How to Treat and Prevent Repetitive Strain Injuries
Integrated Musculoskeletal Care – IMC is a musculoskeletal healthcare delivery company. IMC specializes in the assessment and treatment of spine, joint, muscle, and nerve conditions. IMC uses evidence-based physical therapy in-person, virtually, or through self-care to address painful conditions. Most conditions resolve within 4-6 sessions.
Repetitive strain injuries (RSI) are one of the most common but often overlooked injuries. Nobody is immune to RSIs but you can become more resistant to them with the help of IMC.
What is a repetitive strain injury (RSI)?
If you’ve ever had a sore hand after typing all day you’ve had an RSI.
RSI refers to a painful condition caused by overuse or repetitive motions of a particular part of the body, leading to pain, discomfort, or functional impairment.
RSIs are common in areas such as the hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, and neck.
What are the common causes?
Typing, using a mouse, prolonged periods of poor posture, and vibration exposure are all common causes of RSI.
Other causes include:
- Lack of proper breaks during activities
- Overuse
- Forceful exertion – such as pulling too quickly
How does IMC help treat repetitive strain injuries?
Without proper intervention, RSIs can become chronic. At IMC, we use an evidence-based assessment and treatment approach to address your condition. Here’s how physical therapy through IMC can help you:
- Root-cause assessment: IMC will accurately identify the source of the problem and the most appropriate treatment techniques that need to be provided.
- Pain Management – A painful condition can impact your life. We’ll help you decrease your pain.
- Mobility & Flexibility Exercises: Loss of mobility or stiff joints can lead to painful functional limitations.
- Strength Training: By strengthening your muscles you can become more resistant to injury.
- Postural Exercises: Improve your alignment to relieve stress on bones and joints.
- Activity Modifications: Your clinician can make recommendation on how to modify your daily activities to help resolve current complaints and prevent future ones.
- Prevention Strategies – Learn how to recognize warning signs and how to prevent future occurences.
But how do I know if I have an RSI?
Common symptoms of an RSI include:
- Pain, aching, or tenderness in the affected area;
- Stiffness or reduced range of motion;
- Tingling, numbness, or weakness;
- Swelling or inflammation
Who can benefit from seeking care?
Everybody can benefit from physical therapy through IMC at any age! RSIs are one of the most common conditions and can happen to anybody at any age.
By addressing the root causes of RSIs and promoting healthier movement patterns, physical therapy not only helps you recover but also equips you with tools to prevent reinjury and improve your quality of life.
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Join us for our next bi-monthly webinar. March’s topic will cover shoulder pain.
In-Care, Virtual Care/Telehealth, and Self-Care
Did you know IMC on-site care & virtual care/telehealth is available depending on your employer?
Regardless of employer, all individuals have access to self-care pathways through the JointStrong® App.
