Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Lab
Laboratory researchers may be at risk for developing musculoskeletal disorders during routine laboratory procedures such as pipetting, working at microscopes, operating microtomes, using cell counters and video display terminals. Musculoskeletal disorders, also called cumulative trauma disorders or repetitive strain injuries, are gradual-onset injuries that usually occur after repeated micro-trauma to a specific body part. They may take weeks, months or years to develop and are often ignored at first due to the slow onset of symptoms.Musculoskeletal disorders are disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage and spinal discs. Musculoskeletal disorders which commonly affect laboratory personnel include: Carpal tunnel syndrome, Rotator cuff syndrome, De Quervain's Tenosynovitis, Trigger finger, and Tendonitis.