
Identification of overuse/repetitive motion injuries
Overuse/repetitive motion injuries are also known as repetitive stress injuries. They are caused by gradual progressive damage to the:- Muscles
- Ligaments
- Tendons
- Pain
- Stiffness
- Reduced range of motion
- Numbness
- Weakness
- Swelling
- Redness in the affected body area

Causes of overuse injury
An overuse/repetitive injury can be any type of muscle or joint injury/s. Examples include tendonitis or a stress fracture caused by repetitive trauma. Overuse/repetitive injury/s usually happen from:- Performance errors when an individual takes on too much physical activity too soon, causing overstrain on the muscles, tendons, etc, as they are not used to the activity.
- Exercising too long can strain the body
- Rushing through a task, chore, job
- Technique errors can take a toll on the body. Using poor form during work, exercise, playtime can overload muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones.

Chiropractic
These injuries can be temporary or become permanent conditions that depend on the severity of the injury and the damage done. Reach out to a professional as soon as possible to ensure the proper treatment path. Activity modification will be necessary, specifically when beginning treatment, as the injury needs time to recover from all the stretching, pulling, and tearing. Depending on the injury’s severity, there may be a need to stop the motion/activity entirely until the muscles, tendons, ligaments are recovered to a treatable degree and can be retrained. Part of the treatment will include:- Rest
- Ice
- Heat
- Stretching
- Diet adjustments to reduce inflammation
- Tissue massages will loosen the tight muscles and relieve cramping.
- Specific stretches will be incorporated to work on the range of motion and prevent stiffness.
- Physical therapy will increase muscle strength and stability.
- Spinal adjustments will be utilized for starting up the body’s natural healing ability and proper blood circulation