Coming to Grips with RSI

The available evidence suggests that Repetition Strain Injuries are increasing rapidly in Australia. Traditional techniques for eliminating the causes and providing cures seem to be lagging behind the rate of increase. At the Sydney factory of Sheridan Textiles an osteopath has been introduced to treat sufferers and potential sufferers of RSI on company time and at company expense. Osteopaths look not only to traditional sources for the causes of RSI but also emphasise the importance of physical stress created by anxiety states and lifestyle in general. Thus in the treatment of RSI emphasis is placed on stress reduction as a first priority and prevention programmes are devised that do not stop at the factory gates. The scheme has the full support of, and is jointly administered by, the Australian Textile Workers' Union and may well point the way to future directions in workplace control of RSI.