Local muscle fatigue. A precursor to RSI?

Some musculoskeletal conditions that are prevalent in occupations where the handling of materials and/or tools is required have been linked with the musculoskeletal load that results from activities that are undertaken to fulfil that occupation. The excessive loading of muscles under these conditions may lead to local muscle fatigue which may, in turn, manifest as pain, localized discomfort or kinaesthetic dysfunction. Local muscle fatigue is recognized as a precursor to some of these musculoskeletal conditions. This paper postulates the probable physiological mechanisms that provoke it. The changes to intramuscular blood flow during contraction, and their significance in relation to local muscle fatigue, are also reviewed. Methods to measure local muscle fatigue, as well as their objectivity and practicality, are discussed together with their plausible clinical implications.