Like people in most places, Pennsylvania residents think about single accidents when it comes to getting hurt at work. However, not all workplace injuries happen that way. Some injuries occur over time as workers perform the same tasks day in and day out.
Called repetitive stress injuries (RSIs), these injuries happen slowly. The majority of the damage done to workers who suffer from these injuries is to their soft tissues, such as the muscles, tendons and ligaments. Workers in all types of industries and positions could suffer an RSI. Cashiers, construction workers, office workers, warehouse workers and more all perform certain tasks repeatedly throughout their day. The stress these activities put on the body could ultimately cause a significant amount of damage.
Most people have heard of carpal tunnel syndrome, which is just one of the diagnoses that workers with an RSI suffer from at some point in their careers. Other diagnoses workers could receive include rotator cuff injuries, tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis and cubital tunnel syndrome. Another RSI many people suffer from is back pain.
Workers who increasingly feel pain and have difficulty performing certain tasks could suffer from an RSI. What they need to know is that these workplace injuries could qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. An injury does not have to happen during one traumatic event in order to qualify for these benefits. Pennsylvania workers who are suffering from soft tissue injuries they believe resulted from their work duties could benefit from a consultation with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.