repetitive strain injury

repetitive strain injury (RSI), any of a broad range of conditions affecting muscles, tendons, tendon sheaths, nerves, or joints that result particularly from excessive and forceful use. Strain, rapid movement, or constrained or constricted posture may be other causes. Examples of repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) include tendonitis, neuritis, fascitis, myositis, carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, degenerative arthritis, tendinosis, fibromyalgia, herniated disk, focal hand dystonia, and neuropathic pain.

Risk factors for RSI include occupations involving heavy, stressful schedules of repetitive hand use that demand high levels of accuracy and progressive task difficulty. Work or activities involving forceful, rapid, stereotypical, near simultaneous, or alternating movements also increase the risk of RSI. Other risk factors include personal health issues, such as prior injury or disease or poor hydration or fitness, and psychosocial issues, such as emotional state, personality, or anxiety. Those factors can affect the incidence of injury, the extent of the impairment, the potential for recovery, and the magnitude of disability.

Normally, structural tissue damage post-injury activates a cellular cascade to mediate inflammation and to initiate tissue repair. However, repetitive injury results in repeated tissue microtrauma, which disrupts the normal repair process. In patients with chronic RSIs, cumulative loading can lead to reduced perfusion (blood supply), reduced function of peripheral nerves, excessive tissue inflammation, scarring, cell compression, extracellular matrix degradation, muscle fibre loss, and cell death. Those changes can lead to tissue discontinuity, biomechanical irritation, pain, and change in the type and organization of the collagen in tendons and ligaments that alters strength, compliance, and flexibility. Thus, some individuals with RSIs can develop severe pain (with or without inflammation), whereas others lose strength and endurance or experience excessive fatigue, poor sensorimotor feedback, and painless loss of fine motor control (e.g., focal hand dystonia).

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Repetitive microtrauma can be classified into four stages based on the soft tissue response to injury (without consideration of secondary, aberrant central nervous system degradation). In stage one, the injury may induce inflammation, but it is not associated with pathological alterations in the tissue. In stage two, pathological alterations, such as tendinosis, are observed. In stage three, the injury is associated with structural failure (rupture). In stage four, additional changes are seen, such as osseous (bony) calcification.

Treatment of RSIs initially includes rest from work or activity, rest of the injured part, and anti-inflammatory medications. Intervention may also address prevention, including ergonomic modifications, decreased forceful repetition, aerobic and postural exercises, and hydration and nutrition. If disabling signs and symptoms persist, surgery, medications, therapeutic modalities, assistive devices, or therapeutic exercises (such as learning-based sensorimotor training) may be necessary for recovery.