Rehabilitation Program

• The specific treatment and rehabilitation program depends on the patient and the type of repetitive motion injury. Treatment may include physical therapy to the affected muscles, occupational therapy in which you learn to engage in simple activities and tasks which relieve the stress and inflammation on the muscles, exercises to make the affected muscles stronger, or condition them, heat therapy to minimize pain in the area, cold compresses to manage pain, immobilizing the muscles using braces or splints, and education about avoiding repetitive motion injuries by altering work patterns.
  
  

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs

• NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications available over the counter, are usually the first type of drug therapy recommended in the treatment of repetitive motion injuries. NSAIDs only relieve pain associated with inflammation of the muscles--they do not relieve tingling, numbness or other symptoms that may accompany a repetitive stress injury. They do not cure the underlying condition, but rather manage the pain to make it possible to engage in the physical therapy and conditioning required to resolve the injury to the muscle.
  
  

Cortisone Injections

• Cortisone injections can provide pain relief when NSAIDs fail, allowing patients to engage in the therapies required to resolve the repetitive motion injury. The cortisone steroids can be injected directly into the affected muscle area, to relieve pain, tingling and numbness immediately. One cortisone treatments may effectively eliminate pain for up to six months, allowing the patient ample time to adjust their environments to avoid re-injuring the muscles, and to engage in therapies to build muscle strength.