Tag Archives: Repetitive Strain Injury

Work Related Stress & Increased Risk Zones: Part 1 of 2

January 10, 2017 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Industrial Rehab

INCREASED RISK ZONES
All Risks Increase with Duration, Frequency and Magnitude.

• Excessive Force

• Repetition of Activity (Can irritate tendons and increase pressure on nerves)

• Awkward Posture (Can compress nerves and irritate tendons)

• Sustained Static Posture (Can restrict blood flow and damage muscles)

• Unsupported Positions

• Motion (Increased speed or acceleration when bending / twisting, can increase the amount of force exerted on the body)

• Compression (Grasping sharp edges like tool handles, can concentrate force on small areas of the body, reducing blood flow and nerve transmission, and damaging tendons and tendon sheaths)

• Inadequate Recovery Time (Overtime, lack of breaks, & failure to vary tasks)

• Vibration of Tools (From vibrating tools, can decrease blood flow, damage nerves, and contribute to muscle fatigue)

• Whole Body Vibration (From driving trucks or operating subways, can affect skeletal muscles and cause low-back pain)

• Effects of Temperature (Cold temperatures can adversely affect a worker’s coordination and manual dexterity while Heat stroke can be very serious as when the body becomes unable to control its temperature, it rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down.)

• Environment (Slip/Fall hazard-Uneven Floor Surfaces)

• Material Handling Guidelines:
Weight Loading over 50lbs
Lift Speed greater than 5/minute
Vertical Lift Exceeds 3ft
Carry over 1 minute
Sustained Push/Pull over 30 seconds
Static reach holding tasks over 1 minute

Part two of our Work Related Stress & Increased Risk Zones can be found here

Sources:
1) Ergonomics: The Study of Work, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA 3125, 2000 (Revised)
2) T. R. Waters, “Manual Materials Handling”, in: Physical and Biological Hazards of the Workplace 2nd. Edited by P. Wald and G. Stave. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2002.
3) Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/ National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) © Fit2WRK 2015 R.Gagne

Protect, Stretch & Rest: General Tips

September 13, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Industrial Rehab

These are some general healthy tips to remember during your day-to-day activities.

• If you are doing strenuous, household or outdoor work protect your hands with gloves in order to prevent injury and/or loss of moisture.
• Take frequent breaks or switch to a new activity. Overuse of repetitive motions, such as pressing buttons, can cause tendonitis of the elbow or lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
• If you find yourself sitting at your computer for hours each day, stop each hour and stretch your fingers, arms and the rest of your body to help prevent injury to your bones, joints and muscles.
• If you have pain during your activity, stop. Pain is one of the ways your body is letting you know that you are overextending a particular muscle group.

Hamstring Tightness and Plantar Fasciitis

August 2, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Blog, Foot, Leg

Plantar fasciitis is classically characterized by pain in the central to medial plantar heel. It is thought to be caused by chronic inflammation of the plantar fascia due to repetitive strain and trauma to the fascia. There are many other purported causes including, calcaneal spurs and increased intraosseous calcaneal pressure, among others. Many studies have shown inflammatory and histological changes at the origin of the plantar fascia and surrounding structures that are consistent with repetitive strain and degenerative changes including a thickening of the fascia.

Biomechanics has long been looked at when investigating possible causes of injuries. Alteration of the load-bearing characteristics of the foot has been suggested by several studies to be the underlying problem in plantar fasciitis. Microtears and chronic degenerative changes result from the increased tensile stress placed on the fascia due to the changes in biomechanics. Muscle tightness is one factor that can lead to changes in gait mechanics and load bearing of the foot. Hamstring tightness has recently been investigated as a factor in plantar fasciitis and has been shown to induce prolonged forefoot loading due to increased knee flexion during gait. A rapid progression through the contact phase of gait results from increased knee flexion and in turn increases forefoot pressure. The fascia is a fixed-length ligament, so an increase in forefoot pressure results in increased tension at its insertion on the calcaneus. The increased time spent on the forefoot in gait leads to a chronic traction injury that is localized to the hindfoot insertion of the fascia; which is consistent with the symptoms of heel pain.

Biomechanical deficits have long contributed to injuries. Only recently has hamstring tightness been shown to have an effect on plantar fasciitis. Hamstring tightness affects every step, resulting in a biomechanical deficit which may contribute to a tensile overload of the plantar fasciitis. Recent studies suggest that all patients with plantar fasciitis should be evaluated for hamstring tightness. Physical therapy treatment for plantar fasciitis should include hamstring stretching.

More information about Plantar Fasciitis can be found in the PTandMe injury center.

This information was written by Plymouth Physical Therapy Specialists. They are committed to using evidence-based treatments in their practice. This means that their therapists utilize the most current and clinically relevant treatments in their approach to rehabilitation. For more information click here.

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Is Aquatic Therapy For You?

July 14, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Aging, Back, Blog, General Information, Sports and Fitness, Women's Health

Aquatic therapy offers an alternative environment for therapeutic exercise. If you have tried traditional physical therapy, or have restrictions on your physical therapy program, aquatic Therapy may be the perfect solution for your physical therapy needs.

Why Aquatic Therapy is Beneficial

Less pressure: The buoyancy of the water decreases the amount of pressure, or compressive forces, on your joints and spine. When you’re immersed in water up to your neck, the weight pressing down on your body is reduced by 90%. When the water is up to your waist, the pressure is reduced by 50%.

Reduced swelling: The pressure of the water helps to move fluid from the injured area back into the body. Decreased swelling is essential for regaining the strength and motion needed for recovery.

Ease of movement: Water is an element that supports and assists movement. It offers a safe setting for regaining strength and joint range of motion.

Faster progress: Aerobic conditioning can often be performed in the water, even when it may be too soon or too difficult to do in the clinic. Staying stable in the water, challenges your core and balance. Plus, sports specific activity can begin earlier than on land.

Who Can Benefit From Aquatic Therapy

• Chronic pain patients requiring a more gentle form of therapy
• Patients at risk of falls due to balance and gait disorders
• Patients with severe arthritis or other weight-bearing restrictions
• Prenatal and postnatal patients
• Patients with general deconditioning
• Sports medicine and orthopedic patients requiring an accelerated component to their rehab protocol

This information was written by Life Fitness Physical Therapy, a privately-owned, outpatient physical therapy practice operating 14 clinics in the metro and surrounding Baltimore, Maryland area. Life Fitness Physical Therapy was founded in 2000 based on the core values of providing the highest level of customer service and clinical excellence in outpatient physical therapy. For more information click here.

What Should I Tell My Physical Therapist?

June 7, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Blog, General Information

If you have never been to a physical therapist before you may have some questions about your care and expectations. Here are some general questions and points about physical therapy you may want to talk about during your initial evaluation.

Talk about the pain you are experiencing.
Go into detail about what sort of activities you have trouble with and where the pain is coming from. The more details you can provide the more it will help your therapist develop a treatment plan.

How did your injury happen and/or when did your pain begin?
Did you have an injury or accident, or did the pain develop gradually over an extended period of time? Whether it’s sports, work or surgical post-op related your PT can guide you to recovery following an injury. As part of physical therapy, they can teach you exercises, stretches, and techniques using specialized equipment to address your pain.

What are your recovery goals?
If you have specific goals in relation to your recovery, let your therapist know. Do you want to be able to run a marathon, or is the goal to cook dinner and be able to reach up into your cabinets? Maybe your goal is to have enough strength to play with the grand kids. Your Physical Therapist needs this information when designing a treatment plan that best suits your needs. Whether you’re a professional athlete who’s suffered an injury or an orthopedic patient who needs assistance following surgery, your recovery starts with physical therapy.

Give your physical therapist you primary care provider’s information.
Good communication between your physical therapist and your primary care provider can help eliminate the need for unnecessary drugs/medications and provide great detail about your medical history. Your physical therapist can help clarify referral guidelines and the decision-making process as well.

Tell your physical therapist about any medications you are currently taking.
Different medications can cause adverse side effects due to physical activity and your physical therapist wants to make sure you are ready for physical therapy. Make sure you have a detailed list of your medications and be ready to discuss them at your evaluation.

Always tell your physical therapist your pain levels and how you feel your progress is going.
Physical Therapy is intended to make changes in your body. As physical therapists make changes to your tissues and mechanics, the stresses on your body will change, and may change where you feel the pain or symptoms. Be open with your physical therapist. If you have any questions about your treatment or want to go over any pain you are experiencing let your physical therapist know and they can go over it with you. Chances are what you are experiencing is completely normal and part of the healing process.

For more information about physical therapy programs and treatment techniques visit our About Physical Therapy section by clicking here.

Need to find a physical therapist? Visit our Find A PT Page

PT News

April 12, 2016 Teresa Stockton - Blog, PT News

This Month in PT News. Featuring articles from PTandMe partnering clinics!

1. The Rapid Recovery Blueprint
Written by the Therapy Team at Cornerstone Physical Therapy

Exercise tends to break down muscle fibers while rest allows muscles to recuperate and emerge stronger. The appropriate amount of exercise, followed by recovery leads to an ongoing cycle of improvement over time. Strength and endurance improve, creating a foundation for long-term health. Read more

2. Can We Get Stronger as We Age?
Written by the Therapy Team at the Jackson Clinics Physical Therapy

The answer to that question is – absolutely! After age 40 or so, we all begin to lose muscle strength and bone density, and our hormone production slows. Read more

3. Overtraining Doesn’t Help, It Hurts
Written by the Therapy Team at Momentum Physical Therapy

Working to achieve a sports or fitness goal can drive many people to overtrain in an effort to get stronger, better, faster. Our PT’s have seen many injuries related to overtraining. Read more

Repetitive strain injury (RSI)

April 14, 2015 Kevin - Blog

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According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), repetitive strain injuries are the nation’s most common and costly occupational health problem, affecting hundreds of thousands of American workers,and costing more than $20 billion a year in workers compensation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly two-thirds of all occupational illnesses reported, were caused by exposure to repeated trauma to workers’ upper body (the wrist, elbow or shoulder). One common example of such an injury is carpal tunnel syndrome
Continue reading →

Spring Gardening and Injury Prevention

March 26, 2015 Kevin - Blog

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It’s finally spring and many of you will be enjoying the weather while tending your gardens. Gardening should be a joy, not a chore. As you work to have gorgeous spring blooms and ripe fruits and veggies never try to complete more than you can comfortably manage. You can potentially risk injury by missing the signals your body is sending you; like an ache in the elbow or strain in the back.

Continue reading →