What Are Some Symptoms to Look For in a Repetitive Stress Injury?

If a job or hobby involves doing repetitive motions such as typing or cutting, a repetitive stress injury may develop. Although repetitive stress injuries are most common in hands and wrists, they can also develop them in the joints of the shoulders, hips or knees. According to the Mayo Clinic and the National Library of Medicine, symptoms to look for in a repetitive stress injury include pain and inflammation.

Bruising

• You may notice bruising or redness of the skin in the area of the joint affected by the repetitive stress injury.

Inflammation

• The joint that is affected by the repetitive stress injury can become inflamed; if the injury is a chronic problem, this inflammation can lead to arthritis.

Limited Movement

• A repetitive stress injury may cause symptoms such as a loss of full range of motion and limited movement in the affected joint.

Popping

• You may hear a popping noise when you move a joint affected by a repetitive stress injury; this can be a result of a dislocation of the joint.

Soreness

• The area around the joint affected by a repetitive stress injury may be sore or tender to the touch, especially at the end of the day.

Swelling

• A repetitive stress injury may cause fluid to build up in the area of the affected joint, which can result in symptoms such as swelling.