Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Management
Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Management helps to minimise the risk of MSD (musculoskeletal disorders) and MSI (musculoskeletal injury).
An MSD may occur as a result of poor ergonomics in the workplace leading to RSI or repetitive strain injury. RSI is a collective term that refers to a range of signs and symptoms that are a result of irregular or repeated actions that place a strain on muscles, tendons, nerves and tissues. RSI, or as it now known WMSD (work related musculoskeletal disorder) can refer to many different conditions, not all of which are necessarily caused by repetition, such as:
- Writer’s cramp
- Washer woman’s wrist
- Tennis elbow
- Trigger finger
- Housemaid’s knee
One cause of WMSD may be using a mouse on a computer keyboard incorrectly which over prolonged periods of time can result in muscular tension and an inadequate blood supply to the affected area which in turn can cause numbness and tingling sensations. In the example above this can lead to the development of a localised inflammation commonly known as trigger finger leading to carpel tunnel syndrome and chronic pain.
Any job or task that requires a fixed position over a prolonged period of time can cause MSD. You can help to minimise the risk of WMSD by ensuring furniture is supportive and adjustable. The use of wrist rests, foot rests and regular breaks from continuous activity with sensible stretches and movement will help to minimise the risk of WMSD.
An MSI (musculoskeletal injury) may occur as a result of an accident or strain at work due to poor health and safety in the work place, poor posture or as a result of too much strain being placed on muscles, tendons and tissues during strenuous or repetitive activity. This can lead to a sudden onset of pain as a result of an acute injury. Depending upon the nature of the injury, these signs and symptoms may be manifested by stiffness, pain and swelling in the affected area which may require rest and treatment. Low back pain and injury is one of the most common areas of the body to be affected by MSI and an acute injury can lead to longer periods of chronic pain if not treated appropriately.