Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI)

What is a Repetitive Stress Injury?

A repetitive stress injury is a soft-tissue injury where muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue become irritated and inflamed as a result of cumulative trauma and/or overuse.

The causes of repetitive stress injuries include repetitive tasks with many small movements, excessive and forceful movements such as lifting or many sports actions or working in awkward positions.

When your body’s soft tissue is required to perform the same movements over and over again, muscles and other soft tissue become stressed. Coupled with decreased circulation, tiny tears and trigger points begin to form creating contraction in muscles and other soft tissue. This inhibits movement and involves other body parts to compensate for this loss of range of motion and flexibility 

Who suffers from RSI?

Almost any one can suffer an RSI. Workers include assembly line workers, cashiers, computer operators, hairdressers, postal workers, nurses, most athletes including golfers, runners, hockey players and construction workers, homemakers, children and seniors..

Some people think that Carpel Tunnel Syndrome is the only RSI. This is far from the truth. There are many injuries that fall within the classification of repetitive stress including: Achilles Tendinitis, back and neck injuries including whiplash, sciatica, piriformis syndrome and arthritis, elbow injuries including tennis and golfer’s elbow; Plantar Fasciitis, shoulder injuries including frozen shoulder, tendonitis, and rotator cuff injuries; knee injuries including meniscus and ligament pain, Iliotibial Band Syndrome, and Runner’s Knee.

At the same time, typical therapies such as medication, physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, electrical stimulation, rest, exercise and surgery often fail to effectively help most people suffering from repetitive stress injuries. Surgery creates issues with scar tissue and is not always successful. Most traditional treatments focus on the site of the pain and not the cause, which could be elsewhere in the body. Splints and braces can actually decrease circulation and increase stress in other parts of the body.

The most effective treatment for repetitive stress injuries and chronic pain conditions is trigger point therapy that includes massage and stretching. This is also the most cost-effective treatment available. Trigger points account for approximately 75% of soft tissue injuries. Once identified, trigger points can be eliminated, thus relieving the condition, often in onlyone or two sessions.

A trigger point evaluation can lead to positive treatment comprised of massage therapy and therapeutic stretching. If you have pain, you owe it to yourself to investigate this opportunity.