The majority of people work at least eight hours a day, five days a week. At work, we are often required to perform certain tasks over and over again. Repetitive actions can occur whether you work in an office, at a construction site, or even in a car or truck.
Repetitive tasks may, in fact, be causing you injury. Work injuries happen in every line of work. Some work injuries happen over an extender period, while others occur as a result of a sudden, one-time occurrence. During the course of any work day, an employee may fall, be involved in a car accident, or injured while handling a piece of equipment.
Repetitive strain injuries are common work-related injuries that occurs when an employee engages in persistent repetition of particular physical motions.
Repetitive strain can include injuries caused by rapid repetitive movement, forceful exertion, and even unsupported fixed positioning. This means that repetitive strain injuries can be a result of lack of movement and/or too much movement. It is often difficult to pinpoint a specific action that causes repetitive strain injuries because, many times, they are the result of a combination of actions.
Carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, and neck, back, and shoulder pain are common types of repetitive strain injury. Doctors can treat these injuries with steroid injections, pain relievers, and even surgery, but repetitive strain injuries often recur, even after treatment. Repetitive strain injuries are hard to “cure,” thus the only real way to protect yourself from this type of injury is to avoid it in the first place by:
- Allow yourself to engage in a variety of motions
- Take work breaks to do stretching exercises
- Adjust your work station frequently
Repetitive strain injuries are commonly confused with every day aches and pains; however, ignoring these serious injuries will only make them worse. Once nerve damage occurs, it can result in permanent injury, thus effecting your work performance and your entire life. Pay close attention for the following symptoms of repetitive strain:
- Numbness
- Burning and Tingling
- Ache/dull pain
- Shiny palms
- Dryness
- Impaired dexterity
- Swelling in the hands
- Loss of muscle
- Increased pain at night
- Increased instability in your hands
If you have acquired a repetitive strain injury while working in Ohio, you may be entitled to benefits. To protect your rights, you have to call me right away at 1 (800) 556-4769.
As your Ohio workers’ compensation lawyer, I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
Author: Tim Misny | For 33 years, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny has represented the injured victim in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving “Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus & Cincinnati, Ohio.” You can reach Tim by email at tmisny@misnylaw.com or call at 1 (800) 556-4769.
