Repetitive Stress Injuries at Work
Posted By Clod on August 23, 2011
Repetitive injuries have been traditionally linked with athletes and sports over the years, but new complaints of over-use injuries are becoming more common in the work place. “Shin splints” and “tennis elbow” from runners and tennis players are being replaced with “low-back pain” and “carpal tunnel” from people using computers. These problems usually arise from improper work place environments, causing faulty biomechanics.
These injuries are commonly referred to as “over-use injuries” or “repetitive-stress injuries.” A repetitive-stress injury is any injury brought on by doing the same motion over and over again. The human body was not designed to throw a baseball 95 mph 100 times a day, nor was it designed to enter data into a computer for eight hours a day. Over time, the body can break down from this over use.
There are many treatment protocols available for these injuries: from therapeutic exercises, to ice and manipulation. From my experiences, as a Chiropractor and Exercise Physiologist, I have seen positive results from several of these methods. Usually the best results come from a combination of treatments. The prognosis for these injuries is usually good, but the cause must be identified. Treatment can help bring you back to a healthy state, but the problems will quickly return if the offending movement is not corrected.
Start by taking a look at your workspace. Be sure that everything you use frequently is within a comfortable reach so you can avoid over stretching and straining the muscles, ligaments and joints.
Your chair height should be set so your knees are slightly lower than the level of your hips, with BOTH feet touching the ground. A footstool a few inches high can be used, if needed. Avoid crossing your legs. The arm rests should be set about an inch below the elbows while the arms are hanging comfortably at your sides, so your forearms, not elbows can rest on them.
Even in the perfectly adjusted chair, proper posture is essential to reduce stress on your back. Sit with your head up and shoulders back. It may take a while to get use to, and may be quite uncomfortable at first, but you’ll soon wonder how you ever functioned with your shoulders slouched forward.
While working, be sure you are facing your computer terminal, and your head is not constantly rotated to one side to view your screen. This will reduce strain on your neck. While typing, take care not to bend your wrists backward and off to the side. This movement is a common cause for carpal tunnel injuries. There are several products on the market that prop your wrists up so this action can be avoided. These products generally are pads about an inch thick that are placed in front of your keyboard, which keep your wrists in a neutral position, but a book of the same thickness would work just as well.
While moving your mouse or pointer, be sure your body is close enough to your workstation so that your arm is not fully extended. This will reduce the chances of a shoulder injury. Back pain, carpal tunnel and shoulder pain are the most common work related stress injuries I see at my office. Other injuries not listed do occur, and the cause must be recognized for treatment to be successful. Careful analysis of your workspace by yourself or a professional may reveal a potential problem before it starts.
If you think you are experiencing or developing an over-use injury, first identify the movement that is causing the pain, then stop or modify that movement. If the problem persists, seek treatment from someone who deals with that type of injury. Then change your work environment for proper biomechanics. Your body will thank you.
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