The pain, swelling, and tenderness you have been feeling in your elbows lately has made you suspect you have a repetitive movement injury. This condition can be related to your job and it may not only affect your ability to work, but your quality of life. Repetitive motion disorders are common with Pennsylvania workers across a wide range of industries, from clerical work to heavy labor. As you seek relief for your pain, you may also wonder if you qualify for workers’ compensation.
According to WebMD, repetitive movement injuries account for great losses in the workplace in terms of productivity and time lost. This type of injury often involves the joints that receive repeated impact, stretching or friction. Some examples of common repetitive movement injuries you might have include the following:
- You could develop carpal tunnel syndrome in your wrists if your job involves typing or detailed hand work.
- Your elbows and shoulders might ache if you are a massage therapist, cook or machinist.
- If your job involves frequent bending, stretching or lifting, you might have chronic pain in your back, hips and knees.
Commonly diagnosed repetitive movement disorders include tendonitis and bursitis. These conditions can stem solely from your job, or they may worsen an existing condition, such as arthritis, gout or diabetes. Without treatment, the pain from one of these conditions can progress until it is debilitating, especially if you continue to perform the same tasks that contributed to your repetitive movement injury. For this reason, a doctor might suggest you change your job duties or take some time off work to recover. You might need prescription pain medications, physical therapy or surgery to treat these conditions.
Unsurprisingly, taking time off or seeking treatment can be costly, which is why you are entitled to seek workers’ compensation if you suffered an injury on the job.
