Ableton health warning.

[kanuck]

that's really lame.. hope it gets better. How long were your intervals?

[Slightlydelic]

i have the same problem left elbow on desk head resting on hand.

numbness in ring finger and middle finger.

i dont think were desined for the modern desk life.

[necho]

i dont think were desined for the modern desk life.

no shit. humans are utterly unsuited to screen-based sedentary lifestyles. my back is totally fucked.

[anybody human]

Hope you feel better

I'll sit there for hours leaning forward with my left elbow on the desk, resting my chin on my left hand, thinker pose style. This twists my spine to the left and my lower back will hurt. Not good. Gotta be aware of repetitive motion and (forgive the phrase) stress positions. I'm more keenly aware of this stuff as I get older.

[Bizon]

Hope you feel better

I'll sit there for hours leaning forward with my left elbow on the desk, resting my chin on my left hand, thinker pose style. This twists my spine to the left and my lower back will hurt. Not good. Gotta be aware of repetitive motion and (forgive the phrase) stress positions. I'm more keenly aware of this stuff as I get older.

LOL, as I was reading your post I was resting my head on my left hand. Damn, its only a matter of time before I start feeling like you guys.

[H20nly]

funken your OP clearly describes a pre-existing condition. Ableton assumes no responsibility. your plot to begin filing a lawsuit is futile.

On the other hand however, Auguste Rodin's estate will be filing a lawsuit of their own for your copyright infringements while sampling the pose.

now, sit up straight, eat your ibuprofen, and make some music.

[bosonHavoc]

years of video game experience can really condition your body for making music with a daw.... i've been training for this since the atari video game system

[H20nly]

funken your OP clearly describes a pre-existing condition. Ableton assumes no responsibility. your plot to begin filing a lawsuit is futile.

On the other hand however, Auguste Rodin's estate will be filing a lawsuit of their own for your copyright infringements while sampling the pose.

now, sit up straight, eat your ibuprofen, and make some music.

damn, rumbled already!

I see its not just me and my rubbish genes/ posture. Hope everyone gets better (these things often do) and maybe some readers get some ideas for prevention. Got the trackpad working left handed perfectly now. Its great! All I have to do now is continue the Ibuprofen (I am on them actually) and figure out how to not bend my arms when I am asleep!

hey try switching up the Ibuprofen with Naproxen (called Aleve over the counter in the U.S.) take one one day and the other the next day. Also, the old folks in Mississippi swear by drinking lots of water for things like back aches... i mean lots, like a gallon or 2 a day. sounds crazy but it works. Besides, all that Ibuprofen is hard on your liver so water will help take care of that guy.

maybe try wrapping an ace bandage around your elbow for a little added support. I used to get a touch of tendinitis on my elbow and by folding some toilet tissue or paper towel into a lump (about the size of a matchbox folded in 2) and putting that right on the tendon and then wrapping an ace bandage over it... it would go away real fast (a day or 2). i got the idea because pressing my finger on the sore spot always caused the pain to diminish. not that that will work here, but the bandage could keep you straight. pun intended.

good luck.

[djerikschouten]

Apart from putting on weight, since I got Live and a new computer on a proper desk, I have a trapped nerve in my left arm. This was caused by resting my chin on my hand like the Thinker while staring at the screen, in other words keeping my arm bent too long. I have stopped doing that now of course, but it still gets problematic if my arm is even bent a bit so now I have a trackpad at full arms length and have pushed the keypad further away. I am right handed but am trying to rest my right arm at the moment as it got really bad. I had a trapped nerve in my right arm years ago but that has got so bad I cant hold a phone for a minute. I went to the doctor as my wrist was very painful at work and am waiting x-ray results. I think that is mainly due to work not using a mouse, but I noticed it would hurt if I used the mouse in my right hand. Apart form that my eyes sometimes seem to go a bit blurry if I am on the computer too long. So, my advice, take breaks, watch the ergonomics. I'm not sure if repetitive strain comes into all this or not for me, but obviously it's something I have heard of.

I can recommend to become a member of a gym and give your body a couple of bombardments with maximum weight to prepare your body for the heavy duty tasks Ableton live needs you to do.

[h2ogun99]

Just imagine if we were not working on music with our computers. I will take a wild stab in the dark and say that we are mainly males. Just think of the pain we would have not just in out hands and wrists...

[Earwax69]

I love my wacom!

[squelcht]

We're just in the beginning of the new adaptive phase of evolution...Many moons down the road & all our physical woes from excessive computer use will be the thing of the past. True story this. Just you wait.

[jbone1313]

RSI is the most frustrating thing. Here's my quick story, for anyone who's interested. I've always found it interesting to read other people's RSI stories who do similar things that I do...

In my case, I unfortunately make both my living (software development) and my fun (music) behind a computer. So, if it weren't for the pain, I'd be behind a computer all day.

I'm 30 years old. I eat healthy, mostly vegan food. I work out 4-5 times per week. No drugs or cigarettes. A little wine. You get the idea.

My pain started about six years ago--in my hands. So, I switched computer mice and bought a wrist rest. Then it got worse. Then I switched hands. The pain, numbness, and tingling got worse. I am a drummer, and I was playing about 4 times per week back then.

So, I went to see an ortho doc. After a nerve test, he said it was mild tendinitis. No worry--just take ibuprofen everyday. My primary doc also said that. No problem, except I love coffee. Ibuprofen + coffee = stomach FIRE. Then the pain got worse. I then saw a chiropractor (what a joke). Then, I saw a hand doctor. Another nerve test. No carpal tunnel. So, he said do physical therapy. "Sure, I said."

I went to PT for four weeks. That didn't help. Meanwhile, I tried every ergo device you can imagine. No really. Every single one. Sometimes they would help, but then the pain would just move somewhere else. I found a great mouse (Roller Mouse). But, that ultimately caused me to switch posistions such that now the "strain" is in my upper back and neck. Ah, relatively pain free hands, but tight neck, back and tingling arms. I've also read every single credible web page on these fine internets that talks about RSI.

After excruciating pain, I went to a neurologist. I was convinced there was something really wrong with me. So, he did another nerve test and a MRI. He found nothing. I got a second opinion from a spinal center. That guy said I have stiff muscles and tendons. Yay.

So, I continued suffering. The band called it quits a couple years ago, so no drumming, but I still have the pain. I always suspected the drumming had nothing to do with it. My technique is good and relaxed.

So, I went back to the spinal center for one more MRI. I saw a different doc. Same thing; he saw no problem in the MRI. He recommends more PT. Maybe this time it'll help. Probably not. But, I may try it after the first of the year.

I'm now convinced that there's nothing "seriously" wrong with me. Just severe pain from overuse and repetitive motion. Not life threatening, but quite shitty, because there's nothing I can do about it except stop working, stop/reduce composing, or pound NSAIDS. Unfortunatly, the best one for now is to reduce composing. I can't give up working, and I'm not going to pound NSAIDS.

So, there ya go. Composing music must take a back seat for me, due to RSI.

Too bad we humans haven't evolved into muscle-less computing blobs.

Maybe a couple hundred years from now, mankind will find a true cure for these problems. But, the reality is that because they are not "life threatening", they don't get as much attention in the medical community--rightfully so, probably.

Plus, you know, you can always just "stop whatever it is that you're doing" that causes the problem.

You know, like work and composing.

[leedsquietman]

I have psoriatic arthritis - I have fingers disfigured and bent out of shape and on many days I am unable to play instruments or controllers and the pain on some days is unbearable. It also cripples my knees on certain days and leaves me barely able to walk. UNfortunately, I could never join a touring band, because it's so unpredictable, sometimes I can go weeks and be functional, (although with some inhibition and pain) and other days when I wish someone would just shoot me like a crippled horse in Cowboy times.

Not crying or whining here, I know a guy who is BLIND who makes music with a DAW (a very old version of Protools which allowed a special program for blind people to interface with it), and have read about quadraplegics making music inputting MIDI notes one at a time with a stick strapped onto their face and although it takes a long time to do anything productive, they still love it.

[jbone1313]

Not crying or whining here, I know a guy who is BLIND who makes music with a DAW (a very old version of Protools which allowed a special program for blind people to interface with it), and have read about quadraplegics making music inputting MIDI notes one at a time with a stick strapped onto their face and although it takes a long time to do anything productive, they still love it.

+1. Makes my troubles seem small.