Prevention and reduction of repetitive stress injury is vital to company productivity and employee well-being. It has been shown that companies that implement preventative programs that include repetitive stress injury education and ergonomic evaluation reduce exposure to these injuries and reduce associated costs.

Repetitive stress injuries can have devastating effects if not caught and treated early. While Federal and State entities have disputed the need for formalized ergonomic policy, many companies are taking a pro-active stance on musculoskeletal injuries.

Musculoskeletal injuries, which include more than 100 different types of disorders, make up about 30% of all workplace injuries that result in lost work days. They also account for one third of the money spent on worker’s compensation claims.

Kathy Burwell has been working with repetitive stress injuries for over 15 years. She uses her medical background in combination with her knowledge of large and small business cultures to tailor programs to accommodate both employee and employer needs.

A comprehensive ergonomic program to prevent repetitive stress injuries would recognize symptoms, evaluate causes, and recommend alterations.