When discussing repetitive stress injuries, people often imagine an older worker who spent many years performing the same physical tasks. However, even teenagers may experience harm from repetitive stress, usually resulting from playing sports as a child and into high school and college. Perhaps the repeated years of stress may not worsen until the teen works a job that aggravates the injury. Arizona workers’ compensation laws could cover the person if the damage is deemed work-related.

Teens and repetitive stress injuries

Repetitive stress injuries, also known as overuse injuries, could happen when the ligaments, joints, bones, or tendons break down from repeated movements. Athletes typically perform the same movements, such as basketball players jumping. Teenagers may discover overtraining or improper training during their competitive years may lead to physical problems.

Playing sports is not the only cause of repetitive stress injury. People suffer such injuries on the job. Many employees are thankful that workers’ compensation will cover such harm.

Workers’ compensation claims

Over the years, repetitive stress injuries related to sports performances could wear down the body. For example, someone who played pitcher in baseball for many years might slowly aggravate the shoulder. That person could one day become a pitching coach for a college and suffer a severe injury when demonstrating a pitch. Or, the person could move along in life into another career and then experience shoulder problems after performing a task on the job.

Of course, a worker’s compensation claim involves proving the injury occurred on the job. Initially, the claim could face a denial although an appeals process may reverse the initial decision.

Both initial claims and appeals involve presenting evidence. If the evidence shows the injury occurred on the job, the claimant might receive appropriate benefits.