Virginia residents like you work hard at your job every day. You take every precaution you can to stay safe while at work. Your workplace also has precautionary and safety measures in place to keep its workers safe.
But did you know that one of the most common forms of worker injury can happen no matter how careful you try to be?
Causes of repetitive strain injuries
Healthline takes a look at repetitive strain injuries, which are common in workplaces across America. Repetitive stress injuries (RSI) happen due to the repeated action of one motion over and over. Unfortunately, many jobs involve exactly this. Some examples include workers at cash registers or assembly lines, massage therapists, and any job that involves excessive use of keyboards and computers.
RSIs cause inflammation of the muscle and soft tissue due to overwork and strain in one area of the body. The hands, wrists and elbows are at the highest risk for RSIs. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome is a form of RSI that affects the wrist.
Damage resulting from RSIs
Swelling from the soft tissue causes damage when it pinches nerves in the surrounding area. Many RSI sufferers experience numbness, tingling, pain or a burning sensation. Some also experience weakness in the affected limb. In severe cases, the pain is extreme enough to prevent you from using the affected limb.
Unfortunately, the only way to recover from an RSI is through rest. After your limb has suffered through an RSI once, you are more likely to have flare-ups, too. This can get in the way of your ability to work, which is an enormous hurdle for workers who rely on their job to support themselves.