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What should you do if injured on the job?
If you have been injured on the job, chances are it was not from a serious accident. The fact is, most workplace injuries happen because of the way the employee holds and moves his body. Of all the risk factors linked to work injuries, the most common is repetitive stress from poor posture or faulty biomechanics. Small movements made incorrectly, like twisting and turning while lifting a box or typing from a hunched-over position, create big problems over time. You might reasonably worry about being injured on the job if a big package falls on you, but in reality you are more likely to be hurt while handling small packages. The good news is, this means that most workplace injuries are completely avoidable.
Injured on the job due to strain
Repetitive motion injuries are a result of performing the same motion over and over again, thereby straining the affected body part. Strain happens when a body part works harder, stretches farther, or otherwise functions at a greater level than it is prepared for. Under normal conditions, our bodies recover well from small strains, but when the strain is constant, damaging injuries result. Such injuries typically involve joints and usually affect the muscle, bone, tendon or bursa of the joint. Other areas can be stressed as well, and their response to that strain could be an injury.
Common repetitive motion injuries
Common examples of repetitive motion injuries include carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, bursitis, tennis elbow, trigger finger, and vibration white finger. Carpal tunnel syndrome, named for the carpal bones in the wrist that form a tunnel around the nerve leading to the hand, is a prime example of being injured on the job while performing repetitive and forceful movements. Many workers, such as those who work on the computer and retail and assembly line workers, are at risk for carpal tunnel injuries because of micro-traumas to their hands and wrists on a daily basis. In carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive and awkward hand motions result in swelling around the tendons and pinching of the median nerve. These irritations cause painful tingling, lack of muscle strength and control in the hand, and pain shooting from the hand up to the shoulder. More good news is that chiropractic care is the leading non-surgical treatment for carpal tunnel and other repetitive motion injuries.
Traditional medical care for workers injured on the job
Traditional medical treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome generally entails heavy medication and surgery. However, chiropractic treatment for carpal tunnel has been studied against conventional non-surgical medical treatment, and it is found to be a very effective alternative to sufferers wanting to avoid treatment involving medication or surgery. As for carpal tunnel syndrome, when other repetitive motion injuries are detected early enough, chiropractic care is very effective in treating soft tissue and nerve injuries.
Chiropractic treatment for workers injured on the job
Chiropractic care has long been the leading method of non-surgical treatment for work injuries. When your Charlotte chiropractor uses manual therapy interventions such as gentle spinal adjustment and soft tissue mobilization to treat your injury, you will not only experience pain relief without the use of drugs, but you will begin your healing process without the need for surgery. Experienced chiropractors like those at ChiroCarolina® in Charlotte NC will design a personal chiropractic treatment plan for you, and when you follow it to its conclusion, you will feel stronger and healthier than before you were injured, thanks to regular chiropractic adjustments.
The sooner you receive proper care after being injured on the job, the quicker your recovery. Your Charlotte chiropractor can assess your condition and help you understand what your recovery will require. Pain is not something you have to work or live with. If you’ve been injured on the job, contact your local chiropractor today, and put being injured on the job behind you.
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