On-the-job injuries occur once every seven seconds in the United States. Although they are most common in construction and warehouse jobs, they can happen even if you work a desk job in an office. If you’re dealing with back, neck, shoulder, or hip pain due to work-related injuries, you deserve relief. A workers comp chiropractor may be able to help ease the pain for everyday situations.
1. Slipping, Tripping, or Falling
Slippery surfaces occur no matter where you work. Restaurants spill condiments, mechanics work with oil, and even office spaces are slippery on occasion if they’re being mopped. If those spills or newly cleaned floors don’t have a warning sign up, you could find yourself on the ground. Another common type of fall is warehouse workers or construction workers falling from ladders or scaffolding. The pain that comes from these injuries often needs immediate medical care, but even with it, symptoms can be ongoing. A chiropractor can perform exercises and teach you ones to do at home to ease the pain.
2. Strained Muscles
If your hands, wrists, and elbows hurt from entering data all day, or if you’re noting pain in your lower back after a day of moving boxes, chances are you could benefit from workers comp chiropractic care. Repetitive movements, such as lifting boxes on and off a line or even typing, can easily cause repetitive muscle strains. Over time, the muscles from repetitive movement can become compressed. A chiropractor can perform massage therapy that decompresses those nerves and leads to pain relief and better mobility.
3. Crashes and Collisions
Crashes and collisions are common on the job as well. Perhaps you drive a company car and are in an accident on the road. It falls under workers’ compensation laws since it happened on the job. Maybe you drive a forklift at a warehouse and collide with shelves or another forklift driver. Even minor accidents can lead to long-term pain due to the unexpected jarring of your spine.
Whiplash is common and leads to neck, shoulder, and back pain. A chiropractor can treat it using spinal manipulation (also known as an adjustment), muscle relaxation or stimulation via stretches, or specific trigger point therapy that uses thrusting techniques to restore motion.
4. Falling Objects
Reaching for objects that are stored too high, or having improperly stored items, can cause them to fall on you while you’re on the job. Falling objects can lead to a wide range of injuries. Perhaps you rushed to try to catch it and pulled a muscle in your neck or shoulder. Maybe you slipped when you tried to get out of the way and hurt your lower back. Regardless of what type of pain falling objects cause, a chiropractor can provide adjustments or perform other techniques to ease muscle or joint pain related to the accident.
5. Lack of Mobility
Many people don’t realize it, but you don’t need to have an accident for your work to cause you pain. Desk jobs are an example. If you work in a call center or an office environment where you’re only allowed to get up during your breaks, you know that sitting in one position for a long time can cause stiffness and pain in your lower back, neck, and shoulders, as well as in your hips, knees, and ankles. Over time, jobs like this can cause you to lose mobility in your joints. If you suspect this is happening to you, a visit to a chiropractor may be able to help. They can use muscle relaxation techniques and adjustment techniques to help loosen up your body and improve your range of motion.
In the state of New York, on-the-job injuries that benefit from chiropractic care are often covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. To learn more about chiropractic care and your workers’ compensation benefits, schedule an appointment at our worker’s compensation clinic in Brooklyn, NY.
