How can you prevent strains

The Causes of Sprains and Strains Sprains and strains can happen suddenly or develop over the course of days, weeks or months. Ergonomic risk factors include: Excessive force. Many work tasks require high force loads on the human body. Muscle effort increases in response to high force requirements, increasing associated fatigue which can lead to musculoskeletal disorders MSDs.

Excessive repetition. Many work tasks and cycles are repetitive in nature, and are frequently controlled by hourly or daily production targets and work processes. A job is considered highly repetitive if the cycle time is 30 seconds or less. Awkward posture. Awkward postures place excessive force on joints and overload the muscles and tendons around the effected joint.

Joints of the body are most efficient when they operate closest to the mid-range motion of the joint. Risk of MSDs is increased when joints are worked outside of this mid-range repetitively or for sustained periods of time without adequate recovery time.

Other environmental factors. Slip, trip and fall hazards increase risk of a sudden, acute soft tissue injury. Individual risk factors include: Poor work practices. Workers who use poor work practices, body mechanics and lifting techniques are introducing unnecessary risk factors that can contribute to MSDs.

Poor overall health habits. Workers who smoke, drink excessively, are obese, or exhibit numerous other poor health habits are putting themselves at risk for not only musculoskeletal disorders, but also for other chronic diseases that will shorten their life and health span. Poor rest and recovery. Workers who do not get adequate rest and recovery put themselves at higher risk. Poor nutrition, fitness and hydration. For a country as developed as the United States, an alarming number of people are malnourished, dehydrated and at such a poor level of physical fitness that climbing one flight of stairs puts many people out of breath.

Workers who do not take care of their bodies are putting themselves at a higher risk of developing musculoskeletal and chronic health problems. No recognition of early signs and symptoms.

Many MSDs develop over the course of time. At the first signs of excessive fatigue or discomfort, the worker has an opportunity to recognize the early signs and symptoms and proactively use recommended injury prevention tools and principles. Ergonomic controls include: Engineering controls that eliminate or reduce awkward postures with ergonomic modifications that seek to maintain joint range of motion to accomplish work tasks within the mid-range of motion positions for vulnerable joints.

Proper ergonomic tools should be utilized that allow workers to maintain optimal joint positions. Administrative controls include work practice controls, job rotation and counteractive stretch breaks. At The Hospitals of Providence, we want to make sure that you receive the right treatment to ensure you maintain a great quality of life for years to come.

We offer a team of orthopedic physicians, nurses, physical therapists and rehabilitation specialists who can provide you with expert care. If surgery is recommended, we offer advanced techniques in orthopedic surgery [link to Robotic Surgery page] that allow surgeons to achieve a new level of precision—so you heal faster with minimal scarring. Our orthopedic specialists always begin by exploring non-surgical options, which can include medication, physical therapy and rehabilitation.

You can access all of those right within our network, to help you recover faster, and get you back to the activities you enjoy again.

Sprains and strains are nothing to dismiss — and the pain will tell you that much. The amount of time it takes to heal varies dependent on the person and the severity.

However, it can take up to a few months before you are back to normal. To maintain your active life, here are a few ways to avoid injury. Talk with a doctor to confirm a diagnosis and the doctor may recommend compression, a boot or a splint. In the meantime:. Skip to main content and our Accessibility Statement may be found in the footer of our website. With proper treatment, most people recover completely. You can improve your chances of recovery by taking steps to avoid getting the same injury again.

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