International RSI Awareness Day

February 29, 2000 will mark the first annual International RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) Awareness Day. February 29 was chosen to mark this day because it is the only non-repetitive day on the calendar. In non-leap years, RSI Awareness Day will be observed on February 28.

What is RSI ?

RSI is an umbrella term for a number of overuse injuries affecting the soft tissues (muscles, tendons, and nerves) of the neck, upper and lower back, chest, shoulders, arms and hands, caused by a variety of factors including repetition, force, and awkward or static postures. Poor workplace ergonomics and job design are significant factors in the development of these injuries. Typically arising as aches and pains, these injuries can progress to become crippling disorders that prevent sufferers from working or leading normal lives.

Why Should I Care?

RSI is a serious occupational health concern across the world. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that repetitive trauma disorders (not including back injuries) accounted for 62% (308,000) of all reported work-related illness cases in 1995, and had increased fourteenfold from 1972 to 1994. The number of reported cases in 1995 was actually lower by 7%, but still exceeded the number of cases in any year prior to 1994. Despite their increasing prevalence, these injuries are poorly understood by workers, employers, the medical profession, etc. Getting appropriate diagnosis, treatment, compensation, and workplace accommodation is often difficult and places a further burden on the injured worker.

Raising awareness through public education is a vital step towards protecting workers from RSI, through negotiation, legislation, modeling exemplary workplaces, etc. We’re not raising funds for medical research, we’re raising awareness — that these are real injuries, they are work-related, they can be prevented, and that when they do occur, early appropriate intervention is the key to preventing permanent disability.

Remember, no one is immune from RSI.

Who Are We ?

We are an international group of injured workers, trade unionists, health and safety professionals, health care practitioners, and others who share a common goal to increase awareness of these crippling injuries, to prevent others from being injured, and to improve the situation for those who are already injured. The committee is made up entirely of dedicated volunteers, working with little or no resources, who represent over 12 different countries.

To join the RSIDay mailing list:

To visit the organizing committee’s website: