Repetitive strain injuries (RSI) are a family of injuries affecting tendons, tendon sheaths, muscles, nerves and joints. They cause persistent or recurring pains most commonly in the neck, shoulders, forearms, hands, wrists, elbows and lower limbs. This type of injury occurs in a wide variety of settings, from sports players to office staff, manufacturing, professional drivers, construction workers, the list goes on. These are what’s known as repetitive stress injuries, and they can become a major problem over time.
These types of injuries are typically caused by repetitive motions, poor positioning, mechanical devices, exertions, and vibrations that affect a specific part of the body.
Many people are unfamiliar with repetitive strain injuries so everyday aches and pains are overlooked and no connection is made between the injury and the workplace. Aches and pains warn that a serious injury may be developing.
How do repetitive stress injuries affect the body?
The most common injury types are inflammation like tendonitis and the condition known as bursitis. These are both similar in nature but where tendonitis is inflammation of the tendons (connective tissue that allows for movement), bursitis is the inflammation of cushioning sacs that help lubricate areas between bones and tendons. This is part of the reason so many individuals suffer arthritis of the joints.
What are the symptoms of repetitive stress injury?
Pain typically occurs at the site and you may suffer from pain as you are performing a specific action. For instance, when pain is sports related like tennis or golfer’s elbow, pain occurs during a specific motion that extends and flexes an area that is inflamed. Tennis players may suffer from this when they are bringing the racket back and tilting their wrist backwards. Golfer’s may suffer from this as they hit the golf ball, feeling pain in both the elbow and wrist. The area may also be warm to the touch, and sufferers frequently experience swelling, pain, and redness. Putting additional weight or strain on the area can cause it to hurt even more.
When should you seek help?
If the pain occurs with movement, tenderness that doesn’t go away, or your regular activities are interrupted you should seek help immediately! If the causes are not eliminated, the damage can be permanent and irreversible. Sometimes the injury is crippling, leaving people in pain and possibly immobile for life.
Chiropractic can help to remove joint dysfunctions or restrictions that are impeding the normal function of your joints. Non-surgical, drug-free, affordable help is available here!
Another thing you’ll get here is individualized care. There is no one size fits all option for treating dysfunction in the body. That’s why recovery, treatment, and therapy efforts are based around the individual needs of the patient.
It’s dangerous to ignore your pain, call us NOW!
Hall Family Chiropractic Clinic
13999 60th St. N
Stillwater, MN 55082 (651) 430-1515