Workplace Injuries

Workplace injuries are, unfortunately, a relatively frequent occurrence. They occur, as would be expected, more often in dangerous work environments, like construction areas. They do also happen in non-traditionally dangerous fields, like in an average office. Even in a professional environment like an office building, there are many opportunities for injuries. Many of them are things that we do not expect or think of as particularly dangerous, but they can cause problems nonetheless.

Some of the most common causes of workplace injuries, according to information gathered by the Liberty Mutual Group, include:

  • Overexertion. This can happen in a couple of ways, whether it is the performance of a single activity, like lifting an object that is too heavy, or an action repeated multiple times.
  • Fall on a flat surface. This simply means a fall that does not include an elevation change, like slipping on a wet floor or a slippery surface.
  • Falling from a height. This could include falling off of a ladder, from a roof, or down a staircase.
  • Being hit with an object. Objects can fall from a shelf or be dropped by someone else- in either event, they can cause serious injuries.
  • Repetitive motion. This does not have to be a particularly dangerous motion, but if it is repeated enough times, it can cause injuries like carpal tunnel or tendonitis. Typing is often associated with these kinds of injuries.
  • Automobile accidents. Cars and trucks being used for business purposes have accidents; they are susceptible to all of the regular risks that any other traveler faces.
  • Contact with dangerous temperatures. Frostbite, heat exhaustion, and burning are all ways that workers can be injured through changing temperatures.
  • Crush injuries. Being caught or pressed by equipment, especially huge machinery, can obviously cause serious injuries. They can be devastating because of how powerful the machines are.
  • Running into objects. Hitting desks, tables, chairs, or glass doors actually causes a number of injuries annually.

According to a 1990-1992 National Health Interview Survey, The cost of musculoskeletal conditions was $149.4 billion in 1992, of which 48% was due to direct medical care costs and the remainder was due to indirect costs resulting from wage losses. This amount translates to approximately 2.5% of the Gross National Product, a sharp rise since the prior studies, even if part of the increase is an artifact of improved accounting methods.

Each year, persons with musculoskeletal conditions make:

  • 315 million physician visits
  • Have more than 8 million hospital admissions
  • And experience approximately 1.5 billion days of restricted activity.

Approximately 42% of persons with musculoskeletal conditions–more than 17 million in all–are limited in their activities. (Work, acts of daily living and recreational activities.)

Chair Massage

Chair Massage or seated massage allows the individual remains fully clothed and sessions generally last from 15-30 minutes, which makes this a popular option for the workplace. In general, the individual or the employer may pay for the sessions; the session is limited to the neck, shoulders, and upper back and the upper extremities. Chair Massage may fit nicely into an employee wellness program or as an employee reward. However, generally there are no reports to the organization that may reveal problematic trends that affect attendance or productivity.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call Precision Muscle Recovery at 480.755.5065.