Injured workers who have suffered a repetitive stress injury can find their world significantly changed as they are unable to perform simple tasks they once had no problem performing. Injured workers may not be able to cook, garden, pick up a child or carry groceries into the house because of the pain and disability caused by the repetitive stress injury they have suffered. They may also be unable to work.
There are methods of treating a repetitive stress injury that may be able to help. For a computer-related repetitive stress injury, for instance, physical therapy; education about how to maintain good posture and body mechanics; or time away from the keyboard may help alleviate some of the symptoms the injured worker is suffering from. Unfortunately, in some instances, injured workers will never be able to return to full use following the workplace injury.
Repetitive stress injuries are essentially an over use problem. The way that repetitive stress injuries progress over time is that they tear muscle fibers which fatigue and due to the repetitive motion, never have time to recover. Building up muscles and tissues in the body may help. Tips for workers that may also help include taking adequate and frequent rest breaks; performing stretching exercises; varying tasks; changing the way they normally sit or move; or holding or reaching for something with a different hand. Ice, heat and anti-inflammatory medication can also help. Sometimes, such as for carpal tunnel syndrome, surgical intervention may be needed and recommended.
Suffering from a repetitive stress injury can keep workers away from their jobs and may also require them to go in a different direction if they are unable to do the work they did prior. Because of what a significant impact a repetitive stress injury can have on the lives of victims and their families, they should be familiar with workers’ compensation options and other options available to help and how they can access those options.