You can get injured at work, either through an accident or due to the damaging nature of some tasks. And while some Spring Valley work-related injuries are minor and may resolve with rest, others can be severe or chronic. One such injury is back pain.
Lower back pain can be sharp and stabbing or dull and aching. In addition to limiting your mobility, it can make it difficult to focus on your job. The first step to seeking treatment is understanding how your job can result in lower back pain. Here is a look at five ways.
Trauma and Slips and Falls
The most obvious way to suffer a back injury at work is through an injury or other form of trauma. Something heavy may fall on your back, harming your spinal column. Alternatively, you may slip and fall, twisting your back muscles or ligaments in the process.
Tripping and slipping hazards in the workplace are the most common cause of this type of injury. These include wet floors, cords running across the floors, uneven floorboards, loose carpeting, and open drawers. Legally, your employer should eliminate these and other hazards from the workplace.
Sitting at Your Desk All Day
Sitting all day hardly seems like a damaging activity but can actually cause back pain. When you sit at your desk all day, your spine can suffer undue pressure. This is especially true if your desk and chair lack ergonomic support or if you have a poor sitting posture.
You can avoid sitting and posture-related back pain by taking a short break once every hour to stand or walk around. Doing this will alleviate the pressure on your spine. When you resume your sitting position, try to sit up straight with your legs straight down and your back at a 90-degree angle.
Cleaning
You can also hurt your back while cleaning. Deep cleaning jobs, especially, require a lot of scrubbing, bending, lifting, and stooping. These exertive activities put you in awkward postures that can cause or worsen back pain.
If you have a cleaning job, repetitive bending, stretching, and lifting can exert too much strain on your spine. It can cause your ligaments and muscles to stretch, which is why you often feel sore afterward. This also applies to other similarly exertive jobs.
Lifting Heavy Objects
Jobs that require lifting heavy objects, either regularly (manually) or on occasion, can sprain your back. This especially applies to people who lift with improper form, such as with their back rather than their knees. Over time, the weight of the objects can damage your knee, neck, elbows, arms, and back.
You can avoid this injury by using machines or tools to lift too-heavy objects. When this is not possible, only lift the objects from a crouching position and support the weight with your knees and legs. Never lift with your back or from a standing position.
Performing Repetitive Tasks
Some repetitive movements can also cause back pain. These include tasks that require you to continually rotate or twist your spine. Depending on your job, this can range from anything like ferrying heavy boxes to playing professional tennis.
Discuss Back Pain with a Work Injury Specialist
According to medical studies, about 16 million people live with chronic back pain. Back pain can significantly limit your mobility and ability to perform everyday activities. A specialist can address this problem through massage therapy, chiropractic care, and other wholesome treatments.
Conservative back pain treatments help stimulate healing, relieve pinched nerves, improve circulation to your back, and realign your spine – all without surgery. To learn more, call a work injury specialist today. They can help you identify and avoid harmful work activities that would be worsening your pain.
