Every profession exerts some level of stress on the body. Whether you work at a desk all day or bend and lift in a warehouse setting, your body does work. Unfortunately, repetitive stress can wear down the body to the point of injury.
A work-related injury can happen for other reasons as well. Employers are typically required to enable accessibility for visually impaired workers. Failure to do so can lead to injuries on the job.
Sudden occurrences or accidents can lead to trauma, requiring victims to seek intervention from healthcare professionals. While physical therapy or massage therapy can help in some cases, a physician or work injury chiropractor is often the first stop for injured workers.
Chiropractic therapy is an effective treatment for some workplace injuries. International healthcare organizations recognize the practice and its practitioners as primary care.
If you are dealing with work-related injuries, consider chiropractic care. Chiropractors are different from physicians. A Doctor of Chiropractic focuses on physical causes of injury. They do not rely on invasive procedures and prescription medications.
Common Injuries a Workers’ Comp Chiropractor Might See
Chiropractors treat various musculoskeletal injuries, including soft tissue and repetitive strain injuries.
Doctors of chiropractic have extensive educational backgrounds in anatomy, biology, and physiology. Federal regulations require over 4000 hours of classroom and professional experience.
A chiropractor is more than a back doctor or auto accident doctor. The methods they use, like chiropractic adjustments, can treat the whole body. While the spinal column is a significant aspect and symbol of the profession, the entire patient is the focus.
Workplace injuries run the gamut, from soft tissue injuries to sprains or strains. Chiropractors are knowledgeable in several common workplace injuries and corresponding therapies. Still, there are five standard categories of injuries that are more likely to come up than others needing workers’ compensation injury treatment.
1. Repetitive Strain or Motion Injuries
A repetitive strain injury is the result of repetitive stress or movement to a specific area of the body. The injury results from gradual damage to nerves, muscles, or tendons through repetitive actions. Everyday activities that can cause harm to the body include:
- Typing
- Lifting boxes
- Swiping checkout items
- Grasping tools
- Moving a mouse
Repetitive motion injuries can have various names. For instance, some of the most common stress injuries include:
- Bursitis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tennis elbow
- Tendonitis
The pain of repetitive stress injuries can range from mild to severe. These injuries often affect the wrist, neck and shoulders, hands, elbows, or forearms. Symptoms can include swelling, stiffness, throbbing, tenderness, numbness, and more.
While people associate desk jobs and warehouse positions with these injuries, many professions can result m RSIs. Some occupations with the highest risks include:
- Surgeons
- Construction workers
- Cooks
- Musicians
- Drivers
- Cleaners
A visit to the chiropractic clinic can help. Chiropractors can create a therapeutic plan to improve the range of motion and reduce inflammation and scarring.
2. Slip and Fall Injuries
Do you work in a factory or facility setting? Slip-and-fall injuries are more likely in building with smooth floors. The less traction a person has, the more likely they are to slip.
Slip and fall injuries can be severe, resulting in breaks or sprains, but more often than not, they are mild. Still, a minor slip and fall can result in much discomfort or persistent pain.
These injuries can affect the back, head, neck, wrist, knees, and more. The impact on the floor can cause slipped disc injuries or bruising and swelling. The injuries can also cause inflammation, which can lead to scarring.
A chiropractor can help reduce inflammation and swelling and alleviate pain by realigning the body. They can also prescribe exercises to strengthen the areas around the injury.
3. Falling Object Injuries
Whether you work in an office, warehouse, or another facility, there is a risk of falling objects. A coworker might not put that box away just right, or maybe a forklift did not set the shipment back far enough on a shelf.
A workplace usually has multiple items that can cause significant trauma if they fall from storage. Falling objects can cause head, neck, back, or leg injuries.
In some cases, treatment from an experienced doctor is necessary. Still, many falling objects might only result in soft tissue injuries, which are treatable with physical or chiropractic therapy.
If a falling object led to an injury, visit a chiropractor to determine the extent of i it. While chiropractors cannot prescribe medication or operate, they can take x-rays and request other imaging tests. A clear image can inform the doctor an accurate diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment plan.
4. Overexertion Injuries
A work injury chiropractor has likely seen their fair share of overexertion injuries. Unlike RSIs or accidents, overexertion injuries stem from the overuse of muscles, joints, bones, tendons, etc.
Many people in warehouse positions can suffer from such injuries. Through pushing, pulling, lifting, carrying, and holding objects, a person overworks their body. While the actions are often part of one’s job, the overuse of the body can result in debilitating pain.
Many people push themselves so hard because they need the work but failing to focus on self- care results in missed work. Aside from a loss of wages, workers might face rising medical bills and extensive physical therapy.
If you have a demanding job, you must get adequate rest. Additionally, start working with a chiropractor to limit the risks of overexertion injuries.
5. Vehicle Collision Injuries
Many professions require the use of vehicles. You might be a delivery driver, forklift operator, or something else, but it is possible you operate a vehicle at work. Because vehicles are a part of many operations, that opens the deor to collision injuries.
As with most other workplace injuries, car crashes run the gamut of severity. Still, many injuries are soft-tissue or relate to the musculoskeletal system, placing them in a chiropractor’s wheelhouse.
One of the most common motor vehicle injuries is whiplash. Whiplash is a neck injury caused by the violent back and forth movement of the head and neck during a crash.
Chiropractors treat whiplash by focusing on the primary area of pain and improving the range of motion. By improving the movement, the chiropractor can restore function.
The Importance of Visiting a Chiropractic Clinic After a Workplace Injury
A work injury chiropractor wants to restore a patient to optimum health just like other doctors. Still, if the patient does not make an appointment, it is impossible for the Doctor of Chiropractic to help.
The longer you wait to seek therapy, the more limited your options become. Full recovery is never guaranteed, but seeking treatment sooner improves your odds.
The chiropractor focuses on overall wellness, meaning mental health is just as crucial to the treatment plan as the therapy. They will set up a treatment schedule to keep you on pace for full recovery.
Injuries cause stress. The way an injury affects your life can result in depression. The earlier you seek chiropractic treatment, the sooner you can have a therapy plan and be on the road to recovery.
The 72 Hour Window
Soft tissue and repetitive stress injuries only get worse with time. With soft tissue injuries, you may not even know you have an injury for several days or more.
When the body experiences shock or trauma, the brain releases a flood of hormones into the system. The hormones can mask pain receptors. Adrenaline is the primary hormone released during a panic situation, fueling the fight or flight response. Unfortunately, the adrenaline effect can take days to calm down.
Because of the masking efforts of the body, it is crucial to visit a chiropractor within 72 hours of an accident or injury. If you wait longer than three days, some of the damage from the injury can become permanent, or recovery can be significantly delayed.
How a Workers’ Comp Chiropractor Can Help
The primary techniques of chiropractic therapy include spinal adjustments and manipulations. Through sudden, precise, and forceful movements, chiropractors use adjustments to realign the spine.
Additionally, chiropractic therapy includes physiological therapies, such as massage and exercise. It is common for a chiropractor to prescribe at-home exercises for patients. The activities typically focus on the range of motion or strengthening tissues around the injury site. The goal is to help the body compensate while the injured area heals. Chiropractic therapy has many advantages over other treatment options.
1. Improve Range of Motion
A workplace injury often results in a reduced range of motion. The worker will usually favor the injured limb, allowing other limbs and muscles to compensate for the damage. Too much favoring leads to the weakening of the muscles in the injured body part.
If patients protect their injury too much, they risk permanent damage or a worsening injury. Chiropractors will not allow patients to favor injuries during therapy. The focus of the treatment is on the injured limb or muscles. With focused work, patients can expect an improved range of motion. However, you cannot overstate the importance of participation and commitment to the chiropractor’s plan.
2. Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation is common after injuries. The process is the body’s way of protecting itself and reducing the risks of infection. Unfortunately, the natural process can lead to worsening injuries.
See, inflammation causes swelling to the injury site. Too much swelling can damage the muscles and tendons in the area. Additionally, swelling can further reduce movement.
A workers’ comp chiropractor can help patients reduce swelling through specific exercises and movements. A chiropractor helps restore order to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments by forcing the body back into alignment. With order returned, the body calms down and reduces white blood cell production, allowing the injury site to breathe.
3. Minimize Scar Tissue
A workplace injury can throw muscles, tendons, and ligaments out of whack. When these tissues are not aligned just right, they rub together and can tear. The tears might be minor, but when they are repetitive, they result in scarring. Too much scarring can lead to movement restrictions and the need for surgery.
A chiropractor can minimize the risk of scarring by helping the body realign itself. The chiropractor can help tissues return to their regular positions through specific adjustments and other techniques. When the tissues settle back into place. they do not resist or work against each other, resulting in less friction and tearing.
4. Reduce Pain
Chiropractors treat pain and function. A Doctor of Chiropractic understands that misalignment in the body causes pain. However, while pain professionals, chiropractors cannot prescribe pain medications or perform surgerics.
A chiropractor treats pain by focusing on the source. For example, a physician can treat a slipped disc or whiplash with pain medication and surgery. A chiropractor will treat the slipped disc by adjusting the spine. They will treat whiplash with specific movements and massage to adjust and relax the muscles.
A chiropractor’s holistic approach is not feasible for all workplace injuries, but it is for many. It is best to speak with a chiropractor about how therapy works for pain management.
5. Accelerate Healing and Recovery After Work Injuries
Working with a chiropractor can accelerate the recovery process for many injuries. Because chiropractic therapy focuses on strengthening the affected areas as well as the areas around the injuries, patients often feel stronger and more confident in the affected limb more quickly than with rest or medication alone.
It is essential to acknowledge that chiropractic care is not entirely independent. In many situations, patients benefit more from a combination of therapy and other interventions. The best way to know your options is to speak with a licensed chiropractor.
If you live in the Queens, New York area and want to discuss how a chiropractic clinic can help you with a workplace injury, contact Bayside Physical Therapy, Chiropractic & Acupuncture, PLLC. As home to some of the most experienced chiropractic professionals and physical therapists used to treating work-related injuries, the healthcare business provides many exceptional services. Our doctors accept workers’ compensation, no-fault, and other insurance plans.
Contact the offices to schedule an appointment and talk with a highly experienced Doctor of Chiropractic.