Repetitive Strain Injury At An All-Time High

Microsoft has released a new study indicating that work related repetitive strain injuries are skyrocketing. Instances of RSI have gone up 30% in the last year, costing businesses over US$600 million in lost working hours. The culprits seem to be increased work load and lack of ergonomic countermeasures.

Techworld reports:

Microsoft claims the rapidly emerging trend of ‘mobile working’ – with office-based employees now working on the move for an average of an hour more per day than they did two years ago using laptops and mobile devices – is behind this alarming climb in work-related injury.

The company arrived at its conclusions in a poll among over 1,000 office workers, HR managers and office managers. This showed rthat 68 percent of office workers suffered from aches and pains, with the most common symptoms including back ache, shoulder pain and wrist/hand pain.

While advances in technology and increasingly demanding workloads have seen a growing trend for staff to work even when not in the office, the report finds a worrying lack of knowledge about the risks.