How Your Contracting Business Employees Can Avoid Repetitive Motion Injuries

A construction worker with a contractor license holding a piece of wood in front of a construction site.

When you have a highly refined set of skills, that often means that you spend your day doing many of the same tasks over and over. Gradually, these movements can lead to strain or injuries to joints and muscles. Although these problems can get better, they can also become chronic or lead to other, more serious conditions. Follow these tips to help prevent repetitive strain from ruining your career.

Learn the Common Signs of Overuse
Many construction jobs require a lot of physical labor. After a long day, you’re bound to feel a little stiff and sore. This does not necessarily mean that you have an injury. Keep an eye out for the following symptoms:

You may not feel symptoms of an injury right after overuse. In many cases, you’ll notice something like tendinitis after you leave the joint at rest for a few hours. It can vary from an ambient ache you feel all the time to acute pain that gets worse when you put strain on the joint. Remember to look for it in your employees, as well. Consider posting information about common signs and preventative measures.

Vary Tasks Throughout the Day
|If constant pain in your joints sounds like something you want to avoid, you’re in luck. There are many ways to do just that. The biggest factor in repetitive motion injuries is the constant repetition. It’s tempting to keep working at a job so that you can take a longer lunch or go home earlier, but this puts your body at risk. Instead, try to build in regular breaks at least once an hour. If you can, limit very straining activities to 15-30-minute intervals. Alternate these tasks with those that work another part of the body or require little pressure at all.

Wear Protective Gear
You wouldn’t operate certain types of equipment without putting on a hard hat, protective eyewear or gloves. When you’re going to be working on activities that require some strain, adding some protective gear like a brace can help. Simple braces for wrists, elbows and knees do not impede movement but help keep you in the right position. Supportive footwear can take pressure off your back and shoulders.

Keep in mind that braces and supports were not meant to replace a proper ergonomic working environment. If you spend most of your workday bent over or contorting your dominant arm into a difficult position, a brace is only going to help you so much. Instead, try to adjust the way you sit or stand to keep your back generally straight and your limbs in a normal, supportive position.

Encourage Strength Training
If the last thing you want to do after a hard way of work is head to the gym, there’s a reason to reconsider. Repetitive motions can build muscle, but they often aren’t strengthening you the way good exercise can. Before you pick up an injury, invest in strengthening and toning the muscles of your arms, shoulders and legs. If they can support a greater load, they won’t put as much weight on your joints. If you’re trying to rebuild muscle after a repetitive motion injury, be sure to take it slow. Continuing to put stress on a strained tendon or joint can make an acute injury into a chronic one.

Seek Medical Attention
Although many minor injuries can go away simply by limiting motion for a week or two, you need to know how to avoid making it worse. Start by taking it easy and icing the joint, but you can also make an appointment with a sports medicine doctor. They can give you tips to minimize re-injury and help determine if you need to take further steps. Physical therapy is often useful once you’re on the mend. Surgery is a possibility, but it’s much less common.

A physically-demanding field like construction takes prevention to avoid repetitive motion injuries. If you take initiative, you can avoid a hassle later on. To learn more about starting your own contracting business, contact CSLS today!