Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), also known as Upper Limb Disorders (ULD) or Occupational Overuse Injuries (OOI), is a term which includes a range of different conditions. These conditions include:

- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

- Tendonitis

- Tenosynovitis

- Bursitis

- Tennis Elbow

- Writer’s Cramp

What are the symptoms of RSI?

Depending on which condition somebody is suffering, the affected area is usually a wrist, elbow, neck, back or shoulder. Early symptoms of RSI can include tingling, numbness, loss of joint movement, aching, joint pain, and tightness in the afflicted area whilst carrying out the activity which is causing the damage.

Later symptoms of RSI tend to be present all the time, affecting a person’s non-working life as well as their time at work. These symptoms can include cold hands, difficulty gripping and turning objects, constant aching and pain, and trembling.

There are two types of RSI; type 1, where the symptoms shown amount to a syndrome or a particular condition, such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Tennis Elbow, and type 2, where the symptoms are impossible to measure and do not fit in well with any recognised syndromes. Type 2 is also known as “diffuse RSI”.

What professions often suffer the effects of RSI?

Anybody whose work involves a repetitive movement, forceful movement or holding one position for a long time is at risk of developing RSI. Particularly vulnerable professions include:

- data entry clerks

- journalists

- assembly line workers

- musicians

- cashiers

- bank clerks

What can be done to prevent RSI?

Employers have a duty of care to protect the health of their employees, and these are some steps an employer can take to reduce the chance of workers developing RSI:

- Enrol employees who spend a lot of time typing on a touch typing course. RSI is much less likely in somebody who is looking at the screen rather than the keyboard and who is typing with all fingers rather than just two.

- Ensure computer-users are aware of their legal entitlement to eye tests. Sitting in an unnatural position so that the screen is legible increases the likelihood that a person will develop RSI.

- Ensure employees are able to adjust chair height, their distance from keyboard, and other variables so that they have a good posture and can work in a comfortable environment.

What should be done if someone develops RSI? Someone who suspects they have an RSI condition should visit their doctor as soon as possible and undergo appropriate treatment to recover from the injury.

If someone has RSI, they should consider making a personal injury claim against their employer for their injury, as RSI can often take a long time to heal, requiring extensive treatment and physiotherapy in some cases.

Editorial notes: YouClaim provides a cost-free compensation service to people who have been injured whilst at work. For more information, please see http://www.youclaim.co.uk or call 0800 10 757 95.

Author: Alexandra Gubbins of http://www.youclaim.co.uk

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