On-The-Job Accidents
I really didn’t think I was hurt and thought that the soreness and stiffness would just go away by itself in a matter of time.”
The company medical doctor of the above worker (to whom the injury was reported) confirmed that there was no serious injury, just a light sprain/strain injury to the employee’s back.
But when continuing symptoms of
soreness and stiffness persisted after
several months, it was apparent that
something must be wrong, especially
with the onset of occasional head-
aches, nervousness and irritability.
It is because of situations like this that it is so important to report all on-the-job injuries for the purpose of verifying the injury and justifying proper treatment at a later date.
Now comes the question as to what is “proper treatment?” In the vast majority of on-the-job injuries where symptoms of soreness, stiffness and pain persist after the average and usual period of recuperation has passed, and it is evident that the taking of drugs for “temporary relief” is not the answer, perhaps it is now a musculoskeletal problem.
The proper treatment consideration then would be to consult a doctor who specializes in musculoskeletal problems (chiropractor). When the head, neck, back or hips are whipped, snapped, forced, sprung, or knocked out of their normal alignment, the body will attempt to return itself back to normal with strong and possibly prolonged muscle contractions causing soreness, stiffness and pain.
If the body is unable to make the necessary structural corrections by itself, it may adapt over a period of months and years by permanently limiting the normal range of motion as may be seen in a “frozen shoulder” or a stiff back.
To help determine if the on-the-job injury has produced any serious structural problems, have the injured person lay on the bed, face down (with their shoes on) and note if one leg appeares shorter than the other or if one foot is turned in or out in relation to the other foot.
If there is a difference and there is no history of broken leg bones, it is a very strong indication of a musculo-skeletal injury/distortion and should be treated by the musculo-skeletal specialist (chiropractor) as soon as possible.
As a doctor of chiropractic, structural corrections are one of the things I do best. If you know of someone suffering with recurring or prolonged joint soreness, stiffness or pain, please suggest they call our office for an appointment, NOW.
|
