Whether working at a construction site, in an assembly-line plant, or in a quiet office building along Broad Street, employees can get injured on the job. Some of these injuries include repetitive motion injuries (RMI), which arise when a worker does the same task over and over, straining nerves, tendons, muscles, joints, and other parts of the body.
Under Tennessee law, employers are required to follow strict safety standards, and most must provide workers’ compensation benefits for accidents that are job-related. By seeking compensation, injured workers can continue to provide for their families while managing medical bills, lost wages, and recovery expenses.
Chattanooga Industries Where Repetitive Motion Injuries Can Happen
Chattanooga’s economy encompasses several industries with elevated rates of repetitive motion injuries. Some of these include:
Automotive Manufacturing — Volkswagen
The Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant employs several thousand workers who perform repetitive assembly tasks on the Atlas and ID.4 vehicle lines. Assembly tasks — bolting, wiring harness installation, interior component fitting — create sustained ergonomic risk. VW has invested in ergonomic programs, but the fundamental repetitive nature of automotive assembly creates ongoing risk.
Food Manufacturing — McKee Foods (Little Debbie)
McKee Foods Corporation, headquartered in Collegedale near Chattanooga, is one of Tennessee’s largest private employers. Baking, packaging, and distribution operations involve continuous repetitive motions, including wrapping, sorting, and palletizing that can produce notable rates of upper extremity repetitive motion injuries.
Logistics & Warehousing — Amazon, Other Distribution Centers
Chattanooga’s strategic location at the intersection of I-75 and I-24 makes it a major logistics hub. Amazon and numerous other distribution and fulfillment operations employ warehouse workers who perform repetitive picking, scanning, and packing operations at high rates, creating elevated risk of carpal tunnel syndrome, back strain, and shoulder injuries.
Construction
Chattanooga’s ongoing development, including downtown revitalization and industrial expansion, keeps thousands of construction workers active. Carpenters, electricians, and general laborers using vibrating tools and performing overhead work face significant RMI exposure.
Textile & Apparel (Historical)
Though Chattanooga’s once-dominant textile industry has largely transitioned, remaining apparel and textile finishing operations continue to employ workers performing repetitive sewing, cutting, and fabric handling tasks.
Types of Repetitive Motion Injuries
There are various types of repetitive motion injuries that workers can suffer, depending on the nature of their jobs. These include:
Nerve Disorders
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS): Compression of the median nerve through the wrist’s carpal tunnel, causing numbness, tingling, weakness, and pain in the hand and fingers. It is among the most prevalent occupational injuries in the United States.
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: Compression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow, resulting in numbness in the ring and little fingers and weakened grip.
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Compression of nerves and blood vessels between the collarbone and first rib, often from repetitive overhead work or poor posture, causing arm, shoulder, and neck pain.
Tendon and Ligament Injuries
- Tendonitis: Inflammation or irritation of a tendon from overuse, commonly affecting the wrist, elbow, shoulder, knee, and Achilles tendon. Subtypes include De Quervain’s tenosynovitis (thumb-side wrist) and patellar tendonitis (knee).
- Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis): Inflammation of the tendons attaching to the outer elbow from repetitive forearm motions such as gripping and twisting.
- Trigger Finger (Stenosing Tenosynovitis): The finger catches or locks when bent, caused by inflammation narrowing the space around the tendon in the finger.
- Rotator Cuff Injuries: Strain or tearing of the muscles and tendons stabilizing the shoulder joint, frequently caused by repeated overhead movements.
Bursal and Joint Conditions
- Bursitis: Inflammation of the bursae (fluid-filled sacs) that cushion bones, tendons, and muscles. Common sites include the shoulder, elbow (olecranon bursitis), hip, and knee.
- Ganglion Cysts: Fluid-filled lumps that develop along tendons or joints in the wrist or hand, often from repetitive motion.
Spinal and Musculoskeletal Conditions
- Chronic Back Strain: Repeated bending, lifting, and twisting can cause progressive damage to the muscles, ligaments, and vertebral discs of the lower back.
- Cervical Radiculopathy: Compression or irritation of nerve roots in the neck from sustained awkward postures, causing neck, arm, and shoulder pain.
- Herniated Discs: Repeated compressive loads on the spine from lifting or bending can cause spinal discs to bulge or rupture.
Vascular and Other Conditions
- Raynaud’s Syndrome (Vibration White Finger): Caused by prolonged use of vibrating tools, resulting in episodes of reduced blood flow to the fingers causing color changes, numbness, and pain.
- HAVS (Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome): A permanent and disabling condition affecting the nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and joints of the hand, wrist, and arm from vibrating power tools.
Chattanooga Medical Facilities Providing Rehabilitation Services for Repetitive Motion Injuries
Here are leading medical facilities in the Chattanooga area that provide rehabilitation services for treatment of nerve, muscular, and back injuries:
- Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation
825 N. Holtzclaw Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37404
Siskin Hospital is Chattanooga’s flagship dedicated physical rehabilitation facility. The hospital specializes in orthopedic rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and work injury management, making it a primary referral destination for workers with serious repetitive motion injuries.
- Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Chattanooga
2412 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37404
This Chattanooga facility offers physical, occupational, and speech therapy with advanced technologies and real-world simulations. For repetitive motion injury patients requiring intensive inpatient rehabilitation, Encompass Health provides comprehensive care coordinated by physicians, nurses, and therapists working as an integrated team.
- Erlanger Sports Medicine
1100 E. 3rd St., Suite G-102, Chattanooga, TN 37403
Erlanger’s sports medicine program expressly provides long-term care plans and targeted rehab for repetitive stress injuries, tendonitis, and chronic musculoskeletal conditions. The facility is home to dedicated sports medicine physicians, on-site physical therapists, certified athletic trainers, and orthopedic surgeons.
- Parkridge Medical Center — Rehabilitation Services
2333 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37404
Parkridge Medical Center operates both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs, including the area’s only hospital-based acute inpatient rehabilitation unit, which allows seamless access to imaging, surgical specialists, and diagnostic services during recovery.
Workers’ Compensation Rights in Chattanooga
Workers’ compensation covers most full and part-time employees in the state of Tennessee. Most employers with five or more employees must carry workers’ compensation insurance, though construction employers must provide coverage even with fewer employees. State and local governments and those who employ domestic help or farm labor are exempt from this requirement.
Disability from a work injury can fall into various categories including temporary partial disability, temporary total disability, permanent partial disability, and permanent total disability. The Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, part of the state’s Department of Labor & Workforce Development, provides detailed information about workers’ rights, how to file a claim, and other related matters.
Chattanooga Support Groups for Injured Workers
Depending on the type of harm done, there are several support groups in Chattanooga to choose from when seeking support for yourself and your family after a job-related injury. Some of these include:
- The American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) has a group here in Chattanooga.
- The National Association of Injured & Disabled Workers (NAIDW) provides online support, guidance, and community for those navigating workers’ compensation.
- NAMI Chattanooga offers support for mental health challenges resulting from injuries in the Hamilton County area.
- Additional resources can be found at the United Way of Greater Chattanooga, which connects individuals with local community resources and services.
Contact Gary Massey Injury Lawyers Today for Effective Legal Representation
Gary Massey Injury Lawyers is committed to serving our clients with skill, trust, and dedication. Our workers’ compensation attorneys represent clients aggressively when dealing with employers and insurance companies. We treat our clients with the compassion and respect they deserve, and we are proud of our firm’s outstanding results. For a free consultation about your repetitive motion injury case, contact us today.
