Repetative Strain Injury (RSI)

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is the general word that is used to describe the prolonged pain experienced in shoulders or hands or neck or arms. Repetitive Strain Injury is the common word used for referring the types of soft tissue injuries like the nerve spasms, trigger finger and carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Repetitive Strain Injury is a common term, which covers other disorders such as the carpal tunnel syndrome, Upper limb disorder, Work-related upper limb disorders, Musculoskeletal disorders, Computer vision syndrome and Cumulative trauma disorders.

The term Repetitive Strain Injury is generally used to describe the overused syndrome associated with particular repetitive activity. They are generally caused by the work-associated activities such as using keyboards and mouse. The term includes a group of disorders that most commonly develop in workers using excessive and repetitive motions of the head and neck extremity.

Repetitive Strain Injury occurs when the movable parts of the limbs are injured. Repetitive Strain Injury usually caused due to repetitive tasks, incorrect posture, stress and bad ergonomics. Repetitive Strain Injury generally causes numbness, tingling, weakness, stiffing, and swelling and even nerve damage. The chief complaint is the constant pain in the upper limbs, neck, shoulder and back. 

The main cause of this main are the repetitive activities, forceful activities of arms and hand and awkward postures. The other causes of Repetitive Strain Injuries are sitting in a fixed posture and poor workplace ergonomics.

The Repetitive Stress Injury generally effects the group of workers who generally use excessive and repetitive motion of the neck and head are at high risk. The work pattern of computer professionals carries a lot of orthopedic disorders. For the people who work on computer for more than few hours a day, who use musical instruments and who work in production line are at risk of Repetitive Strain Injury.

The Repetitive Strain Injury is not a life threatening injury for it can cause pain and disability. The Repetitive Strain Injury is the most worse as it may lead to permanent incapacity. As Repetitive Strain Injury recovery is being a slow process, it is better to take treatment at early stage itself.

Repetitive Strain Injury -Symptoms:

1. The users experience constant pain in the hands, elbows, shoulders, neck, and the back. Other symptoms of Repetitive Stain Injury are cramps, tingling, and numbness in the hands. The hand movements of the user may become clumsy and the person may find it difficult even to fasten buttons.
2. Another variant of Repetitive Strain Injury is that, it may produce painful symptoms in the upper limbs, but the site may be difficult to locate.
3. The common diagnoses seen in Repetitive Strain Injury are Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tenosynovitis, Bursitis, White Limb, and Shoulder pain. A major cause is due to long unbroken periods of work. Ergonomics or the lack of it plays a very important role. Lack of information about the condition leads to neglect by the concerned individuals.