This document discusses how to prevent sprains and strains in the workplace. It defines sprains as injuries to ligaments from stretching or tearing, and strains as injuries to muscles or tendons from stretching or tearing. It provides tips to prevent these injuries, such as avoiding strenuous activity when tired or in pain, wearing proper footwear, and practicing safe lifting techniques. The document also identifies ergonomic and individual risk factors that can contribute to sprains and strains, and recommends engineering controls, administrative controls, education and early intervention to help prevent these injuries from occurring.

1. Prevent Sprains and Strains!
Safety Moment of the Week
April 3rd – 9th, 2016
Sprains and strains can happen suddenly or develop over the course of
days, weeks or months. What is a sprain or a strain?
 Sprain – An injury to a ligament (tissue that connects two or more bones
at a joint). In a sprain, one or more ligaments are stretched or torn.
 Strain – An injury to a muscle or a tendon (tissue that connects muscle
to bone). In a strain, a muscle or tendon is stretched or torn.
Here’s a few ways to prevent these injuries:
 Avoid strenuous activity when you are tired or in pain
 Use caution when working on slippery surfaces, wet floors or uneven
surfaces.
 Always wear appropriate, proper fitting footwear
 Watch your footing when working on ladders
 Keep work areas clear of clutter.
 Always plan lifts and practice safe lifting procedures.
 Lift objects and perform work in the “power zone”. This is the area
between mid-thigh and mid-chest height.
 Do not stretch aggressively as you may over-stretch and injure yourself.

2. Safety Moment of the Week
April 3rd
– 9th, 2016
Prevent Sprains and Strains
These injuries can occur frequently, and are painful, disabling and often accompanied by lengthy recovery
periods. There are two general categories of risk factors; ergonomic risk factors and individual risk factors.
The more risk factors a worker is exposed to, the greater the likelihood of an injury occurring.
Ergonomic Risk Factors may include:
Excessive Force: Many work tasks require high force loads on the human body. Muscle effort increases in
response to high force requirements, increasing associated fatigue which can lead to injury.
• Excessive Repetition: High task repetition, when combined with other risks factors such as high force
and/or awkward postures, can contribute to the formation of strains / sprains.
• Awkward Posture: Awkward postures places excessive force on joints and overloads the muscles and
tendons around the effected joint. Joints of the body are most efficient when they operate closest to the
mid-range motion of the joint. Risk of strains and sprains is increased when joints are worked outside of
this mid-range repetitively or for sustained periods of time without adequate recovery time.
• Other environmental factors: Slip, trip and fall hazards increase risk of a sudden/acute soft tissue injury.
Individual Risk Factors may include:
• Poor work practices. Workers who use poor work practices, body mechanics and lifting techniques are
introducing unnecessary risk factors that can contribute to injuries. These poor practices may create stress
on the body and may increase fatigue and decrease the body’s ability to properly recover.
• Poor overall health habits. Workers who smoke, drink excessively, are obese, or exhibit numerous other
poor health habits are putting themselves at risk for not only sprains or strains, but also for other chronic
diseases that will shorten their life and health span.
• Poor rest and recovery. Workers who do not get adequate rest and recovery put themselves at higher risk
if fatigue outruns the workers recovery system.
• Poor nutrition, fitness and hydration. Workers who do not take care of their bodies are putting themselves
at a higher risk of developing strains/sprains and chronic health problems.
• No recognition of early signs and symptoms: At the first signs of excessive fatigue/discomfort, the worker
has an opportunity to recognize the early signs and symptoms and proactively use recommended injury
prevention tools and principles.
Prevention is better than treatment. Sprains and strains are a painful (and unnecessary) experience that we
want to prevent from happening.
Ergonomic (Workplace) Controls
• Engineering Controls eliminate or reduce awkward postures with ergonomic
modifications that seek to maintain joint range of motion to accomplish work tasks
within the mid-range of motion positions for vulnerable joints. Proper ergonomic tools
should be utilized to allow workers to maintain optimal joint positions.
• Administrative Controls include work practice controls, job rotation and counteractive
stretch breaks.
Individual Controls
• Education and Training Process: Train employees on all aspects of human
performance, including ergonomics, Strain/Sprain prevention principles and individual
health and wellness.
• Early Intervention Process: Early intervention is a proactive strategy designed to
discover early warning signs of sprains/strains and prevent the early warning signs from
developing into an injury.