Who can get RSI?

Anyone can get RSI. RSI occurs in most occupations and work settings. Manual workers, whether skilled or unskilled, are most at risk. Older workers report more problems than younger workers. Women workers are more at risk than men. Workers in precarious employment, such as those on fixed-length contracts, are also significantly more exposed to repetitive work and working in painful or tiring positions.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures analysed by the Labour Research Department (LRD) showed that jobs where workers were most likely to get RSI included:

• metal, plastics, textile and other plant and machine workers
• bricklayers, plumbers, carpenters and others in skilled trades
• nurses, journalists and IT technicians.