Repetitive movement is a silent cause of workplace injury, one of which often goes unnoticed overtime. When it comes to repetitive movements at work, here’s what you need to know to stay safe. Â
What Are Repetitive Motion/Movement Injuries?
Have you ever physically done something consistently for so long without hinderance, injury or stress? Then seemingly out of nowhere, you injure yourself doing this same movement? If this sounds familiar, you may have experienced a repetitive motion injury, also known as a repetitive stress or strain injury. This type of injury is caused by performing the same motion over and over again, eventually resulting in temporary or long term damage to muscles, tendons, ligaments or even nerves.Â
While repetitive motion injuries can occur anywhere, the job site is a breeding ground for these types of accidents to happen. When it comes to repetitive movements at work, here are some common injuries we’ve seen first hand:
- Tendinitis: Sometimes called tennis elbow, tendinitis is an injury resulting in connective tissue between the muscle and bone becoming inflamed.
- Bursitis: When the fluid-filled pads around the joints become inflamed, the result is usually bursitis. Bursitis can even occur to someone working a non-physical job.Â
- Carpel Tunnel: Carpel Tunnel syndrome is usually caused by a pinched nerve in the wrist or arm, usually stemming from repetitive movement.Â
Common Causes of Repetitive Motion Injuries
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), repetitive motion injuries affect over 1.8 million workers every year, and the cost of said injuries accrue up to $20 billion per year. Within this staggering statistic, here are some common causes of these types of injuries in the workplace.Â
- Employees being in poor physical condition, especially if the job is one requiring physical exertion.
- Maintaining the same physical position or posture for long time periods without a break or stretch.
- Poor posture altogether, which can be equally as detrimental for desk/non-physical workers.
- Repetitive movements done incorrectly overtime, which can result in long-term or even permanent injury.
- Inefficient employer healthcare, resulting in employees avoiding or having limited access to medical care.
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Staying Injury Free from Repetitive Movements at Work
While there are various best practices to staying injury free on the job, there are a few critical components to preventing repetitive motion injuries specifically. Whether you are behind a desk, on a job site, or employed at a position which requires you to maintain a certain physical posture for long periods of time, here’s some things to consider that could save you pain and even money in the long run:
- Take regular breaks and stretch. Even if you're on a time crunch, an injury from repetitive movement can set you back further than a break ever could.
- Work smarter - Use the equipment at your disposal and do so correctly, even if this requires accumulating extra training.
- Maintain a neutral position of posture - This is important for both manual and desk-related jobs. Remember, doing this takes practice but has long-term benefits.
- Identify pain points early - Working through the pain or ignoring it completely has unfortunately become commonplace. Don't fall victim to this way of thinking.
- Exercise (the right way) - Especially if your job requires you to be physically active, maintaining a healthy lifestyle will serve a two-fold purpose.
A Note to Employers
With the costly downside of workplace injures, it’s critical you have a medical care solution in place to ensure your employees are protected. Next Level has partnered with various organizations through our Next Level PRIME service, offering a more robust and cost affective solution to advanced primary care tailored for business of all sizes. to learn more about PRIME, click here!
