Back Injuries and Repetitive Stress Motion

Back injuries are some of the most common type of workplace injuries. They can range from being minor, short-lived, to acute ones that can have lifelong implications for the injured worker. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, as many as 600,000 workers receive back injuries every year.

Back injuries render many people disabled and they are not able to return to work because of the acute pain. Back injuries are more common in older workers, and as more people are continuing to work even in their older years, the occurrence of work-related back injuries is on a rise.

Every year, back injuries cost $50 billion in terms of medical expenses, income loss, productivity loss, and pain and suffering. Work related back injuries do not just occur as a result of a sudden accident or trauma. There are several other reasons that can cause back injuries at the workplace. Many back injuries are caused by repetitive stress motion such as lifting, pulling, or pushing of heavy objects. Such injuries caused by the prolonged over-use of some particular muscles of the body are known as microtraumas.

Microtraumas are particularly common in workers that do extensive physical labor such as twisting or bending motions. However, these days, such injuries are not just restricted to those doing manual labor, but they also occur in people doing sedentary jobs. Sitting at the same place for prolonged periods without adequate breaks can also cause back injuries in workers. Poor posture and ill-design of the workstation are the contributory factors for such injuries.

These injuries are a result of tiny tears that are caused when the muscles, discs, vertebrae, and ligaments in the back and neck become weak. The weakening of muscles and the surrounding tissues happens over time due to prolonged and repetitive use. Back injuries can also be a result of an accident such as sudden twisting of the back or neck due to excessive weight lifting.

Minor back injuries such as sprains and strains usually heal on their own with adequate rest without requiring much medical intervention. However, some other, more serious types of back injuries that include fractures, damages spinal discs, and the weakening of spine and the surrounding structures and tissues may require extensive medical treatment including surgery. The most severe types of back injuries include spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease, and these injuries can render the worker disabled for the lifetime.

No matter if you have sustained a back injury because of a sudden work related accident, or as a result of prolonged over use of certain muscles, you are entitled to benefits under the Missouri workers' compensation system.

Missouri workers compensation lawyers suggests that the moment you experience a pain the back, you should immediately seek medical attention, and report the injury to the employer. Any delay can aggravate the condition, and necessitate more extensive treatment. If you need legal advice and help in getting your claim, you should get in touch with an experienced Missouri workers compensation lawyer.

More Resources:

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