No matter what kind of job you have, there’s probably some aspect of your day that involves doing the same thing over and over again. Whether you’re a cashier at the local supermarket, a mechanic fixing up cars, or a programmer working on the latest app, this repetition can sometimes cause a work related stress injury. These injuries occur because making the same movements over and over again can cause unique damage to your body.
Repetitive stress injuries may be treated by changing your habits, routines, or behaviors. For example, your work injury doctor may tell you to adopt a more ergonomic posture or change the way you type. However, changing your behavior can sometimes be difficult. In other cases, it may simply be too little, too late. For many people with these injuries, further treatment is often required. That treatment can include physical therapy or chiropractic care.
Common Types of Work Related Repetitive Stress Injuries
In the highly-specialized American workforce, most people spend (at least) eight hours a day repeating the same tasks. That’s forty hours a week typing, sending emails, lifting boxes, driving, or whatever duties your job entails.
As a result, the work related repetitive stress injury you encounter will depend very much on the activity you’re doing. The most common of these injuries are:
- Tendonitis: Your muscles are connected to your bones by thick, fibrous cords called tendons. When those tendons become injured due to repetitive stress, you may develop a condition called tendonitis. This is an inflammation and swelling of the tendons and it can cause serious pain and discomfort. Tendonitis is most common around the joints (elbows, shoulders, wrists, knees, and so on).
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: One of the most famous repetitive stress injuries today, carpal tunnel syndrome usually occurs because the tendons that travel through your wrist become irritated and inflamed. For an office worker, this might be caused by constant typing. For a mechanic, it might be caused by working with tools all day. Carpal tunnel syndrome can cause pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand (especially in the thumb, index finger, and middle finger). Solutions for this injury range from rest and ergonomic improvements to physical therapy and surgery.
- Back Strain: Lifting, twisting, or hunching can all cause stress injuries to your back and neck. This will usually manifest as back strain. In some cases, the muscle becomes fatigued or injured, causing pain. These injuries are relatively easy to treat. In other cases, pain and discomfort may be caused by bulging or herniated discs. These injuries can be more serious. The best way to find the source of your back strain is to talk to a medical professional.
This list is by no means exhaustive. Repetitive stress injuries can occur in many areas of the body, depending on the type of work you perform.
How Can You Prevent Repetitive Stress Injuries?
The best way to treat repetitive stress injuries is usually to avoid or prevent them in the first place. Prevention strategies will vary depending on your workplace and the type of tasks you perform.
In general, however, the following approaches can help you prevent repetitive injuries:
- Raise awareness: Repetitive injuries often occur because we aren’t thinking about them. Being aware of the repetitive motions you make can be the first step to prevention.
- Take breaks: It’s very, very important to take breaks, no matter what repetitive motion you’re performing. (Yes, it’s important to take breaks even from typing.) It’s better to take several 10 or 15 minute breaks than it is to take one big, long break.
- Stretch: Because many repetitive motion injuries are due to muscle or tendon damage, stretching before and after you work can help prevent pain and discomfort. Find stretches appropriate to your occupation (for example, wrist stretches if you do a lot of typing).
- Use good posture and ergonomics: Whether you’re lifting heavy boxes (all day, every day) or typing at a computer, great posture and good ergonomics can help prevent injuries.
Preventing injuries often involves following safety procedures and listening to your body. Making sure to do both of these things can either keep your injury minimal–or prevent it all together. Of course, despite your best efforts, injuries may sometimes still happen. In those cases, priority turns to treatment.
Treating Your Work Related Repetitive Stress Injury
The exact treatment for your work related repetitive stress injury will vary depending on the injury in question. Some injuries will need only a light touch; other injuries may require more intervention.
When it comes to treating yourself at home, you can try:
- Rest: One of the most important things you can do to self-treat a repetitive stress injury is to rest the injured area of the body. When you notice early signs of carpal tunnel syndrome or a strained back, refrain from continuing the activity whenever possible. This will give your body time to heal.
- Try heating or icing the area: You can try heating or icing the area to help bring inflammation down.
- Over the counter anti-inflammatory pain medication: Try taking over-the-counter pain medication. However, you should not take this pain medication for more than a few days. At that point, you’re simply masking symptoms rather than treating them. This can lead to more severe injury over the long term.
- Wear a brace: For certain repetitive motion injuries, a brace will help alleviate pain and discomfort. However, it’s important to note that a brace may also simply mask symptoms; if you find yourself wearing a brace every day, talk to your chiropractor.
When Should You See a Chiropractor or Physical Therapist?
Of course, there are many times when treating these repetitive stress injuries on your own may not be enough. Many injuries may benefit chiropractic care or physical therapy in order to find relief.
You should make an appointment with your chiropractor when:
- You first notice the injury: Your chiropractor may instruct you to try self-treating your injury or may offer more substantial treatment options. This gives your chiropractor an opportunity to assess your injury and, when possible, provide treatments as soon as possible.
- The injury impacts your mobility or quality of life: If you can’t get around or your daily life suddenly becomes painful, it’s time to see a chiropractor or physical therapist.
- Your injury continues to grow worse: If you notice that your symptoms are growing worse (or, at least, not getting any better), talk to your work injury doctor about how physical therapy or chiropractic care can help.
At Diaspo, we have years of experience treating work related repetitive stress injuries. So if you’ve noticed signs of this type of injury, contact us to schedule a consultation with our team.
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