Repetitive strain injury (RSI), sometimes referred to as repetitive stress injury, is a gradual buildup of damage to muscles, tendons, and nerves from repetitive motions. RSIs are common and may be caused by many different types of activities. RSI frequently affects your wrtists and hands, forearms and elbows, neck, and shoulders. However, other areas of your body can also be affected.

Symptoms include: Pain, tenderness, swelling, stiffness, tingling or numbness, throbbing, weakness, sensitivity to cold or heat.

RSI can occur when you do repetitive movements. Those movements can cause your muscles and tendons to become damaged over time.

Some activities that can increase your risk for RSI are: stressing the same muscles through repetition, maintaining the same posture for long periods of time, maintaining an abnormal posture for an extended period of time, such as holding your arms over your head, lifting heavy objects, being in poor physical condition or not exercising enough.

Many personal injury cases are caused by a one-time occurrence — an accident that immediately causes an injury. Repetitive stress injuries are not caused by a single accident, but rather the injury builds up over a period of time. That’s why urgent medical attention and legal consultation is necessary.