special subjects
Work Related Repetitive Motion Injuries
Introduction
Many occupations involve repetitive movements, which can cause injuries such as tendinitis, bursitis, and nerve entrapment syndromes. Symptoms include pain worsening with movement and sometimes tenderness. Diagnosis is clinical. Treatment involves rest, sometimes involving a splint, NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and physical therapy. Repetitive motion injuries account for many work-related injuries. Tasks that require repetitive movements or postures include typing at a computer, scanning groceries, hammering nails, working on an assembly line, and using a jackhammer. Tendinitis and Tenosynovitis None Bursitis None results from compression of a peripheral nerve as it travels through an anatomic tunnel. As a result, the nerve malfunctions; sensory abnormalities are more common than motor weakness. Work-related nerve entrapment commonly occurs in the wrist and elbow (see table Common Work-Related Nerve Entrapment Syndromes ). 