Sustainability Language

Human Rights & Social Sustainability

Cumulative trauma disorder (CTD)

Musculoskeletal injuries that develop gradually from repeated motions or sustained postures — a major occupational-health category in global supply chains.

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Definition

Cumulative trauma disorders are injuries of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that develop over time from repeated tasks, forceful exertions, vibration, or sustained awkward postures, rather than from a single accident. They form part of the wider family of work-related musculoskeletal disorders as defined by WHO (2003) and addressed in NIOSH guidance (1997); synonyms include repetitive strain injury and occupational overuse syndrome.

References

Overview

What it means

Chronic, build-up injuries — carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, back disorders — that are preventable through ergonomics but pervasive in assembly, agriculture and logistics work.

How it is used

The term appears in occupational safety programmes, workers' compensation, ergonomic assessments and social audits of supplier factories and farms.

Why it matters

CTDs are among the most common work-related health problems worldwide, making them a core social-sustainability indicator for labour-intensive supply chains.

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