Repetitive Motion Injury Creates Slacker

When you feel you want to take a day off, there maybe a chance that you are not slacking off from work. Studies (which performed on rats) showed that it maybe caused by repetitive motion injury. When the repetitive work become unbearable, body will emit cytokines, proteins that help to start inflammation. Study shows that cytokines affects workers behaviour and creating a so called sick-worker syndrome which the brain may tell you to take some rest. You may then be tempted to slack off from work:

… Unexpectedly, the researchers also found that the cytokines affected the rats’ psychosocial responses. With so many cytokines entering the blood stream so early, some apparently traveled to the brain, sparking the rat version of “sick-worker” syndrome. “At three weeks, even before the rats experienced pain from their wrist injuries, we watched them self-regulate their work behavior,” said Barr. “With inflammatory proteins in the bloodstream, they began to slack off from completing their tasks.”

By five weeks to eight weeks, when cytokine production reached “peak” levels, some rats curled up in a ball and slept in between tasks…

As the recent post mentioned, excessive typing will cause repetitive motion injury. Take it easy with your computer and handheld.

Slacker or sick? - [Medical News Today]