RSI Statistics

Many people around the world are facing the problem of repetitive strain injury. There are many different kinds of repetitive strain injury, and they all are the result of the overuse of a particular limb or muscle.

United States of America Bureau of Labor

The 1996 United States of America Bureau of Labor statistics showed that as many as 600 and 47000 injuries were the result of work-related activities. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health stated that approximately 50% of the work force will develop RSI in the year 2000.

One thing that employers can do in order to lessen the risk of RSI development in its workers is to encourage stretch breaks. A simple few minutes a day of rest can prove to be effective in limiting the amount of RSI that develop.

The Canadian Community Health Survey

In September of the year 2000, a study was conducted by The Canadian Community Health Survey, which showed that roughly two million and three hundred thousand people were afflicted with RSI in Canada alone.

The study also showed the prevalence of RSI with regards to the various body parts that they affected. The study showed that about 25% or one fourth of all cases of RSI occurred in the neck or in the shoulder of the affected individuals.

Repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome came in second place with 23% of all RSI being reported to occur in the wrists or hands.

The back was the third most likely place for a repetitive stress injury to occur, with 19% of all cases occurring there. The elbow and lower arm represented 16% of all cases in the study, and 17% of the cases occurred in an unspecified area.

More than 50% of all RSI occurred due to a type of work in the workplace. The second-most responsible activities resulting in a case of RSI varied between men and women, with men experiencing the problem more often than not due to participation in a physical activity such as a sport.

In women, the second-most responsible cause for a case of repetitive stress injury was chores or unpaid work.

Health Reports

A study conducted in Canada in 2001 and published in Health Reports showed that a one out of ten Canadian citizens was afflicted with a type of RSI that limited their activities.

Now that you know more about how wide-spread the problem with RSI is, you should be able to see that nearly everyone is susceptible to developing the problem.

You may want to speak to a doctor in order to get an informed decision about whether or not the problem is present if you think that you may be developing a case of RSI and if you should take a course of action to work towards eliminating it.