Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD)

What Does Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD) Mean?

Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD) refers to the excessive wear and tear on tendons, sensitive nerve tissue, and muscles caused by overuse for an extended period of time. CTD could develop from improper working position, force, or repetition.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are caused by these CTDs and by repetitive strain injuries.

Safeopedia Explains Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD)

Cumulative trauma disorder results from incremental strain from activities that do not cause injury on their own, but will over time.

Good ergonomic practices reduce the risk of CTD. These include:

• Maintaining a good posture
• Using a proper lifting technique
• Workstation design that minimizes strain on the body
• Taking short breaks to give muscles and tendons a chance to rest and recover
• Spreading out a task throughout the workday to avoid doing it too many times in a row