Study Case 5 | Estner Injury Centers

The condition: repetitive stress injury related to work duties

63-year-old male presented with chief complaint of right sided neck pain radiating down his right arm into his hands. The patient works as an order picker and stated he was working on a large order, requiring repetitive motions for 4 continuous hours. He started to feel some numbness and pain starting from the right side of his neck down to the shoulder blade and down his right arm to his right hand. He was initially examined by his primary care physician, x-rayed, prescribed pain medication and released. Not finding any relief of his symptoms, he attended to Estner Injury Centers.

The findings:

A CT scan revealed degenerative disc disease. The lower neck discs reduced the space for the nerve that travels down the arm. Range of motion was limited with turning the head to the right side. Moderate muscle tightness of the trapezius region.

The treatment:

Patient was taken out of work for a month to reduce inflammation and reduce the repetitive stress factor. Traction to the neck was done for 10-15 minutes at a session. Deep muscle work was done for the trapezius musculature. Therapies included: Ultrasound, electrical stimulation, instrument assisted myofascial release.

The result:

After two months the patient no longer had symptoms. Ergonomic recommendations were advised by Estner Injury Centers and implemented. The patient returned to work and has had no residual issues that were reported back to our facility.