When I had my serious RSI episode, about 7 years ago, I observed that simply sitting at my desk or looking at my computer from across the room would induce pain

When I had my serious RSI episode, about 7 years ago, I observed that simply sitting at my desk or looking at my computer from across the room would induce pain in my mousing hand. There was a majority physical component -- actually using the mouse was much, much more painful -- but there was also a psychological component. I suspect that this was anticipatory tension or somesuch, similar to a flinch response.