In our region, it’s common for repetitive stress injuries to be blamed on “normal aging,” prior conditions, or activities outside of work. That argument tends to land harder when:
- Your job involves sustained tools or repeated hand/arm motions (assembly, warehouse picking, material handling, service work, or office roles with high-volume keyboard/scanner use).
- You reported symptoms inconsistently during the early weeks because you were hoping it would improve.
- Your work schedule changed—extra shifts, fewer breaks, or modified tasks—without ergonomic adjustments.
- You commute or travel long distances to reach work sites, which insurers may cite as an alternate cause for neck/back symptoms.
The key is addressing these issues early with a medical-and-work timeline that makes sense.


