The symptoms of repetitive strain injury (RSI) vary, but can include:

• pains or tenderness in your muscles or joints,
• a throbbing sensation in the affected area,
• tingling (pins and needles) or numbness in your hand or arm, and
• loss of strength or sensation in your hand.

Initially these symptoms may only occur when you are carrying out the repetitive motion, for example during working hours. Towards the end of the day your symptoms may improve when you have finished work and are resting. This initial stage of symptoms may last for several weeks.

If left untreated, the symptoms are likely to persist, causing pain or aching much of the time. You may also have tender swelling in the affected area, which can last for several months.

Pain could also be experienced all the time, affecting your sleep. At this stage the condition may be irreversible. Therefore, recognizing the early symptoms of RSI is important to ensure that any treatment is most effective.