A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

To all the MTs out there with 20 plus years' experience - Kiki

Posted: Jan 11, 2010

Could you please tell me HOW you did it? Nevermind the decreasing pay or anything like that. I'm talking how did you do it PHYSICALLY? I'm 10 years in, love the nature of the work, etc. However, I feel beat up from head to toe after only 10 years and while I'd love to stick it out another 10 or 20, assuming it's still a viable option, I just don't know if I could do it. I'm healthy, pretty fit, but my entire lower legs are constantly aching from pushing up and down on the foot pedal probably thousands of times if not 100,000 times; my wrists aren't as bad all the time but I have their moments where I could cry they ache so bad. The leg pain IS constant though. I soak my legs in epsom salts, massage them, sit in one of those bath jacuzzis every night....still I ache.

Please, all you troopers with 20 or so or more years' experience, please tell me, does it get any better, the achiness? I figure if it hasn't in 10 years though, prob won't. But is there something you do to cope and combat this? I have a perfectly ergonomic set up, 2 foot pedals to switch back and forth, an ergo low-force keyboard.....not sure what else I could do.

Just feeling very defeated here in the middle of the night...........

Thanks in Advance for any replies. All are appreciated.

Not sure what to tell you - Old part-timer

[ In Reply To ..]
I don't have the aches and pains you describe and I've been doing this for 35 years total. I do have the luxury now of being part-time which certainly helps. One thing I found that really helped was putting my foot pedal on an elevated platform - it's only 2-3 inches but makes a huge difference - I'm not sure why. The other thing is to get up a lot to walk or stretch a bit. To be honest, I can't sit here for 1 hour straight without getting up.

To all the MTs out there with 20 plus years' experience - Kiki - Jody

[ In Reply To ..]
Re the foot pain...I always work with a slipper or something like that under my heel. Brings my foot parallel to the floor, very little movement to activate the pedal. Of course, you already know, try to exercise...take walks, do the thing where you go up and down on your toes, stuff like that. Re the hands, make sure you "shake them out" often. Ergo chair, desk, as well as keyboard. I take long hot baths at the end of the day. I have had pain in my arms so bad I had to wrap them in towels and fill with ice...but that was before I changed KB. Find what works for you. I use ST (smartype)...cuts down on my keystrokes drastically. And when you are having a bad spell, take ibuprofen if you are able...but take it around the clock, not just now and then. Avoid things that put a strain on your arms/hands. Sounds obvious, but things like opening jars and lifting, stuff like that. Use Ben-Gay whatever when you need to. And again...make sure you take breaks. Do hand/arm massages. Warm, moist towels on the neck.

Hope something in the above helped.

Jody

Never thought to try ibuprofen - but I will next time...Thanks so much! n/m - Kiki

[ In Reply To ..]
c

One of many important factors - Fingers

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Try to see if you can get your body to relax. I have found that if I am running behind, I type faster, and my body tenses up. This happens as well when I have a day doing a lot of research. While you may not feel mentally stressed, you need to make your body more comfortable. I have found that the tension and stress can cause you to feel sore at the end of the day. Hope that helps at least a little.

Old-time MT with aches and pains - cmh

[ In Reply To ..]
I too have problems with wrists and ankles and legs and hips.... When my ankle really bothers me I will switch feet by moving my footpedal to the other side for awhile. It usually helps. For my hips you just have to remember to get up and stretch and move around periodically. Ibuprofen does help take the edge of sometimes. I also try to do periodic stretching and/or massaging of my ankles and hands. I live in the northern area (Ohio) and find that keeping my feet, legs, hands and arms warm helps significantly. Sometimes even just a pair of socks and a scarf over the back of my neck and shoulders helps to relax the muscles and cut down on the tension. Hope some of this helps!!!

Reply - Alice

[ In Reply To ..]
Are you getting enough deep, restful sleep? If not, it could be fibromyalgia, or some other such malady that is causing your pains.

When I worked third shift, I ached all the time. According to what I read, lack of deep, restful sleep is one of the causes of fibromyalgia pain. No matter how hard I tried to sleep in the daytime, the only time that I could really get that really restful sleep was when it was totally dark outside. No manner of light shades, eye covering, etc., would help.

foot pedal up and down - are you

[ In Reply To ..]
Are you actually lifting your foot off the floor to use your foot pedal. I just use the ball of my foot near the toes, and rest my heel on the floor. I like the idea of elevating the leg not used for the foot pedal, or elevating your foot pedal. Make sure your chair has a good lumbar support and a high back, and then use a small roll or pillow behind your neck when leaning against the chair.

I have not really had any problems with the legs whatsoever. Make sure the seat of your chair is not catching the back of your legs wrong and putting pressure on them.

I check in with a chiropractor every couple of months for maintenance or a nice massage, in particular a hot stone massage, would actually loosen things up too. We need to give ourself this luxury now and then, despite the lack of income with this job.

take fish oil capsules, it "lubricates" your whole body..nm - fish oil

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nm

aches - bips

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I only have a few years working as an MT but I started 3 years ago getting very tired, and then the achiness started, mostly in the back of my legs but still all over my body as well. I also sit in a very comfortable chair, like a recliner, so it wasn't that. This was very gradual, and I thought I was just out of shape, working too much. Anyway, after many doctors thinking I was crazy and not finding anything in my lab tests, I went to a DO who has experience with CFS, fibromyalgia and all that. He found an elevated mycoplasma level. It won't cause an elevated white count, and many doctors are not familiar with it. It gets in your cells and basically sucks the energy out of them, causes your body to attack itself. Memory issues, pain/aches, total awful fatigue are all part of it. Also, it can mess up your immune system. Mine happens to be overactive. The treatment is a bunch of antibiotics about 6 months to a year. Maybe this is not what you have, but you might want to try a DO. Sometimes they know more than regular docs. If I can help 1 person find out what is wrong instead of waiting FOREVER for a diagnosis like I did-- it will be worth me replying and looking like an idiot :)

thanks for posting this...nm - .

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nm

You defintely do not look like an idiot. Quite the - Kiki

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opposite for trying to help someone. I'm going to look into this because the symptoms you describe do sound like me. Thanks again!

Ditto to this! My DO has helped me tremendously as well sm - RoadrunnerMT

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with my major multiple medical problems. Much better than probably 10 MDs did over a 2-yr span. I continually went back to the DO to get the help that worked.

Do you have a term for your health problems? Is there a specific disease or is it just the mycoplasma levels being elevated contributing? I have health problems where my body is basically attacking itself like an autoimmune disease but nothing has been found yet. Very interested to know. Feel free to email me directly if you wish.

I have to mix up my routine depending on where the discomfort is - Ancient MT

[ In Reply To ..]

I have 35+ years in and am getting ready to hang it up. I agree that stress and tension are the culprits (if it is not medical, like fibromyalgia). That was the primary reason why I had trouble getting through an entire shift without some discomfort, but mine was mostly in my shoulders. I finally figured out that mixing up my routine worked the best, instead of just counting on one way of sitting in my chair.

I use different things on different days, depending on how tired I am or if I know I am going to be stressed by having to deal with difficult dictators that day. First, I never wear shoes or even slippers. I always transcribe barefoot during the summer and have the windows open for fresh air. In the winter, I only wear socks (if my feet are cold). That way, when I am waiting for files to load or looking up references, I can wiggle my toes, curl them, etc (I got that idea from Bruce Willis in his first Diehard movie. LOL).

I use a heated massage chair cushion. A good one with a high back and multiple settings can be pricey, but definitely worth it in the long run. If the back of my legs are tight, I turn it around so the back is hanging down. That way, I can rest the back of my legs against the part that my back usually rests on, and I can get a leg massage and heat treatment on my legs.

I also try different pillow rolls – behind the neck, behind the small of the back, even sitting on one. That is just a matter of finding where the stress is and putting the pillow where it feels the best.

I use Aromatherapy scented candles or a diffuser with essential oils, mostly during the end of my shift because I work nights and go to bed right after I get done working. There is no way to scientifically prove this, but I seem to sleep better after I have had the candles/diffuser going for a couple hours before I go to bed.

Basically, just keep trying different things because what works today may not help tomorrow.

Good luck.

Some hints I pulled off the web today:

HAND AND FOOT GYMNASTICS
Repeat each step five times.

Curl your toes as tight as you can and release.

Curl your entire foot down towards your heel and then stretch upwards.

Now circle your feet slowly clockwise and anticlockwise.

Clench your hands into fists. Then release, opening the fingers wide.

Stretch your fingers up at right-angles to your wrist. Then bring them down so they point towards the floor.

Make fists again and circle clockwise and then anticlockwise.

SHOULDER-SHRUGGING

Sit comfortably with your arms free.

Bring your shoulders right up to your ears, shrugging as hard as you can. Intensify the tension in your body as much as possible. Breathe in as you shrug upwards.

Tilt your head back as far as it will go.

Exhale and let your shoulders flop down and your head return forwards. You should feel a sense of heat in your neck and shoulders - more blood is now able to circulate through this high-tension area. Repeat as necessary.

Practice constructive vandalism: Beat the hell out of bubble wrap. It sounds acutely weird but a professor of psychology, Dr Kathleen Dillon, has proved that popping bubble wrap (apparently the big bubbles work best) dispels pent-up nervous energy and muscle tension. She also points out that, unlike many other forms of stress-busting, bubble-popping requires no instruction and no practice. Try it – it really does seem to help.

some thoughts - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I haven't read all the responses, so forgive if this is a repeat.

I've been doing this 35 yr. Suggest that you get up frequently, at the very least, every 2 hr, and walk around a little bit.

I take Carlson's fish oil -- it is liquid, but with lemon or orange flavor -- and is very good. Not all supplements are what they say they are; this one is supported by independent ConsumerLab studies.

I am short, so I put my foot pedal up on a box. I change position of my foot. Sometimes i even put my wrist rest under my heel.

I try to go outside for a walk 30 min or more in the middle of my day. Sitting still long periods is very hard on the body and this refreshes me mentally and physically.

You also might make sure you don't have something else going on, arthritis, PAD, fibromyalgia, etc.

Wishing you the best.

working more than 20 years - Sue

[ In Reply To ..]
Don't sit for more than an hour. Get up at least a minute or 2. I have been doing medical transcription for 35 years and that is real important. It helps to also stretch your neck and arms but definitely don't sit all day in front of the computer - it will catch up with you quick.

I would check out a real illness first and not blame the work - L&L

[ In Reply To ..]
I've been doing this since 1972; I quit for a couple of years and then went back. The first 3 weeks I had a different pain every day. Then it stopped. I don't take any special vitamins, I don't use any special techniques, and I'm unbelievably out of shape, but the only thing that bothers me is my eyes.

If you drink a lot of diet colas or foods with aspartame, you might watch the video "Swee Poison." Some people believe a lot of these generalized systemic symptoms and even fibromyalgia are related to aspartame, which, when it breaks down in your system, is basically wood alcohol, i.e., poison.

Hmm, I don't use aspartame but I do use a lot of - Kiki

[ In Reply To ..]
Splenda. I know it's different but still, might be something to think about. Thanks.

How I do it: - Zircon

[ In Reply To ..]
First of all, I've been lucky, because I don't have any major problems such as DVT, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, etc.

Still, I do have osteoarthritis in both thumbs, but it hasn't been too much of a problem.

I GET UP FROM MY CHAIR FREQUENTLY. At home, I get up to put in a load of laundry, clean a litter box, get the mail, etc. Inhouse, I took plenty of bathroom breaks, plus a lunch break, and also we had to get up to use other computers to get work, or go into the copy room to make copies.

I KEEP MY HANDS WARM. I wear warm typing gloves year-round, except for the hottest summer days. This also keeps the arthritis from acting up.

I USE AN ADJUSTABLE KEYBOARD SHELF. I got a "4G by Humanoid". It's expensive, but well worth it. It mounts under the desk, and is fully adjustable in many directions. Couldn't work without it. I keep it low, at lap-height, and use a very soft gel-filled wrist pad.

FULLY ADJUSTABLE CHAIR. I tried several, but found a good one made by Sealy Posturepedic. Wide, well-padded, and adjusts 5 ways: Height, forward or backward tilt of the seat, forward or backward tilt of the backrest, height of the backrest, and an adjustable lumbar support. I usually make minor changes here and there during the day, depending on how I'm feeling.

Sometimes, despite all that, things still get sore. If my right elbow hurts (old injury & bone spur) Tylenol seems to do the trick. If it's neck and shoulder muscles, Aleve or ibuprofen works for me.

PS! - One more helpful product - Zircon

[ In Reply To ..]
One more thing I swear by is "Flexall" pain-relieving gel. I've tried others, but they don't work nearly as well. I have lots of trouble with tense muscles in my left neck and left shoulder. After rubbing Flexall into it, sometimes I don't even need an oral pain-reliever! You can get it in any supermarket or drugstore. (Small white bottle with a blue square on the front, that says "Flexall" in white letters.)

Standing up while transcribing - beat up

[ In Reply To ..]
I know it sounds weird, but they now have adjustable desks where you can adjust the height. I use one at work and it's great. If your back aches and gets tired, you just stand up and transcribe. I thought it would be uncomfortable and awkward, but it's actually quite comfortable.

true, I use it also, immediate relief...nm - Flexall

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am going to - Kiki

[ In Reply To ..]
try to find a better chair, and I'll check that one out.

Aches/pains - tired MT

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I know just what you are talking about. You probably are getting circulation problems in your legs. I have to go sit on the couch for 15 minutes or so with my feet up at least every hour and a half. My hands hurt, my back hurts, have to wear two different braces occasionally when my back is really hurting. I have a flexible schedule and can take the time to do put my legs up. If you don't have a flexible schedule, you could probably put in a request to the HR dept and see what they say. I been doing this over 10 years and I really doubt i last much longer.

30 years! - Carol

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Yoga 30 minutes each morning. Denise Austin has a very easy yoga program on VHS and DVD called Essential Yoga. After you do it a few times, you can go through the various postures and stretches on your own. Works but you have to make the commitment and do it.

When you stay in one position for a prolonged amount of time, your muscles get tight and shorter, and Yoga moves will stretch your entire body.

My 2 cents. - 25+ years

[ In Reply To ..]
I also elevated my foot pedal, follow all the ergonomic instructions about hand/elbow/hip placement. For me, regular (every 15 minutes) stretching has been essential - I don't get up, I just shake my hands up in the air when the dictator is talking slow or shuffling papers, and I do hand stretches, arm raises, pull my shoulder blades together, and also lean my head back to stretch my neck the opposite way. Tilting my neck to each side, neck stretches while I work.

This book helped me when I went through a bout of severe pain that kept me from working for several months: Pain Free at Your PC by Pete Egoscue. Great stretches in there too. Also, a yoga class and a chiropractor who did acupuncture helped me through this same time period. Now, I can get by with regular (to constant) stretching, wiggling around, and making sure my body gets out of the same old same old typing posture numerous times during my work day.

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