How I stopped the RSI pain that almost destroyed my programming career

RSI is one of those things (ADHD, autism and dyslexia are other examples) that start as a label some scientist puts on a specific set of symptoms that cannot (currently) be linked to a specific condition [1], becomes popular and then get used for a zillion things with more or less the same symptoms (Wikipedia lists edema, tendinosis, tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, De Quervain syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, intersection syndrome, epicondylitis, tenosynovitis, radial tunnel…

I'd like to throw my two cents in here: strength training. I started having problems with RSI about five years ago, and I tried and failed to get relief from quite a few different things, including the Mindbody Prescription, but what ultimately helped me the most was arm and grip exercises: pull ups, deadlifts, farmer's walks. If you're going to do _anything_ for 8 hours a day, even sitting, you should be taking measures to make sure it doesn't impact…

You know what's strange? I recall living through the 90s and the utter panic experienced by people like me, that CTS was going to destroy our livelihoods. My sister attained a dual college degree late in life, landed a cool job, and within a couple of years she was on permanent disability due to CTS, and other wrist issues. But I've somehow been immune to injury and debilitating ailments like that. I've used keyboards since 1986, 30 WPM at the…