Repeated microtrauma (RSI), also known as work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), is a change that occurs due to professional activities that particularly affect people who work performing the same body movements repeatedly throughout the day.
This overloads muscles, tendons and joints causing pain, tendinitis, bursitis or spinal disorders, the diagnosis can be made by the orthopedist or occupational doctor depending on symptoms and tests, such as x-rays or ultrasounds, as needed.may include medications, physical therapy, surgery in the most severe cases, and you may need to change jobs or retire early.
- Some jobs that are more likely to have some kind of RSI/WRMS are excessive computer use.
- Manual washing of a lot of clothes.
- Ironing lots of clothes.
- Manual cleaning of glass and tiles.
- Manual car polishing.
- Driving.
- Weaving and transporting heavy bags.
- For example.
- The most common diseases are: shoulder or wrist tendinitis.
- Epicondilite.
- Synovial cyst.
- Trigger finger.
- Ulnar nerve damage.
- Thoracic parade syndrome.
- Among others.
The most common symptoms of RSI include
These symptoms can be aggravated during certain movements, but it is also important to take into account how long they last, what activities aggravate them, what their intensity is, and if there are signs of improvement with rest, vacations, weekends, holidays or not. .
Symptoms usually begin slightly and only worsen during peak production hours, at the end of the day or at the end of the week, but if treatment is not started and preventive measures are not taken, the condition worsens and symptoms become more severe and work.activity is affected.
For diagnosis, your doctor should look at the person’s history, position, functions, and additional tests such as x-rays, ultrasound, MRI or tomography, as well as electroneuromyography, which is also a good option for assessing the health of the affected nerves.However, sometimes the person can complain about a lot of pain and the tests only show slight changes, which can make diagnosis difficult.
At the time of diagnosis, and if you leave work, the occupational doctor must refer the person to INSS to receive their benefit.
To treat it is necessary to perform physiotherapy sessions, it may be useful to take medication, in some cases surgery may be necessary, and a change of workplace may be a recovery option.Usually, the first option is to take an anti-inflammatory medication to combat pain and discomfort in the first few days, and rehabilitation by physical therapy is advised, where electrotherapy equipment can be used to combat pain.Acute pains, manual techniques and corrective exercises, may be indicated to strengthen/stretch muscles according to each person’s needs.
See some examples of stretching you can do at work to avoid this injury.
Physical therapy also gives recommendations for everyday life, with movements to avoid, stretching options and what you can do at home to feel better. A good home strategy is to place an ice pack on the sore joint, letting it work for 15 to 20 minutes.Find out in the video below what you can do to combat tendinitis:
Treatment in the case of RSI/WMSD is slow and nonlinear, with periods of great improvement or stagnation, so it is necessary to be patient and take care of mental health during this period to avoid depression.walking, running, pilates or aqua aerobics are good options.
The best way to avoid RSI/WRMS is the daily practice of gymnastics, with stretching and/or bodybuilding exercises in the work environment.Furniture and work tools should be adequate and ergonomic, and it should be possible to change tasks throughout the day.
In addition, breaks must be respected, so that the person has about 15-20 minutes every 3 hours to save muscles and tendons.It is also important to drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep all structures well hydrated, reducing the risk of injury.