What is a repetitive motion injury (repetitive stress injury)?

Repetitive motion injuries, also called repetitive stress injuries, are temporary or permanent injuries to muscles, nerves, ligaments, and tendons caused by performing the same motion over and over again. One of the most common repetitive motion injuries is carpal tunnel syndrome. This disorder occurs when the median nerve, which travels from the forearm to the hand through a "tunnel" in the wrist, is compressed by swollen, inflamed ligaments and tendons. It is often seen with people who use computer keyboards or work on assembly lines.

The injury can be quite painful and can also cause numbness, clumsiness, and a loss of motion, flexibility, and strength in the area. It can worsen over time without treatment, and can result in a complete loss of function.

Facts about carpel tunnel syndrome:

• There are close to one million visits to physician offices each year due to carpal tunnel problems. Close to 30 percent of these visits are made to orthopaedic surgeons.
• Approximately 260,000 operations are performed each year for carpal tunnel conditions - with almost half as a result of a work-related injury or overuse.

Rehabilitation for repetitive motion injuries:

A rehabilitation program for repetitive motion injuries is designed to meet the needs of the individual patient, depending upon the type and severity of the injury. Active involvement of the patient and family is vital to the success of the program.

In order to help reach these goals, repetitive motion injury rehabilitation programs may include the following:

• occupational therapy
• exercise programs to stretch and strengthen the area
• conditioning exercises to help prevent further injury
• heat or cold applications
• use of braces or splints to immobilize the area
• pain management techniques
• patient and family education, especially regarding proper ergonomics for the workplace (ergonomics is the science of obtaining a correct match between the human body, work-related tasks, and work tools)

The rehabilitation team for repetitive motion injury:

Rehabilitation programs for repetitive motion injuries are usually conducted on an outpatient basis. Many skilled professionals are part of the repetitive motion injury rehabilitation team, including any/all of the following:

• orthopaedist/orthopaedic surgeon
• neurologist/neurosurgeon
• physical therapists
• physiatrist
• occupational therapist
• vocational counselor