Repetitive Strain Injury Treatments

Repetitive Strain Injuries

RSI is defined as a medical condition involving pain and numbness in the upper limbs of the body due to damaged nerves, tendons, muscles or other soft tissue(s) due to repetitive work-related tasks. The disorder mostly affects the: elbow, forearm, hands and wrist. It can also occur in the neck and shoulders. If you work in a job that requires the repetitive use of your hands or fingers or exposes you to vibration equipment or tools and you feel that you could be experiencing the symptoms of Repetitive Strain Injury, you should book an appointment with your GP and contact Mercury Legal Online Free on 0800 122 3 130 about a claim for compensation. If you experience any of the symptoms for Repetitive Strain Injury such as tingling, numbness or decreased grip strength you need to speak with your local GP as soon as possible about arranging a test for RSI.

How Can You Treat RSI Repetitive Strain Injury?

If recognised and treated early enough, RSI can be managed successfully. Treatment involves avoiding or reducing the tasks at work that caused the problem in the first place and taking regular exercise including therapeutic stretches. Stretching and exercising your wrists may also help sufferers with severe Repetitive Strain Injury. For people who use computers, or use their hands and wrists a lot some excercises maybe useful:

• Form a fist, palm up and use your hand to press lightly down against the clenched hand.
• Clench your fingers of one hand into a tight fist, then release fanning out your fingers. Do this five times.
• Bend your thumb to below your little finger and hold for five seconds then spread your fingers apart ( palm up) for five seconds. Repeat ten times per hand.
• Squeeze your shoulders down, back and then forwards.
• Gently pull your thumb back and out and hold for five seconds. Repeat ten times for each hand.

Having removed or minimised the cause of the problem, treatment in mild cases frequently involves starting with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs for example Ibuprofen. Always consult your doctor. Massaging the affected arm or affected area with a tennis ball has been found to be successful for some patients. Patients have also found some relief by bathing the affected limb in alternating cold, then hot, then cold water again – this allows the muscle to relax and then contracts it before relaxing again helping to alleviate the symptoms.

Symptoms of Repetitive Strain Injury

RSI usually involves the arms, wrists or hands – or a combination of any of the upper limbs. RSI usually causes numbness, tingling or tiredness and a lack of strength in the affected limb(s). Additionally, symptoms can include pain when trying to use the limb concerned, leading to its impaired use, causing some sufferers being unable to work.

What is The Diagnosis For RSI?

If you have notice weakness, tiredness, discomfort or tenderness in your hands, arms or neck and these symptoms continue to persist for longer than three days, you should book an appointment with your GP who’ll be able to advise, check or confirm the diagnosis and offer medical advice and your treatment options. Although There’s no single test for Repetitive Strain Injury it can be diagnosed by your Doctor from your symptoms. Often the symptoms can fade if you have to give up a job that caused your RSI to begin with. However, your GP will examine the your affected hand, wrist, arm or your neck and will ask about your symptoms, medical history as well as any repetitive jobs you have at work. Your GP will be able to diagnose you with either Type 1 RSI or Type 2 RSI. Type 1 RSI can be diagnosed from your symptoms and can be identified a medical condition such as nerve entrapment (carpal tunnel syndrome – CTS). If your Doctor cannot diagnose you for having Type 1 or an associated Type 1 condition (such as Carpal Tunnel), then you may require a blood test to rule out osteoarthritis or inflammatory joint diseases. If neither are found, then you will be identified as having Type 2 RSI or diffuse RSI Over-use of one part of the body will have a cumulative effect over extended periods of time. The repeated action or actions can result in tiny tears in muscles, which in otherwise healthy people will normally repair themselves relatively easily. However, repeated stress and stain will eventually lead to a pulling of the associated muscle which will affect the limb and associated tendon, causing the discomfort and possible pain and consequent impairment of normal function.

Common Causes of RSI

Repetitive jobs at work over a long period of time are the main cause of Repetitive Strain Injury. People working on assembly lines, packers and machinists are just some jobs that are prone to these repeated movements at work. Office based jobs that require heavy use of a keyboard can cause RSI especially if the duties include data entry . This is particularly the case if these duties amount to two hours a day and especially when you do not take regular breaks to rest the affected limb or area.

How Can You Reduce The Risk of Repetitive Strain Injury

To prevent developing RSI, you need to be aware whether your job, work or occupation involves regular repeated actions so you can plan regular breaks – at least every two hours. Employees who use a computer all day should have ergonomic seating with adjustable height and lumbar support for their back, arms in parallel to the desk and hands “floating” over the keyboard with the wrists straight. Avoid bad posture and awkward positions of the body – particularly typing with two hands while cradling a telephone receiver between the ear and the shoulder. Your employer has a duty of care under the Health and Safety regulations and best practice. If an assessment has been carried out , any possible risks should have been identified and documented in writing and you should have access to the information – it may even be displayed on a staff notice board, for example. Some employers advise their employees of such risks and the best preventative action to take during initial induction or other staff training. If you have been told you have RSI or a condition such as Carpal Tunnel and feel it’s as a direct result of your job, then you should contact us on 0800 028 2060 to see if you can make a claim for compensation for carpal tunnel syndrome or Repetitive Strain Injury.

Common Professions and Professions

Any job which has repeated actions over a long time can increase the risk of developing RSI. Some occupations such as office or production line workers are known to be at particular risk. However some of the following jobs are also at risk of developing RSI:

• Food Pickers
• Supermarket Checkout
• Data Entry Administrators and programmers
• Warehouse workers
• Meat Processing operatives
• Workers on Assembly lines
• Long Distance Lorry Drivers
• Factory Machinists
• Decorators and Painters
• Sewing Machinists
• Typists
• Maunal labourers using vibration tools
• Labourers working with heavy lifting

Individuals who would otherwise have still had a lot to contribute to at work have sometimes had little option other than to cease working, due to the disabling effects of RSI. If you think this may apply to you, we suggest that you should speak to your Doctor and begin a no win no fee claim online.

More Information and Advice

Our industrial disease team can assist you with a claim for Repetitive Strain Injury compensation and recommend organisations who can help you with living with RSI. There are lots of organisation that can also help. RSI Action is a registered charity which helps sufferers . They assist in the prevention of RSI injuries within the UK and to help individuals with the symptoms, hardship and distress brought on by the condition. There are a number of affiliated support groups currently in London, Manchester and Bradford – and other support groups in Edinburgh. If you’ve been told by your GP that you have RSI then speak to our industrial disease team about a compensation claim. Call 0800 028 2060 or ask for a free call back when it is convenient for you.