Many work responsibilities require doing the same task each day throughout the week. Whether typing on the keyboard from 8 to 5 or carrying construction materials across the worksite, employees engaging in repetitive employment activities are more at risk of repetitive motion injuries than others.
How repetitive motion causes injuries
Constantly performing a task requiring a certain motion over a long period can cause mild to severe injuries. This includes overexertion and unnatural motions. At times, incorrect posture and muscle fatigue also play a huge role in increasing the injury risk. These repetitive stress movements may lead to tears in bodily tissues and when they do not heal quickly, they can turn into temporary or physical injuries.
Common injuries
Depending on the type of work and how frequently the employee does the activity, repetitive acts can lead to a wide range of occupation-related injuries including, but not limited to:
- Arthritis
- Tennis elbow
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Overuse syndrome
- Compressed spinal cord discs
- Meniscus tears
- Trigger finger
Common injury locations include the hands, fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulder joints, back, hips, knees, legs and ankles.
Proving injuries are work-related
One can prove their injury is work-related through a medical diagnosis. In the examination, the physician will inquire about the employee’s job, activities and how they physically do the tasks during a regular workday. The doctor may also run other tests to diagnose a repetitive motion disorder.
These injuries can develop over a long time. If you suddenly experience unusual pain when you have not been engaging in other activities outside of work, you may want to check for the possibility of it being a repetitive motion injury.