Workplace-Related Repetitive Motion Injuries

We usually think of workplace injuries as one-time injuries – a broken limb caused by a slip and fall, a severed extremity caused by some equipment malfunction or a head injury caused by something falling from a height. While these are common workplace injuries that are immediately obvious, repetitive motion injuries can take months and years to become evident.

Repetitive Motion Injuries (RMIs) or Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs) are serious, debilitating conditions that can seriously hamper the quality of life of the sufferer if they stay undetected and untreated.

Most people are unaware of the common existence of such conditions, with the majority of people assuming that only those who use computers extensively are at risk of developing RSIs. This again is a misconception. Repetitive Stress Injury can result from ANY repetitive motion, and workers from across all industries who do this type of work are at risk.

Bernardino Ramazzini, an Italian physician, was the first to identify and list more than 20 categories of workers at risk from work-based RSIs. Included in his list were musicians and clerks.

A Look At The Major Types Of RSIs

RSIs can be classified into 3 major types:

1. Hand and Arm Pain

The bones of your hand and arm are connected by an intricate web of several ligaments, muscles and tendons. Your wrist alone has 27 small and medium-sized bones with several movable joints and the number of tendons and muscles is much higher than that.

As it is, the tendons and muscles of the wrist are not very strong. When stressful movements are repeated, again and again, these parts are damaged and unable to recover which causes discomfort, disorders and pain.

These injuries and disorders of the hand and arm can be broken down further into those of the nervous system, skeletal system and neurovascular system.

• Disorders of the Nervous System:

These mostly occur due to prolonged and repeated exposure and contact of the nerves to various objects such as work surfaces, sharp tools, or even adjacent ligaments, bones and tendons. Carpal tunnel syndrome figures top of the list of disorders of the nervous system. It is mainly caused when the same hand movements are made repeatedly, such as when typing or writing.

Symptoms may range from tingling of the fingers to pain and weakness in the extremities. If allowed to progress, the pain may extend up the arm to the elbow as well.

• Skeletal Disorders:

When a tendon in the skeletal system is overused, symptoms such as swelling, pain and weakness may manifest. If the tendon has been overloaded for a relatively short amount of time, it remains an acute injury with micro-tears in the tendons, which can be treated by application of RICE (rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). However, if the trauma continues and is repeated over time, this gives rise to tendonitis – a condition where the collagen fibres that make up the tendon are no longer aligned, resulting in loss of strength and further injury.

• Neurovascular Disorders:

These disorders are caused by the compression of blood vessels due to repeated activities, the most common among them being the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

This syndrome results in numbness of the fingers, and weakening of the pulse, and sometimes can be detected if one arm is colder than the other due to lack of circulation. This condition is generally seen in professions that involve carrying heavy bags on the shoulders and also in activities that involve extensive overhead motions.

2. Neck and Shoulder Pain

Neck and shoulder pain is commonly seen in clerical workers, who are often hunched up on their desks or holding a phone between their ear and shoulder. This problem is also common in professions where the elbow has to be kept at an elevated position, for example, taxi drivers and people who work on computers for long durations. Continued exposure to such conditions causes a common condition called frozen shoulder.

The repeated outward motion of the hand can also cause a shoulder disorder called rotator cuff tendinitis, which is mostly seen in painters, cleaners, and bus drivers who drive buses that have manually operated doors.

The best prevention for neck and shoulder injury is mild exercise, mostly stretching, which relieves the tension that builds up in the muscles.

3. Back Pain

Back pain normally results when the profession requires workers to maintain awkward positions for long durations.

Professionals at high risk for back pain include IT employees who employ poor posture while working on their work desks, assembly workers who repeatedly bend and twist to lift and place heavy items and nursing home staff or carers.

Handymen, construction workers, mechanics and other professionals whose work often involves lifting heavy equipment are also at high risk for back injuries at work.

Common Symptoms Associated With Repetitive Motion Injuries

The symptoms you’ll suffer from a repetitive motion injury will vary depending on the type of injury. However, some of the more common symptoms include:

It is important that you raise any concerns you have with your employer if you believe you’re suffering the consequences of repetitive motion at work. You should also speak to your GP and let them examine you so that they can try to diagnose your condition correctly.

Common Causes Of Repetitive Motion Injuries At Work

There are a variety of reasons why repetitive motion injuries occur in the workplace. Some of them include:

• Repetitive activities that put pressure on joints for prolonged periods.
• Inadequate training on how to complete tasks safely.
• Poorly designed work areas that lead to slouching or poor posture.
• Insufficient rest breaks or where staff take their rests at their desk or in their work area.
• Working with vibrating tools or machinery.

Diagnosis Of Repetitive Motion Injuries

Doctors diagnose work-related repetitive motion injuries through a comprehensive approach that involves gathering information from the patient’s medical history, conducting a thorough physical examination and considering workplace factors.

They begin by discussing the patient’s symptoms and work activities to identify potential repetitive motion triggers. During the physical examination, the doctor assesses the affected area for signs of inflammation, tenderness and limited range of motion. They may order imaging tests, such as X-rays or MRI scans to make it easier to look for damage to the affected area and to rule out other conditions.

Receiving a proper diagnosis of a repetitive motion injury is essential, as it should mean you’ll receive the treatment needed to aid recovery, and it will allow your employer the opportunity to make changes in the workplace to reduce your suffering.

The Employers’ Role In Reducing Repetitive Motion Injuries

Legally, employers are obliged to try and protect their staff while they’re at work. While this means they should take steps to prevent accidents, they must also consider how working conditions could lead to personal injuries. That’s especially true for tasks that are repetitive and prolonged.

Employers can try to prevent or reduce the incidence of repetitive motion injury by implementing ergonomic workstations with adjustable equipment to support proper body alignment.

Additionally, employers should think about rotating the roles an employee carries out to try and reduce the risk of RSI or RMI injuries and allow staff adequate rest breaks away from their normal working environment.

Another way repetitive motion injuries can be reduced is if low-vibration tools are used, and that all equipment provided is the right size and fit for purpose.

Essentially, employers must conduct regular risk assessments and consider using occupational health specialists to try and ensure that roles are as safe as possible.

Your Rights If You Suffer A Repetitive Motion Injury At Work

If you are suffering from any type of repetitive motion injury that is caused, because your employer failed in their duty of care, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your injuries and the monetary loss stemming from these injuries.

When filing a compensation claim against your employer, it is always advisable, in our opinion, to go through an experienced personal injury solicitor rather than file the claim yourself. A personal injury solicitor will use their legal knowledge, expertise and experience to make sure that your company does not put pressure on you to withdraw the claim.

They will also do their utmost to get you the full amount of compensation that you are entitled to. All of this will be done on the basis of a No Win No Fee agreement, which means you only pay if you win the case and you win compensation for your injuries.