Repetitive Strain Injury – Part 1

A repetitive strain injury is a general term that is used to describe injuries to muscles, tendons and joints that are used over and over again in the commission of an act. Sometimes that act is an athletic endeavor and sometimes it’s a movement done at home or at work. For instance, tennis elbow is a repetitive strain injury that can be caused from butchering meat, painting walls or playing a raquet sport.

The majority of repetitive strain injuries are in the upper extremities, such as the elbow, wrist, neck, hands or shoulders. Symptoms can include pain or tenderness with specific motion, cramping, stiffness, sensitivity to cold or heat or a tingling sensation over the area or an area of the body that is more distal – further from the center of the body than the injury. For instance, tennis elbow may cause tingling down the forearm, which is more distal from the body.

There are more reported repetitive strain injuries in the neck and thumbs in young people who spend hours on their smart phones. You can also experience a neck injury from repeatedly cradling the phone on your shoulder without using your hands. Carpel tunnel syndrome and tendinitis are two other conditions that are linked to repetitive stress.

If you are experiencing pain from what you believe is a repetitive stress injury it’s important to seek assistance as soon as possible for a number of different reasons. If the injury is related to work, then an occupational report has to be made. You will want to stop what ever movements and motions are causing the pain so the area can heal and your physical therapist or chiropractor will recommend strengthening exercises to get you ready to return to as normal activities as possible.

Resources:

University of Nebraska: Computer Related Repetitive Strain Injury

http://rsi.unl.edu/

NHS Choices: Repetitive Strain Injury

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Repetitive-strain-injury/Pages/Introduction.aspx

KidsHealth: Computer-Related Repetitive Stress Injuries

http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/home/ergonomics.html

Cleveland Clinic: Repetitive Stress Injury

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/orthopaedics-rheumatology/diseases-conditions/repetitive-stress-injury.aspx

Public and Commercial Services Union: Guide to Repetitive Strain Injury

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/resources/health_and_safety/guide_to_repetitive_strain_injury.cfm