Repetitive Stress Injuries in Healthcare Workers

What are Repetitive Stress Injuries?

Repetitive stress injury (also referred to as repetitive strain injury and described using the acronym RSI) refers to a wide range of conditions of the muscles, tendons, nerves, and other soft tissues which have been caused by repetitive use of a certain part of the body. As nearly all jobs in the healthcare sector involve the carrying out of repetitive manual tasks on a daily basis, it will come as no surprise that RSIs are a common risk factor for nurses and care workers.

Some of the more common RSIs include:

• Bursitis – an inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs between bones, tendons, joints and muscles.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome – compression of the median nerve through the carpal tunnel in the wrist area causing numbness and pain in the hand.
• DeQuervain’s Tenosynovitis – the sheaths of the short thumb extensor and long thumb abductor become thickened, resulting in tenosynovitis at the base of the thumb.
• Dupuytren’s contracture – connective tissue under the skin of the palm contract and toughen over time causing one or more of the fingers to bend into the palm of the hand.
• Epicondylitis – strenuous overuse of the muscles and tendons where the bone and tendon join giving rise to conditions like tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow.
• Ganglion – fluid-filled swellings forming on top of joints or tendons in the wrists, hands, and feet.
• Rotator cuff syndrome – inflammation of tendons and muscles in the shoulder.
• Tendinitis – inflammation of a tendon that has been subjected to a repetitive activity.
• Tenosynovitis – the sheath around the tendon becomes inflamed.
• Thoracic Outlet Syndrome – narrow passages in the neck become constricted, leading to compression of neural and vascular flow.
• Trigger finger – a fingers or thumb catches in a bent position.

How Will I Know if I’m Suffering From an RSI?

The signs and symptoms of RSIs vary widely, depending on which part of the body is affected and what the cause of the injury is. Often symptoms may initially only occur when the repetitive task which is the source of the problem is being done and will then dissipate slowly once the task has been completed. However, the typical experience is that if the task continues to be repeated the symptoms worsen and they remain long after the task has been finished and can eventually result in constant pain or discomfort.

Common signs and symptoms of RSIs include:

• A throbbing sensation in the affected area.
• Coldness in the hands or fingers.
• Loss of sensation or strength in the hand.
• Loss of fine-motor coordination (such as having difficulties doing up buttons).
• Fatigue.
• Pain and tenderness in the affected area.
• Pins and needles.
• Sleeping difficulties.

Am I Entitled To Be Compensated If My Injuries Are Due to Repeating the Same Task Over and Over?

What Are My Employer’s Duties to Ensure That RSIs Don’t Occur?

How Much Time Do I Have To Bring a Claim Relating to an RSI?

Repetitive Stress Injury Compensation Claims

If you have suffered due to an avoidable repetitive stress injury, contact our solicitors today to make a start on your claim or gather more information. Call us on 1800 390 555 and an experienced member of staff will discuss your situation and potential next steps. You can also email on info@mccarthy.ie and we will get back to you as soon as we can.