What are work injuries?

As the term implies, work injuries are accidents that happen while you’re doing your job. Musculoskeletal work injuries could include:

• Broken bones
• Ligament sprains
• Muscle strains
• Ruptured tendons
• Cartilage damage
• Repetitive movement disorders
• Disc herniations

Back and neck pain is a common result of work injuries, as well as a frequent cause of lost workdays. 

Work injuries not only mean days or possibly weeks off work — they can also develop into chronic pain problems and cause significant disability. If you suffer injuries while you’re at work, you might be entitled to workers’ comp benefits.

What is workers’ compensation?

Workers’ compensation is an employer’s insurance program that covers employees who experience work injuries or get sick because of their work.

Each state has a workers’ compensation board to oversee work injury claims and payments. In Pennsylvania, the board comes under the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor & Industry.

The workers’ comp board can also help sort out any disputes between insurers, employers, and employees. Employers pay for the insurance that provides workers’ comp, paying into a fund that ensures all workers are covered.

It doesn’t matter who’s to blame for your work injury; you’re still entitled to workers’ comp. If you think your employer is responsible for your injuries, you can go to a lawyer for advice, but for the most part, the question of who’s responsible isn’t relevant to workers’ comp.

The only exceptions are if you were injured because you deliberately hurt yourself or someone else, or you were under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

How are work injuries treated?

Treatment for your work injuries varies according to the type of injury you have and factors like your general health and age. 

After conducting a physical exam, reviewing your medical history, and running any diagnostic tests such as X-rays or CT scans, Dr. Idema creates a personalized treatment program for you. This could include:

• Physical therapy
• Heat treatments
• Ice or cold therapies
• Manual manipulation
• Steroid injections
• Medications

The aim of your treatment is to help you achieve optimal recovery from your work injuries. Most patients who sustain musculoskeletal injuries at work recover well using these conservative approaches. However, if your condition isn’t improving, you might require surgery.

Dr. Idema specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery and treating common work injuries like disc herniations. In her hands, you should soon be well and ready to go back to work.

If you want to know more about work injuries and how to benefit from Dr. Idema’s expertise in this area, call Steel City Spine and Orthopedic Center today or book an appointment online.