Musculoskeletal injury refers to damage of muscular or skeletal systems, which is usually due to a strenuous activity and includes damage to skeletal muscles, bones, tendons, joints, ligaments, and other affected soft tissues. In one study, roughly 25% of approximately 6300 adults received a musculoskeletal injury of some sort within 12 months—of which 83% were activity-related. Musculoskeletal injury spans into a large variety of medical specialties including orthopedic surgery (with diseases such as arthritis requiring surgery), sports medicine, emergency medicine (acute presentations of joint and muscular pain) and rheumatology (in rheumatological diseases that affect joints such as rheumatoid arthritis).

Musculoskeletal injuries can affect any part of the human body including; bones, joints, cartilages, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and other soft tissues. Symptoms include mild to severe aches, low back pain, numbness, tingling, atrophy and weakness. These injuries are a result of repetitive motions and actions over a period of time. Tendons connect muscle to bone whereas ligaments connect bone to bone. Tendons and ligaments play an active role in maintaining joint stability and controls the limits of joint movements, once injured tendons and ligaments detrimentally impact motor functions. Continuous exercise or movement of a musculoskeletal injury can result in chronic inflammation with progression to permanent damage or disability.

In many cases, during the healing period after a musculoskeletal injury, a period in which the healing area will be completely immobile, a cast-induced muscle atrophy can occur. Routine sessions of physiotherapy after the cast is removed can help return strength in limp muscles or tendons. Alternately, there exist different methods of electrical stimulation of the immobile muscles which can be induced by a device placed underneath a cast, helping prevent atrophies Preventative measures include correcting or modifying one's postures and avoiding awkward and abrupt movements. It is beneficial to rest post injury to prevent aggravation of the injury.

There are three stages of progressing from a musculoskeletal injury; Cause, Disability and Decision. The first stage arises from the injury itself whether it be overexertion, fatigue or muscle degradation. The second stage involves how the individual's ability is detrimentally affected as disability affects both physical and cognitive functions of an individual. The final stage, decision, is the individual's decision to return to work post recovery as Musculoskeletal injuries compromise movement and physical ability which ultimately degrades one's professional career.

Injury can be described as a ‘mechanical disruption of tissues resulting in pain.' Despite the fact tissues can self-repair, muscle degradation occurs after repeated and prolonged use. Overuse and strain injuries can occur at work, physical activity and daily life. Repetitive motions strain our musculoskeletal systems, if continued in an improper form can result in chronic inflammation with progression to permanent damage. These injuries can compromise an individual's posture or other physical abilities, including fine motor movements.

Nerves play an important role in repetitive strain injuries as it is nerves that get pulled in injured soft tissues ultimately affecting motor functions. Pressure on the nerve will impair blood flow which can impair either distal or proximal points to the first injury and cause pain. Tendons connect muscle to bone whereas ligaments connect bone to bone. Tendons and ligaments play an active role in maintain joint stability and controls the limits of joint movements, once injured tendons and ligaments detrimentally impact motor functions. Injuries associated with repetitive-use activities include: tennis elbow, tendonitis, wrist injuries, myelopathy, low back injuries and lower leg and ankle injuries.

Repetitive use injuries are a result of rapid and continuous movements, long duration postures without adequate support. Excessive muscle use results in fatigue which limits movement of limbs.

An acute injury can be traced back to a specific incident, causing immediate pain and often swelling. On the other hand, a Chronic injury does not have a distinct origin, it develops slowly, is persistent and long lasting, and it is accompanied by dull pain, aches or soreness.