Recovering from an RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) My Story

It all started before I felt it coming or knew what do do about it. The day I felt my injury was a scary day:

I woke up one morning unable to move my left wrist without significant pain. I had just been accepted into the performance program at UW-Madison and I thought, "Why is this happening NOW?"

I went to multiple doctors: chiropractor, acupuncture, massage, and physical therapy. I was eventually diagnosed with tendinitis in the majority of my left side tendons and a pinched left ulnar nerve. I had no idea how to move forward or what to do. I had to stop playing in my current studio class, take breaks during orchestra rehearsals, and limit my practice time. Eventually, I had to quit my Summer job, which required lifting and a lot of arm movement. I couldn't perform daily activities including washing dishes or opening a door with my left hand, or write as my dominant hand is my left. Needless to say, I fell into a depression.

I was extremely lucky to have been accepted into Uri Vardi's studio; he uses the Feldonkrais Method to help his students use their bodies in a more practical way to prevent injury. He believes that the mind and body are connected. He helped me discover that my attitude towards my injury was not making it better and could in fact be preventing it from improving. Professor Vardi helped change my mindset and focus to help diminish my pain and balance my body and mind. He helped me find more ergonomic ways to use my body; I was no longer fighting to play my cello, but rather working with it to create a mutual goal: music.

I know that this injury will always be with me and I will have flareups along the way, but this helped me become a better cellist and better instructor. I feel this injury in many different ways today aside from the flareups. Whenever I have an extreme emotion, such as complete joy, a sensation runs down my left arm; it doesn't hurt in the slightest, it almost tickles or feels like a relieving massage. This injury has taught me to take things in stride and that I (and anyone), with the desire to get better, can manager their injury.

(I will add more to this story at a later point)