Understanding Repetitive Strain Injuries: Prevention and Treatment Strategies

Repetitive strain injuries are a common workplace injury, with repetitive movements, poor ergonomics, and prolonged strain all potentially leading to chronic pain, reduced productivity, and, in severe cases, permanent injury.

In fact, a study in 2021 found that 9% of adults aged 18 and over reported injuries from repetitive strain in the past 3 months, with nearly half indicating their injuries were serious enough to limit their activities for 24 hours. 

With RSI injuries affecting employees in various industries—from office workers to manual laborers—companies must do their part to minimize the risks that contribute to these injuries.

Keep reading to explore common types of repetitive strain injuries in the workplace, their causes and risk factors, and tips for prevention. 

What Are Repetitive Strain Injuries?

Repetitive strain injuries (RSI) are musculoskeletal disorders that generally affect tendons, muscles, or joints due to repetitive motion or prolonged overuse. Also referred to as repetitive motion injuries, overuse injuries, or cumulative trauma disorders, RSI injuries commonly result from repetitive and forceful motions, awkward postures, and other work-related conditions and ergonomic hazards.

The most affected areas are the back, neck, upper limbs, and occasionally the lower limbs. Unfortunately, these injuries worsen over time without proper rest, early intervention, and ergonomic adjustments, increasing the risk of being re-injured after returning to work.

Common Types of Repetitive Strain Injuries in the Workplace

There are various types of repetitive strain injuries that workers in different industries can suffer from. These include:

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs when pressure on a nerve in the wrist causes tingling, numbness, and pain in your hand and fingers. Employees who engage in repetitive hand and wrist motions like typing, assembly line work, or gripping tools are more likely to develop CTS.

According to a past CDC study, female workers and workers in industries that manufacture apparel, process food, and perform administrative work were at the highest risk for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is inflammation of the tendons between your muscles and bones, often due to repetitive strain and wear and tear from workplace activities. While it can occur in any tendon, tendonitis is most common in the shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and heels. Workers who are required to perform strenuous, repetitive activities for an extended period, such as those in construction, healthcare, and factory work, are particularly at risk of suffering from tendonitis.

Given the physical demands of construction jobs, prioritizing occupational health in construction is essential to minimizing workplace injuries and ensuring long-term worker safety.

Bursitis

Bursitis is the painful swelling and inflammation of the bursae—fluid-filled sacs that cushion the joints—causing pain and restricted movement. Workers who put prolonged pressure on their bursae are more likely to develop this injury, especially those who lift heavy boxes or kneel extensively for tasks like laying carpet. For that reason, warehouse employees, plumbers, and construction workers face a higher risk of bursitis.

Trigger Finger

Trigger finger occurs when the tendons in your affected fingers or thumb become irritated and swollen, making it difficult to move your fingers. Jobs that require repetitive hand use and prolonged gripping—such as factory workers, mechanics, musicians, and farmers—are at greater risk of this repetitive strain injury.

Causes and Risk Factors of Repetitive Strain Injuries at Work

What causes repetitive strain injury?

With repetitive trauma injuries affecting both office and industrial workers, there are various factors that contribute to their development. Companies that address these risk factors early on can prevent them from occurring and increase safety in the workplace.

That said, let’s take a look at 5 common causes of RSI.

Repetitive Motions

Many workers perform the same tasks every single day, such as typing, lifting, or operating machinery. While these tasks are part of their daily responsibilities, repetitive movements can place excessive strain on muscles, tendons, and nerves, leading to repetitive strain injuries. Without breaks or variation in movement, workers are at risk of chronic pain and reduced mobility.

Poor Ergonomics

Ergonomic risk factors—such as repetition, awkward posture, forceful motion, stationary position, and work stress—are workplace situations that cause wear and tear on the body. For instance, poor lighting can affect your vision, improper sitting positions can strain your spine, and working with heavy equipment designed without long-term usability can lead to strain and injury.

That said, to prevent injuries due to poor ergonomics, companies must proactively address safety issues in the workplace before they cause harm.

Forceful Exertions

Many manual tasks—such as lifting, pushing, pulling, gripping, and manipulating loads—require forceful exertion, increasing muscle fatigue and potential injury. There are multiple factors that increase the risk of injury, such as increased force, an increasing number or speed of repetitions, and the length of time the force is exerted, among others.

To reduce the risk of conditions like tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, proper lifting techniques and ergonomic tools are required.

Lack of Rest and Recovery

Lack of proper rest and recovery can lead to wear and tear, making it a common cause of RSI. To reduce the likelihood of injuries, workers can implement various strategies to help their bodies recover, such as taking regular breaks, rotating tasks, and doing stretching exercises to slow RSI progression.

This recovery is especially important after an injury. When individuals don’t have enough time to heal from micro-injuries, they may suffer from inflammation, stiffness, and chronic pain. For that reason, companies should have a comprehensive return to work program in place to ensure employees are medically ready and feel confident in their ability to perform their tasks.

Vibration exposure

Vibration can cause changes in tendons, muscles, bones, and joints, and can affect the nervous system. This is because workers who use power tools and heavy machinery are at risk of developing nerve damage, reduced circulation, and chronic pain due to prolonged vibration exposure. 

Repeated exposure can lead to conditions like hand-arm vibration syndrome, potentially causing permanent numbness of fingers, muscle weakness, and, in some cases, bouts of white finger.

Symptoms and Early Warning Signs

Many people ignore mild discomfort until it progresses into chronic pain or long-term mobility issues. To prevent this from occurring, your company should understand the symptoms and early warning signs of repetitive strain injuries to implement timely adjustments and prevent further injury.

Tingling, Numbness, or Pins-and-Needles Sensation

A persistent tingling or numbness, especially in the hands, fingers, or wrists, often signals nerve compression or restricted blood flow. This symptom is common in conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and may worsen with continued repetitive motion.

Aching, Throbbing, or Persistent Pain

Pain is a common symptom of repetitive strain injuries, ranging from a dull ache to sharp discomfort that increases with movement and may linger at rest. The areas most affected are typically the muscles, tendons, and joints.

Stiffness and Limited Flexibility

A common symptom of RSI injuries is stiffness or weakness in the affected area. This may include difficulty in bending, extending, or rotating joints, especially after prolonged inactivity, such as waking up in the morning or resuming movement after a long work session.

Swelling, Warmth, or Inflammation

Visible swelling, warmth, or tenderness around affected joints and tendons may indicate irritation from repetitive motion or overuse. If left untreated, the swelling can last for several months.

Weak Grip Strength and Loss of Dexterity

Repetitive strain injuries can weaken the muscles, leading to a noticeable decrease in grip strength. This makes tasks like opening jars, grasping tools, or handling small objects more difficult.

Preventing Repetitive Strain Injuries in the Workplace

There are various strategies your company can implement to prevent repetitive strain injuries, including:

• Ergonomic workstation setup: You can implement several workstation adjustments to help prevent injuries in your company. This includes providing comfortable chairs that support your employees’ spines, ensuring proper lighting and desk positioning, and adjusting chair height.
• Proper keyboard and mouse usage: There are also strategies your employees can implement to improve their posture and prevent conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome. This includes choosing the right keyboard and mouse, positioning the mouse and keyboard at about elbow height, and resting their hands and wrists when not typing.
• Frequent micro-breaks and movement exercises: Micro-breaks help improve productivity, decrease musculoskeletal discomfort, and provide relief from fatigue and stress. During these breaks, your team can stretch, take a short walk around the office, or do breathing exercises.
• Training in correct lifting and movement techniques: Your employees’ safety awareness training should cover proper techniques for lifting and other strenuous activities. This helps support construction injury prevention and should also be implemented in industries like manufacturing and healthcare.
• Workplace modifications: Various adjustments can be made to prevent your workers from overusing specific muscle groups, such as implementing standing desks, avoiding prolonged periods of repetitive tasks, and incorporating task rotation. Additionally, addressing common workplace hazards—such as poor lighting, cluttered workspaces, and improper flooring—can help prevent slips, trips, and falls, further reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries.

Managing Repetitive Strain Injuries in the Workplace

The following strategies help your company protect workers, improve workplace conditions, and minimize productivity loss due to RSI-related absences:

• 24/7 Physician-Led Telemedicine: Early diagnosis plays a crucial role in preventing mild RSI symptoms from becoming chronic conditions. Integrating telemedicine in the workplace gives your workers remote access to board-certified physicians. With JobSiteCare’s occupational health telemedicine, your workers receive immediate medical guidance, including treatment recommendations, ergonomic adjustments, and pain management strategies.
• End-to-End Case Management: If one of your employees suffers from a repetitive strain injury, you should have a comprehensive workplace injury management plan in place to ensure they receive proper treatment, follow-up care, and progressive workload adjustments to prevent re-injury. 
• Specialist Care Coordination: To reduce lost time injuries, your company should ensure seamless coordination between general physicians, specialists, and rehabilitation professionals to facilitate timely treatment and recovery. As part of JobSiteCare’s injury management services, we’ll arrange and schedule any necessary specialist visits to ensure high-quality care throughout the recovery process.
• Onsite Medical Services: Proactive medical support helps employees address discomfort before it escalates. By providing your employees with onsite medical services, you can enhance your workplace injury response procedure, reduce injuries, and improve your DART rate.

Conclusion

Companies that want to prevent repetitive strain injuries should improve ergonomic workstations, implement frequent micro-breaks, and train employees on proper movement techniques.

Recognizing and addressing early symptoms is also crucial to preventing long-term damage, reducing the cost of workplace injuries, and boosting productivity.

By leveraging JobSiteCare’s expertise in work injury care, you can ensure workers always receive proper care, thereby increasing employee satisfaction and creating an overall healthier work environment.

Contact us today to learn more about our services.

FAQs About Repetitive Strain Injuries