Repeated stress injuries are one of the more common injuries that occur in the modern workplace. Here is some information to help you understand the risks and solutions for this injury. 

What is a Repeated Stress Injury?

A repeated stress injury is an injury caused by performing a repeated motion without giving your body time to recover from each movement. The damage can occur to your muscles or tendons as well as joints in some cases. A classic example is a worker who types at the computer all day. Their wrist and arm muscles are working hard to hold their hands in a fairly rigid position for 8 or more hours a day. Over time, these actions cause the arm and hand muscles or wrist joint to seize up. Lasting damage and pain is the result. 

Can I Prevent a Repeated Stress Injury?

If you are aware of the potential damage that repeated stress injuries can cause, you can be more active about preventing them. It's a good idea to take regular breaks from typing at your computer, for instance. Try to have at least 15 minutes of other work per hour to keep from developing muscle or joint strain. Another thing that you can do to combat repeated stress injury is to learn stretches for the arm, wrist, hand, and fingers. These will help to increase blood flow to the area, release tension, and stretch out muscles that could have been compressed by the repetitive motions of typing. 

What Should I Do if I Am Developing an Injury?

You might notice early signs of developing repeated stress injury. For instance, your wrists might feel extremely sore when you are holding them in the typing position. If you notice this, you may want to take the rest of the day away from typing and get a doctor's evaluation to prevent the problem from developing. 

What if I Can't Work?

If the issue becomes more severe, you might not be able to continue regular computer work. It often will require a doctor's evaluation for your employer to see how severe your repeated stress injury is. You may want to hire a workers compensation lawyer, such as Gilbert, Blaszcyk & Milburn LLP, to help you file a claim that will allow you to take paid medical leave due to your workplace injury; an officer will determine the amount of leave required. Note that your employer is not allowed to penalize you for taking time off due to your work injury. Hopefully, you have a supportive employer in this process who can facilitate the process.