I won't begrudge anyone who finds comfort in this "mindbody" stuff. If your pain is gone, good for you. But I really really hope you folks won't take away the wrong lesson and assume that all RSI is mental. It's not.
Overcoming my own physical pain was tough, but I eventually conquered it. Here's what worked for me.
* I learned to type Dvorak. Since learning how to type on a C64 at the age of 3, my typing form has always been terrible. If nothing else, Dvorak taught me how to put my fingers in the right places.
* I picked up a split-in-two-halves keyboard. The right half of the keyboard is rotated counter-clockwise to address the extreme ulnar deviation in my right forearm (following an old injury).
* It's also nice, with these broad shoulders, to spread out the two keyboard halves. This helps a lot with my neck and shoulders.
* I tented that keyboard to ease pronation in my wrists. I started at about 70 degrees (almost fully vertical) and eased down to 15 degrees over time.
* I grabbed a vertical mouse to match my vertical-ish keyboard.
* I stopped leaning my head toward the screen. Huge help for my neck.
* I started using a sit-stand desk. This is a great way to "take a break" without actually taking a break.
Some other important observations.
* Being in good physical shape reduces all my RSI problems/risks across the board. When I'm fit, I can type in any awkward position for days without pain. When I'm fat, I get RSI just thinking about my keyboard. Being fit at the moment, all my new equipment and good computing habits are making me far more productive.
* Good sleep and good food also help. Sometimes I lose focus and slip back into bad habits when I'm in a cheesesteak coma, for example.
It may be possible to fix your RSI physically if you pay really close attention to what your body is telling you, and earnestly experiment with possible solutions. Some big organizations in SV have ergo labs where you can go test out equipment for free. Use that resource if you can. Do what you must, but don't discount the physical solutions.
But how do you know it was the physical changes you made that cured your RSI? It could just as easily have been the placebo effect. From what I can see, there is no good evidence that RSI is physical at all, and your 'cure' certainly doesn't bolster your case that it is physical. Example: how could good sleep and food possibly help a physical injury in your hand?
I'm wondering why you are so convinced that RSI is physical ("It's not")?
I am convinced that my RSI was physical. I'm not convinced it's physical for everyone. Which is exactly what I said ("It's not").
There's no question, ZERO, that it's anything but physical in my case. It's worth mentioning (again, by the way) that I have debilitating problems with my right arm following an old injury. Some of us have real physical problems that cause real physical pain. I understand the mechanics of my unique situation well, and took careful, deliberate steps to physically address those limitations.
Finding the right equipment was not something that happened overnight. It was a long process that took at least a year. I could feel, physically, when new approaches were working and when they weren't. I could feel, physically, when introducing certain parts of the setup introduced new problems, etc. For example, while playing with my keyboard and mouse, I started fixing my wrists at the expense of my shoulders and neck, which then called for the leaning discipline, standing desk, and so on and so on.
Otherwise, good sleep and good food help me maintain the focus that's required to keep myself from slipping back into bad habits. One of the worst habits of mine, that's been the toughest to shake, has been stopping myself from leaning into the screen while getting into my work. It's terrible for my neck. Leaning back helps immensely. I can stay on top of this easily when I'm properly energized. I slip when I'm tired or it's getting late.
I'm using a left-handed Evoluent VerticalMouse 2. They skipped the leftie in the third generation, but it's back for the newer VerticalMouse 4. I may need to check that out.
My keyboard is the Kinesis Freestyle (with VIP attachment). To get the 70 degree tenting when I started, I welded together my own stand from old door hinges.
Overcoming my own physical pain was tough, but I eventually conquered it. Here's what worked for me.
* I learned to type Dvorak. Since learning how to type on a C64 at the age of 3, my typing form has always been terrible. If nothing else, Dvorak taught me how to put my fingers in the right places.
* I picked up a split-in-two-halves keyboard. The right half of the keyboard is rotated counter-clockwise to address the extreme ulnar deviation in my right forearm (following an old injury).
* It's also nice, with these broad shoulders, to spread out the two keyboard halves. This helps a lot with my neck and shoulders.
* I tented that keyboard to ease pronation in my wrists. I started at about 70 degrees (almost fully vertical) and eased down to 15 degrees over time.
* I grabbed a vertical mouse to match my vertical-ish keyboard.
* I stopped leaning my head toward the screen. Huge help for my neck.
* I started using a sit-stand desk. This is a great way to "take a break" without actually taking a break.
Some other important observations.
* Being in good physical shape reduces all my RSI problems/risks across the board. When I'm fit, I can type in any awkward position for days without pain. When I'm fat, I get RSI just thinking about my keyboard. Being fit at the moment, all my new equipment and good computing habits are making me far more productive.
* Good sleep and good food also help. Sometimes I lose focus and slip back into bad habits when I'm in a cheesesteak coma, for example.
It may be possible to fix your RSI physically if you pay really close attention to what your body is telling you, and earnestly experiment with possible solutions. Some big organizations in SV have ergo labs where you can go test out equipment for free. Use that resource if you can. Do what you must, but don't discount the physical solutions.