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The hidden cause of strain and sprain injuries.
If you've ever wondered why your employees tear a rotator cuff turning
a wrench, blow out a knee simply stepping out of a truck, injure their back
just bending over to lift something, or get carpal tunnel syndrome merely hitting
computer keys, the answer is cumulative trauma.
For most companies, cumulative trauma conditions are the leading cause of
lost work time, lost productivity, disability, and workers' compensation
costs. While it accounts for more pain and lost productivity than any other
single cause, the problem itself is often hidden or goes unrecognized. You
will not see it listed as a "root cause" in accident investigation
reports. Many companies never recognize it or come to grips with how to effectively
address it. Yet almost all strains and sprains, soft tissue, musculoskeletal,
or repetitive motion type injuries that occur from normal working activities
are the product of cumulative trauma.
Our bodies are mechanical systems. Each body part is designed to do certain
movements or certain types of work in certain ways. Some postures give us maximum
strength and power. Other postures make us less powerful and less capable of
performing work. Using postures that allow gravity or other forces to gain
leverage against us make our muscles work harder. The added stress increases
the compressive load on that body part and ultimately the amount of wear and
tear. In addition, certain postures actually damage that body part when performing
work from that posture. For example, bending the wrist when typing or turning
wrenches.
Working from these stressful or weakened body postures repetitively causes
small amounts of damage called micro trauma. The micro trauma that develops
from these working techniques is initially hidden and causes no pain or other
symptoms at all. As the damage to, muscle, bone, joint, and nerve slowly accumulates
it eventually cause aches and pains as well as numbness and tingling.
As the damage worsens our bodies become more susceptible to injury. Damaged
and weakened body parts cannot handle the same physical stress as a strong
and healthy body part. As a result back strains, herniated discs, pinched nerves,
rotator cuff tears, tendonitis, bursitis, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome,
and even degenerative arthritis can occur. Often times the injury occurs performing
the same routine tasks your employees have been doing for years without issue.
Looking at the specific task being performed at the time a strain and sprain
injury occurs can be a waste of time and effort without considering cumulative
trauma. While the task may have contributed to the injury it is often simply
the straw that breaks the camel's back. Instead, be proactive. Evaluate
the impact of cumulative trauma across your organization before you have another
injury. And yes, investigate every injury and take appropriate corrective actions
based on your findings. Just realize that failing to consider cumulative trauma
and its effect on your workforce will keep you from taking meaningful steps
to prevent future strain and sprain injuries.
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