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Earl
Japan
3 Posts |
 Posted - 05/12/2010 : 06:32:54
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Hello everyone.
I've been peeking around this site for about a month and decided to make a post. I'm a work in progress I guess you could say.
I live and work as a professional 3D animator in Tokyo Japan. Or should I say I was working. I'm originally from the U.S. by the way. After one year of animation school and about 2 years on the job, the pain hit me.
Both my forearms and a little bit in my wrists. I immediately labeled it RSI, as that is such a common term in this industry these days. I cut back my hours, went to some local clinics for heat therapy and anti-inflammatory patches and drugs. After those failed I turned to acupuncture and shiatsu massage.
This helped quite a bit and I thought it would be the end of my pain. Two years pass and I still can't do the job that I love. I had started seriously contemplating a career change. In the mean time I've taken up English teaching to pay my bills.
About one month ago I got turned onto Dr. Sarno's Mindbody Perscription. Part way through the book I was all in. It makes perfect sense to me. After finishing that book, I read The Divided Mind. Another great book.
Where I am now:
So I've quit all physical treatments, stretches, etc. I re-read parts of the treatment sections of Mindbody Perscription and Divided Mind every day. I've started journaling, trying to keep track of what pressures might be contributing to my unconscious rage. Though I feel like I haven't really found the main source of it.
I'm happy to say I've had some small progress. Some days are better than others. I'm going to start doing some animation next week, a few hours a day and see how it goes.
Yelling at my brain has been one thing that seems to work for me. I tell it to increase the blood flow in my arms. Amazing thing.
I'm open to any help or suggestions. Hope I can help others too.
Thanks,
Earl
My arms are normal. |
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LuvtoSew
USA
327 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2010 : 06:50:06
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Welcome , I'm still a work in progress as I kept going back and forth from physical to Tms. I have started using my exercise machine and moving as before I wasn't, but I tell myself I do it as I like it because I really do, not that it will cure me, but I'm out of shape.
There's a lot of good people here with good advice. |
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pandamonium
United Kingdom
202 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2010 : 02:59:03
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Hi Earl and welcome.
Sounds like you are making good progress and are on the right track. I think conditioning plays a huge part in TMS, you sit at your desk and get ready to type and you expect pain so you get pain, so don't forget to work on that. I used to shout at myself as well but these days I am more nurturing 
I hope you can get back to your old job soon.
Panda
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A beginner's guide to psychology: If it's not your mum's fault.... it's your dad's... |
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Gibbon
United Kingdom
138 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2010 : 13:33:32
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quote:
Originally posted by Earl
Hello everyone.
I've been peeking around this site for about a month and decided to make a post. I'm a work in progress I guess you could say.
I live and work as a professional 3D animator in Tokyo Japan. Or should I say I was working. I'm originally from the U.S. by the way. After one year of animation school and about 2 years on the job, the pain hit me.
Konnichiwa Earl San!
[I used to live in Kumamoto...]
It sounds like you're on the road to recovery - if you get disheartened, then keep re-reading the success stories of people who've been in similar situations with RSI. There's so many of them....
http://tmswiki.wetpaint.com/page/Repetitive+Strain+Injuries+-+RSI
Good luck!
Andrew
Check out the TMS website: www.rsi-backpain.co.uk |
Edited by - Gibbon on 05/14/2010 13:34:13 |
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Earl
Japan
3 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2010 : 06:13:56
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Thanks for the comments and encouragement everyone!
My arms are normal. |
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Earl
Japan
3 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2010 : 07:54:49
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Update:
Well, I've had quite a breakthrough in the last couple of days. My pain has dropped by about 90%. There's just a faint sense of soreness but I basically feel like I can do any activity with no pain.
I worked on my computer for a good 4 or 5 hours with no problem. Not animating but just doing some web surfing and photoshop work. Today I went to the gym, which I've been doing anyways for the last year or so, but I was able to use heavier weights than I had been and had no worries or pain.
This is great! I'm not sure what specifically gave me this jump. I've been re-reading The Divided Mind, different parts at a time. I think the treatment section, as well as the Andrea Segal and Marc Sopher sections are especially good.
I'll be trying some animation next week. I know there's more work to be done but this has been a big step for me. Don't give up everyone, this really works.
Earl
My arms are normal. |
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Gibbon
United Kingdom
138 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2010 : 11:01:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Earl
Update:
Well, I've had quite a breakthrough in the last couple of days. My pain has dropped by about 90%. There's just a faint sense of soreness but I basically feel like I can do any activity with no pain.
I worked on my computer for a good 4 or 5 hours with no problem. Not animating but just doing some web surfing and photoshop work. Today I went to the gym, which I've been doing anyways for the last year or so, but I was able to use heavier weights than I had been and had no worries or pain.
This is great! I'm not sure what specifically gave me this jump. I've been re-reading The Divided Mind, different parts at a time. I think the treatment section, as well as the Andrea Segal and Marc Sopher sections are especially good.
I'll be trying some animation next week. I know there's more work to be done but this has been a big step for me. Don't give up everyone, this really works.
Earl
My arms are normal.
Yay!
Earl san genki ni narimasu yo! Gambatte kudasai.
Check out the TMS website: www.rsi-backpain.co.uk |
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Capn Spanky
112 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2010 : 12:11:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Earl
Update:
Well, I've had quite a breakthrough in the last couple of days. My pain has dropped by about 90%...
.... Today I went to the gym, which I've been doing anyways for the last year or so, but I was able to use heavier weights than I had been and had no worries or pain.
Congrats, Earl! It's amazing, but this stuff really works!
I found that working with weights, especially heavier weights helped me get over thinking I was injured. (I had tennis elbow, brought on by typing).
It's like "how can my tendons be messed up if I can do all these different dumbbell exercises without any pain?".
It's funny to think about now but when I was going to PT, they had me doing these little exercises with two-pound weights... like my tendons would snap if I used anything heavier. |
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The animator
