Many jobs are predictable. You get in your car and drive to work. Then you park, walk to your office or place of employment, and sit down in your chair. The day goes by, you drive home and repeat the same routine again the next morning. This seems like a generally safe routine, with minimal risk of injury involved. So it might be surprising to find out that Repetitive Strain Injuries (otherwise known at RSIs) can occur even when you are sedentary, and these are one of the leading causes of injury in the workplace. This form of injury rates higher and is reported more frequently than slip and falls, vehicle accidents, and equipment malfunctions. It’s important to understand exactly what an RSI, how to recognize it, and what treatment is available.
What Exactly Is an RSI?
A Repetitive Injury Strain is an issue that affects the soft tissues, muscles, and tendons. It is caused by repeating the same action over and over again for a sustained period of time. Damage results from overuse of the targeted area of the body. Oftentimes the hands, neck, or wrists are most affected. The pain can surface gradually, this is a different type of injury that does not necessarily present itself immediately. Instead, the pain builds over time as the damage is focused on the area that is working to repeat the task. For example, people often will report an RSI in their wrist that is caused by typing on a keyboard for eight hours a day. Other cases reported show damage to the muscles in a person’s back when they sit in the same position with minimal movement over an extended period of time.
Recognizing an RSI
In order to recognize an RSI, it is important to be familiar with the symptoms. These symptoms are usually targeted in the affected area and might include:
- Numbness
- Tingling, “pins and needles” effect
- Steady pain
- A feeling of tightness
- Limited range of motion
How Is an RSI Treated?
Once an injury is identified as an RSI, treatment can begin. Sometimes the path to recovery will require simply resting and abstaining from the use of the injured area. Other times the injury must be treated with physical therapy, advanced medication, and in some cases, even surgery. Regardless of the extent of the recovery plan, the inability to use the injured area can lead to lost wages and prohibit you from working at your usual pace. For this reason, it is important to understand your rights to compensation for an RSI in the workplace.
Contact a Virgina Workplace Injury Lawyer
If you or someone that you know in the Richmond, VA area is experiencing the pain of a repetitive strain injury, it is time to seek help. After you have spent time evaluating the issue with a medical professional, contact the legal team at Emroch & Kilduff. Our experienced attorneys have worked on hundreds of workplace injury cases and will fight for your rights to fair compensation. Call us today at (804) 358-1568 or contact us online.