Preventing Chronic Back Pain Injuries In The Workplace

If you’re one of the crew in a manufacturing company, a construction site worker, a long haul truck driver, a computer programmer, or a clerk typist, there’s one thing you share in common: you are all future candidates for chronic back pain. Chronic back pain is a symptom that creeps up on you over time. It starts as a mild discomfort and can build up to moderate or severe ache that interferes with and limits your daily activities and work.

Chronic back pain is often a result of work conditions. It is a common work-related injury that is a leading cause of disability in workers. If you think your back pain may have been acquired due to the nature of your occupation, you deserve worker’s compensation, according to ZavodnickLaw.com/ a law firm in Philadelphia with personal injury attorneys. With worker’s compensation, you and your family are spared from financial difficulties arising from your disability. You can obtain paid leaves, wage loss benefits and the proper medical treatment to bring you back as near to pre-injury status as possible.

But, trite as the cliche may sound, prevention is always better than cure. No amount of money can compensate for ailing health. So, before back pain strikes, here are some pointers to keep in mind.

• Live a healthy lifestyle. Stop smoking, start eating healthy foods and avoiding foods rich in fats, trans fat, salt and begin a regular exercise program. A healthy body lowers the risk for any illness and recovers faster than people with poor health.
• In the workplace, ask for individual ergonomic evaluations on seats and equipment so that you have the correct posture and the involved body parts are properly aligned to the equipment. These include chair heights aligned to computer monitor, keyboard and mouse, truck seat to steering wheels and body to machinery in manufacturing industries.
• Basic posture do’s are knees at level with your hips with both feet flat on the floor and lower back support. A chair with adjustable back rest and arm rests is ideal for the office.

For people who sit in front of a computer all day, follow these guidelines:

• Head and neck should align with your shoulders, not hunched forward.
• Mouse should be beside the keyboard to avoid overreaching and twisting of the shoulders, arms and wrists.
• Trunk should be an arm’s length away from the monitor. Monitor should be 2-3 inches above eye level.
• Knees should be at right angle to hips and directly above feet. Feet should be flat on the floor.

Avoid repetitive tasks that make use of your arms and shoulders, such as typing and manufacturing processes. Take frequent short breaks such as making copies yourself instead of asking another person to do it or getting coffee. Change positions once in a while.

Use proper lifting techniques. Keep the object close to your body, keep your back straight, don’t bend from the waist and know your limits when asked to lift heavy weights. Push heavy objects instead of pulling them.

When you start to feel back pains, seek intervention immediately. Chronic severe pain sufferers often abuse the use of narcotics. Don’t allow yourself to reach that stage. Early intervention involves conservative care that includes physical therapy and rehab, massage and appropriate exercises, ice or heat compresses, work hardening and mild analgesic and inflammatory drugs.

Citations:

• Nina Hale. “red wing shoes factory”. Photo. www.flickr.com 26 May 2010 11 Nov 2013

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source
•  License: Creative Commons image source

Marie Miller is an occupational health nurse who oversees safe practices for workers so that accidents and injuries are prevented.