5 injuries that are hurting your business

Workplace injuries can occur in all industries, not just those requiring manual handling.

Work Healthy Australia onsite provider Kristina Del Grosso takes us through the top injuries causing workers to come off the floor.

1 – Strain injuries

A strain injury is often caused by a sudden increase in the duration, intensity or frequency of an activity which leads to overuse, exertion or overstretching of soft tissue structures. 

Strain injuries are graded from I-III depending on the severity of the tissue damage. The grade will impact the type of treatment performed and the expected recovery time. Manual therapy, rehabilitation, home management and work ergonomic advice can often be an effective treatment. A task analysis may be useful in identifying high risk areas in your workplace. 

2 – Bursitis

Bursitis can occur in many different areas of the body but is common in the shoulder. A bursa is a small fluid filled sac that reduces friction between tissues in the body, which can become irritated and inflamed leading to bursitis. It is often caused by injury or overuse when there is poor function in the shoulder. 

An onsite provider can address this dysfunction by prescribing a tailored rehabilitation program while also providing pain relief using a range of modalities and manual therapy. They can make recommendations and changes to tasks that a worker may doing that may be aggravating. If untreated, some cases may take months to resolve, affecting a workers ability to perform their full duties safely.

3 – Lateral epicondylitis

Also known as ‘Tennis Elbow’, lateral epicondylitis is a common overuse injury that will often present as lateral elbow pain. The muscles and tendons in the forearm become strained with repetitive or strenuous movements usually due to a lack of appropriate muscle strength, poor technique or incorrect equipment. 

Lateral epicondylitis can often be treated successfully with early intervention injury management. Onsite practitioners will address a range of contributing factors including ergonomically assessing their workspace and prescribing tailored rehabilitation programs alongside the use of manual therapy. It is important to differentiate between true lateral epicondylitis and other conditions that may present similarly. 

4 – Articular dysfunction

Articular dysfunction can occur in all areas of the spine however is often a common cause of low back pain. There are a range of symptoms caused by articular dysfunction that can vary from a mild aching pain to very severe and debilitating low back pain. 

Articular dysfunction can successfully be treated with manual therapy. An onsite practitioner can often diagnose and assess areas of dysfunction to determine the underlying cause and provide solutions.

5 – Myofascial pain syndrome

Myofascial pain syndrome is caused by the formation of ‘trigger points’ in muscles that are repetitively overused. Poor posture, unconditioned muscles and trauma are some of the common causes.

Myofascial pain syndrome is often well managed with early intervention injury management and there are a range of different techniques that can be used such as dry needling and soft tissue therapy. Tailored strengthening and conditioning programs can help reduce the incidence of these types of soft tissue injuries.

These are just a small number of conditions regularly seen in workplaces that can reduce productivity and increase absenteeism. Contact us to discuss how having an onsite healthcare provider can reduce the impact these injuries can have on your workplace.

References:
Safe Work Australia 
Journal of Osteopathic Medicine
Australia Institute of Health and Welfare