What are Musculoskeletal Injuries and Disorders?

Musculoskeletal injuries and disorders result from damage to the muscular and/or skeletal system. Pain can appear suddenly or build slowly over time, ranging from mild and intermittent to severe, and may result from an injury or infection. It persists for months or years and affects your physical and emotional well-being.

Symptoms of Musculoskeletal Injuries

Common symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders include:

• Pain
• Weakness
• Stiffness
• Joint noises
• Decreased range of motion

Like most injuries, musculoskeletal disorders are frequently accompanied by inflammation, which may cause swelling, warmth, tenderness, impaired function, and sometimes the reddening of the skin.

What Causes Musculoskeletal Injuries?

These injuries are often caused by repetitive or strenuous motion in a workplace environment as is this case with carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, tension neck syndrome, and other conditions. In fact, musculoskeletal injuries are the most common form of workplace injuries as they are responsible for approximately 30% of all worker’s compensation costs globally. Other common musculoskeletal injuries and disorders include:

• Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
• Epicondylitis
• Radial Tunnel Syndrome
• Digital Neuritis
• DeQuervain’s Syndrome
• Mechanical Back Syndrome
• Degenerative Disc Disease
• Ruptured / Herniated Disc
• Muscle/tendon strain
• Ligament sprain
• Thoracic Outlet Compression

Preventative Measures

If you are concerned about developing a musculoskeletal disorder, there are two types of risk factors that need to be addressed: ergonomic and individual risk factors. Ergonomic risk factors are the workplace risk factors such as:

• The force at which tasks are performed
• The repetition of tasks
• The posture in which tasks are performed

Individual risk factors consider what makes someone more susceptible to developing a musculoskeletal injury and include:

• Poor work practices or improper form when using equipment
• Lack of regular exercise
• Poor state of health (based on diet and lifestyle habits)

Treating Musculoskeletal Injuries

No matter what the reasons behind your pain are, you can benefit from many techniques and healthy lifestyle habits, and greatly improve the quality of your life.

There are many solutions for joint and musculoskeletal injuries including diet and lifestyle changes, PEMF to decrease inflammation, prolozone, and others. At Holtorf Medical Group we strive to uncover the root cause of symptoms. We will work with you to not just treat the symptoms, but treat the underlying illness. Contact us today to see how we can help you!