Apr 10, 2020

Who Is at Risk for a Repetitive Stress Work Injury?

Professional headshot of man in dark blue suit with green tie and white pocket square
Reviewed by:
Nate Hansford

Not every worker faces the same odds of developing a repetitive stress injury (RSI). While these gradual, wear-and-tear injuries can affect almost anyone, certain jobs, work environments, and personal factors make some employees far more likely to end up in pain than others. Understanding where you fall on that spectrum can help you catch a problem early — and protect your right to workers’ compensation if one develops.

RSIs build up when soft tissues such as nerves, muscles, ligaments, and tendons are overexerted through the same motions performed over and over. The workers most commonly affected are those whose daily tasks concentrate strain on the wrists, hands, neck, shoulders, forearms, and elbows. Because these injuries develop on the job rather than in a single accident, they remain covered by workers’ compensation.

Which Workers Are Most at Risk

RSIs cluster in jobs built around repetition, force, awkward posture, or long hours in a fixed position. The more of those factors a role combines, the higher the risk. Occupations that tend to see the most RSI claims include:

  • Office and administrative staff: Long days of typing and mouse work drive carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and neck and shoulder strain.
  • Warehouse, delivery, and manufacturing workers: Repeated lifting, carrying, and reaching gradually wears down the back, shoulders, and knees.
  • Retail and service employees: Standing or walking for entire shifts leads to chronic foot, leg, and lower-back pain.
  • Assembly line and skilled trades: Fine, forceful, or vibrating hand tools used all day raise the risk of nerve and tendon damage.

Personal risk factors matter too. Age, prior injuries, poor workstation setup, insufficient rest between shifts, and even certain health conditions can all make a worker more susceptible to an RSI — even in a job that seems low-risk on paper.

Early Warning Signs to Watch For

Because an RSI develops slowly, the earliest symptoms are easy to dismiss — which is exactly why high-risk workers should pay attention to them. Catching an RSI early often means a shorter recovery and a stronger claim later on. Watch for:

  • Tingling, numbness, or a “pins and needles” feeling in the hands or fingers
  • Aching, throbbing, or stiffness that lingers after your shift ends
  • Weakness or clumsiness in the hands, or dropping objects more than usual
  • Pain that flares up each time you repeat a specific work task

If you notice these signs, report them to your employer in writing as soon as possible. Prompt reporting not only protects your health — it creates the paper trail that supports a workers’ compensation claim if the injury worsens.

Workers’ Comp Claims for RSIs

Don’t forget that a repetitive stress injury is a work injury that can be addressed with workers’ compensation benefits. Your employer should know as much, too, and help you seek the benefits you deserve by reporting your injury to their insurance provider.

If your employer or the insurer does not want to take your RSI claim seriously, then it will be time to get a workers’ compensation attorney in your corner. Hansford McDaniel – Workers’ Compensation Attorneys offers comprehensive legal services and representation to workers in Atlanta, Georgia. To see if we can help you get the workers’ comp benefits you deserve after suffering an RSI, please call 770-922-3660 or contact us online.

Back to Blog