Jobs that make you do the same function repeatedly can cause permanent damage to your body. Although you may not notice any issues when you first start the job, after a few years, you may develop pain in certain body parts. The longer you keep trying to work while dealing with a repetitive strain injury, the worse the symptoms will become.
Repetitive strain injuries can affect your quality of life and eventually your ability to keep doing your job. Obviously, factory workers who perform the same function every 15 seconds for eight hours a day or longer are at risk of repetitive strain injuries.
There are many other professions with higher-than-average risk for repetitive strain injuries, including the three common professions below.
Commercial driving
If you have to hold your hands and arms in the same position all day, you will invariably grow tired. Truck drivers can develop repetitive strain injuries in their hands from gripping the steering wheel. They can also develop injuries in the lower back from standing all day or strain and their legs from pressing the pedals. Even loading and unloading their trailers can contribute to repetitive strain injuries.
Culinary careers
Working in a restaurant kitchen can be a rewarding career, but it can also do a lot of damage to the human body. In addition to the constant risk for burns and cuts, as well as possible allergic reactions to food ingredients, professionals who chop, knead and roast all day may develop repetitive motion injuries that limit their strength, flexibility or endurance for the tasks that are so crucial to their function in the kitchen.
Office work
Ironically, a profession often considered to be among the safest has one of the highest rates of repetitive strain injuries reported. Workers often spend long hours holding telephones, interacting with computers or typing, all of which can lead to eye strain and repetitive strain injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome.
Repetitive strain injuries often require that people shift their job responsibilities, take breaks or even pursue a new career path altogether. Some people may even need surgery to reduce their symptoms. Workers’ compensation benefits can help cover medical costs and other expenses, like lost wages, related to workplace injuries.