Most of us don’t realise how much strain we place on our bodies… until something suddenly gives way.
Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs) affect 1 in 4 adults, whether they spend their day at a desk, on a construction site, or – like many people this season – hunched over gift-wrapping or carrying shopping bags.
RSIs happen quietly. One movement isn’t the problem: it’s hundreds of repetitions over hours, days, or years.
And they don’t just affect wrists and fingers. They show up as:
- Lower back strain
- Tech Neck & Shoulder Strain
- Tennis elbow
Different Jobs, Same Joints at Risk
- Desk workers develop RSIs from scrolling, typing, mouse gripping, or looking down at screens.
- Blue-collar workers develop RSIs from lifting, tool use, vibration exposure, kneeling, reaching and manual handling.
- There are also hidden RSI groups: crafters, hobbyists, hairdressers, gardeners, musicians and seasonal workers.
One person who learned this unexpectedly was Dorry, a lifelong craft enthusiast from Kingsworthy in Winchester.
When Doing What You Love Turns into an Injury
Dorry had been sewing for over 50 years. In preparation for a summer craft fete, she spent long days sewing, cutting, bending her neck and shoulders: something she’d always done.
But this time, something changed.
“By Sunday, the pain across my shoulders and up my neck became unbearable. I ended up in A&E at one in the morning.”
She was told she had a repetitive strain injury and was advised to rest, take painkillers, and wait. But Dori’s pain didn’t settle.
Even light activity caused flare-ups.
She describes the mental impact of going from full activity to doing nothing, something many RSI patients experience… pain doesn’t just affect the body; it affects confidence, independence and mood.
Dorry was told what many RSI patients hear:
👉 “Give it time.”
👉 “Rest.”
👉 “Take painkillers.”
While this advice has its place, it often leaves people unsupported, with no plan, no reassurance and no way to track progress. That’s when Dori pushed back: she contacted her GP again and asked for more help. It was a turning point.
“I literally said I feel unsupported.”
She was referred to physiotherapist Tiggy Corben, who introduced her to DocHQ Physio.
What Made the Difference?
Instead of waiting passively, Dori now had:
✔ targeted exercises
✔ real physio oversight
✔ daily movement to build resilience
✔ reassurance that what she was doing was safe
She started completing her tailored DocHQ exercises twice a day:
“It’s only seven minutes… nothing you dread doing. Mentally it really gave me a massive boost, especially knowing I was always checked on by Tiggy to ensure I was doing the exercises correctly.”
Where rest alone had stalled progress…movement, done correctly, drove recovery more efficiently.
Our DocHQ programmes are designed to make users feel:
- supported
- monitored
- accountable
- hopeful again
“I felt confident someone was looking after me, rather than telling me to sit around and do nothing.”
RSIs Don’t Take Time Off
If anything, flare-ups become more common during the Christmas holidays:
- carrying heavy shopping bags
- long hours at the stove
- deep cleaning
Small movements repeated for hours can overload joints: especially those that were already stiff.
Dorry learned this long before Christmas, but her story mirrors thousands of people each winter who think pain is “just part of it.”
It doesn’t have to be.
RSI sufferers don’t just need painkillers. They need knowledge: What should I do? Am I making this worse? How long will this take?
Dorry tried searching for exercises online but quickly became unsure whether she was helping or harming herself. That’s where DocHQ bridged the gap: turning confusion into clarity.
“I’d never have seen a physio daily – but DocHQ made it feel like I did,” she says.
RSIs are often invisible until they become disruptive: to work, to wellbeing, to identity. But they don’t have to become the cost of productivity or passion.
Dorry’s journey shows that when people receive reassurance, structured movement and timely guidance, pain gives way to progress.
So as winter workloads and festive activity increase, let’s rethink prevention. With simple daily support, digital physiotherapy and proactive recovery pathways, organisations and individuals can keep people performing, not just coping.
DocHQ is built to give that support: empowering people to stay mobile, confident and active all year round.
With education to spot issues before they escalate, daily exercises to build strength + mobility, real 1:1 physio support to correct movement and guide recovery & continuous feedback to improve adherence and prevent recurrence!
Learn more about Dorry’s story in her testimonial: https://vimeo.com/1140834734?fl=ip&fe=ec
