carrying heavy bags over a long distance, my fingers at the end will be stuck in a "claw" shape and be extremely painful to straighten out again. This is merely with getting RSI. CTS is far worse.

Basically, stop. Stop wrecking yourself over a game and let your hands repair in whatever way they can. If it really is leading to CTS and you don't stop then your wrists and hands become pretty much useless.

[MalDON]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

the pain really only happens when I play FFR/SM or type for extended periods of time

There's your problem. Don't they say on video games to take a break every now and then? You also need to make sure you have good posture while playing.

[MrRubix]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

darkshark: Ahh, interesting that you bring that up. I used to get similar pains from cubing, but I don't cube much anymore... might explain why I don't get cube pains :P But yeah, once I stopped, my hands got better. Probably going to be the same for FFR/SM ;/ I'd ideally like to keep playing though, even if I have to switch to index or something. As for cube methods, I use the Fridrich method. My best time is around 12 but right now I average like anywhere from 15-30 depending on the cases I get (I've forgotten many algorithms).

TRD: My hands don't quite do that yet, no -- mainly it's just the wrists. They feel like they're on fire -- then my fingers lose strength and dexterity. But they don't get "stuck," just achey.

[Adamaja456]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

the only advice i would say is IF you are going to continue to play, take breaks often, keep your wrists as level as possible, and just keep good posture when playing ffr/sm

getting wrist splints like bynary said would also be something you might want to look into, just to further keep your wrists from being strained while playing.

<3

[~Zero~]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

the only advice i would say is IF you are going to continue to play, take breaks often, keep your wrists as level as possible, and just keep good posture when playing ffr/sm

getting wrist splints like bynary said would also be something you might want to look into, just to further keep your wrists from being strained while playing.

<3

This is what i do. I play ffr like every 2 weeks and its rare if i play sm (unless i am stepping pad charts which don't give you pain in the wrists when playing because of the difficulty at least for me). Though the good posture i don't do maybe i should start.

[Phynx]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

My brother had a bad case of CTS. The only solution he was able to recieve was an extensive surgical procedure. Which even then only delayed CTS. It's tough to completely "cure" if it can even be cured at all.

EDIT - Also, to prevent CTS from occuring with me, as it seems to run in my family. My grandpa had it along with a few of my cousins. I don't know if it's genetic but it's prone to our family pretty bad. What I do to prevent it is I don't even use my wrists when I play. I either rest them firmly on the wrist pad of my keyboard or or hold them level in the air and I use my fingers only now to play. The only time I use my wrists is when I have to vibrate.

[Syhto]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

Try filling a sink or tub with cool water and ice, and soaking your forearms for about 5-10 minutes daily. Or whenever the pain starts to get bad. It helps keep the pain more steady and soft for me.

If the pain starts to happen while playing, or doing anything, straight out stop and give it a rest if you can. Letting it progress only does exponential damage.

You could even try putting small ice packs on your wrists while playing, but that just seems a bit ridiculous.

[TheRapingDragon]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

TRD: My hands don't quite do that yet, no -- mainly it's just the wrists. They feel like they're on fire -- then my fingers lose strength and dexterity. But they don't get "stuck," just achey.

I'm talking how my fingers are now. That being around 18 months since symptoms started and I was still playing. My symptoms while playing included:

= Wrists getting really sore and feeling like they were burning. Even after I stopped they would take a while to calm down (so to speak).

- Fingers got incredibly cold all the time. Wouldn't stay warm. Started finding it difficult to lift heavy objects with too much strain on my fingers or wrists.

- Eventually my fingers started moving erratically occasionally. Like I would be playing and a finger would just twitch and cause me to miss or whatnot.

Now most of those are gone. I just have been stuck with the cold hands (though not as bad) and the strange fingers that get stuck.

So ya I'll just say again that you should stop if you're getting any symptoms of RSI or CTS at all.

[kmay]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

sometimeswhile i play my left pinky finger goes numb. i never really looked it up. anyone have any ideas of wut could be causing it? also rubix get one of those wrist splints or whatever that should help somewhat

[MarukuAntoni]

Re: Carpal Tunnel fix?

I work at a hospital and see many cases of CTS. Usually the doctor recommends using a wrist splint, massage your hands and wrist, and stretch it out. In some cases, they'll inject patients with drugs such as cortisone to ease the pain, or have them take otc medications. If none of those work then SURGERY TIME!