Local contact stress occurs when a hard or sharp object comes in contact with the skin. The nerves and the tissues beneath the skin can be injured by the pressure. Here are some examples of activities that can result in local contact stress:
i) Ridges and hard edges on tool handles digging into the hand
ii) Edges of work surfaces digging into the forearm or wrist
iii) Striking objects sharply with the hand, foot, or knee (such as striking the carpet stretcher with the area above the knee when laying carpet)
The effects of local contact stress can be made worse if the hard object contacts an area without much protective tissue, such as the wrist, palm, or fingers and also when pressure is applied repeatedly or held for a long time.