Repetitive strain and work health clinic

What Is It?

Every different occupation requires certain physical activity. Even if that activity is to sit at a desk for long periods of time working on a computer, our body is having to adapt to these working postures. Many roles have an element of repetition, whether it’s clicking a mouse, writing, loading a machine, or lifting repeatedly in certain positions. Everyone’s body adapts to the frequency that we carry out certain activities including static postures over time. 

The human body is fascinating and highly adaptable and your body will adapt to the postures and stresses workplaces put upon it. However, it is also common that the body is unable to have the time required at the lower intensities of the postures or repetitions to adapt appropriately. This can lead to repetitive strain issues where the tendons, muscles and joints are being essentially overloaded in static positions or repetition movements. This can lead to pain and dysfunction which ultimately reduces someone’s ability to carry out that role due to pain and restriction.

Repetitive strain issues are very common, in the western world we are gradually becoming more sedentary in our work habits. Historically human beings would regularly undertake more physical activities which were more varied and ensured the muscles and joints were being put under stress of a different variety each day, week and year. Most current work patterns involved the same or very few tasks repeated on a regular basis throughout the day. Office space work brings some other more frequent work-related repetitive strain issues that we see in our clinics. Even with the best chair and the best ergonomic setup in the world, the fact that people spend long periods of their day in static sitting positions, ultimately adds up to create issues with the musculoskeletal system, particularly in the spine, hips elbow shoulders and hands.

Assessment and Treatment

The expert physio team at Pure Physiotherapy all have extensive training around identification and treatment of specific work-related pain or repetitive strain type injuries. Often the treatment to resolve these is relatively simple and involves changing of postures, regular movement during the day as well as possibly some local manual treatment and adaptation where it’s required. We frequently get asked by employing organisations to assess people’s workstation and support them with occupational health in terms of musculoskeletal management to prevent injury or pain as well as address the symptoms once they may have occurred.

Our clinicians will work together with you to create a detailed assessment of any issues and deliver a clear diagnosis and structured treatment and rehabilitation plan. We also find it’s often useful to keep the employer informed so that all parties are working together to allow the pain and dysfunction to be resolved on people to return to work environment in a happier and healthier state.