Many workers often associate workers’ compensation claims with serious workplace accidents, like an industrial accident that causes permanent injuries. However, some of the most common and debilitating work-related injuries are actually caused gradually over time, eventually amounting to a serious health condition. Such injuries are known as repetitive stress injuries or RSI.
Even though an RSI does not happen in one single accident or event, they can still be enough to constitute the filing of a workers’ compensation claim. As long as an injury or illness is work-related and prevents the completion of regular work duties, it can qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.
Examples of repetitive stress injuries that commonly occur include:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: The persistent use of your hands, wrists, and fingers for dexterous activities can eventually cause carpal tunnel syndrome, which usually manifests as constant pain and stiffness in the hands. Office work, like typing on a keyboard or writing notes by hand, is a key source of repeated dexterous motions and actions. As such, if you work in an office for a full-time position, then you might be at a high risk of carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis.
- Back pain: People in retail positions and other occupations of manual labor are usually required to lift and carry heavy objects throughout the average workday. As time goes on, your back and spine may begin to suffer the consequences, even if you take extra steps to lift correctly.
- Foot, ankle, and knee pain: There are many occupations that require people to stay on their feet for long hours each day. In any such occupation with this requirement, it is possible for a worker to suffer an RSI related to the foot, ankle, or knee. From weakness in the knee joint to bone spurs in the foot, any such RSI can be significant enough to stop a worker from completing job duties to the point where workers’ compensation benefits may be needed.