Solutions for work injuries in Yadkinville

People of all ages injure themselves at work every day. According to the National Safety Council, a worker is injured on the job every seven seconds, which translates to over 4.6 million work injuries in America each year. Staggering numbers of work-related injuries result from accidents, falls, poor biomechanics, awkward and repetitive motions, overuse, environmental issues and fatigue. The most common workplace injuries and Workers’ Compensation claims include but are not limited to:

• Overexertion from lifting
• Falling objects
• Falling down
• Slips and trips
• Repetitive motions
• Vehicle accidents
• Electrocution
• Machine crushing and entanglement

Three most common types of work injuries

Overexertion, contact with objects or equipment and slips/trips/falls comprise more than 85 percent of all work-related injuries. Lifting or lowering weighty objects and repetitive motions are the most common reasons for overexertion type injuries. You can be struck by, compressed or crushed by equipment, objects or materials. Or you can slip, trip or fall down. All of these work injuries are avoidable and preventable. While you are at work, you should always be aware of your surroundings, use all safety gear and protective equipment, take frequent short breaks from repetitive tasks, store heavy objects on the floor and avoid bending, reaching or twisting when you lift or move objects.

Who is most likely to suffer work injuries?

Is your job safe? According to the National Safety Council, the largest numbers of work injuries resulting in lost workdays occur in these five occupation categories:

• Services including police and firefighters
• Transportation and shipping
• Manufacturing and production
• Maintenance, installation and repair
• Construction work

Can “desk jobs” lead to work injuries?

Absolutely. Deskbound workers often experience shoulder joint pain, lower back pain, upper back pain, neck pain and wrist pain due to poor desk biomechanics, prolonged sitting and poor posture (slumping or slouching) while sitting for long periods of time. If your work involves sitting at a desk or computer for hours at a time, you should take frequent short breaks to stand or walk around your office. Yadkin Physical Therapy’s physical therapist and massage therapist treat work injuries and handle Workers’ Compensation claims every day.

Work injuries and sleep schedules

Working the night shift may be good for your income because many companies pay a premium for nighttime staffing. But the night shift is also more dangerous. Safety-related accidents and incidents occur 30 percent more often on the night shift. People who start work very early, before 7 am, are also more likely to suffer work injuries because they are not yet fully awake and still in sleep mode. Long hours can also lead to more work injuries, as can rotating work schedules and irregular shifts. That’s because the human body naturally follows a circadian rhythm based on hours of daylight and darkness.

When your work schedule changes frequently, your body simply cannot adapt quickly enough. In 2017 American workers lost more than 104 million days of production due to:

• Back and spine injuries
• Bone fractures
• Burns
• Ear injuries (including tinnitus)
• Facial injuries (eye, nose, and jaw)
• Loss of digits and limbs
• Repetitive stress injuries
• Sprains, strains, and tears (soft tissue injuries)
• Toxic exposure
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)

Discover effective work injury solutions and so much more at Yadkin Physical Therapy. Call 336-677-1800 or use our convenient Request an Appointment form. We welcome patients from Yadkinville, Hamptonville, Elkin, Mocksville, Lewisville, Boonville, East Bend, Jonesville and nearby locations.