Overexertion and repetitive stress injuries make up a fourth of all work injuries. Repetitive pulling, lifting, punching in numbers, typing, pushing, holding, carrying, and scanning are the most common causes of job-related injuries. These types of injuries are the most common that cause missed days at work. Overexertion can lead to lasting physical chronic conditions, ranging from chronic back pain to chronic joint pain caused by the advanced wearing and tearing of the various musculoskeletal tissues. Chiropractic medicine takes a comprehensive and whole-body approach to treating neuromusculoskeletal injuries. Chiropractic relieves tight or damaged muscles, increases nerve energy flow, and properly aligns the joints through adjustments, spinal traction, decompression, and various forms of manual manipulation.
Overexertion and Repetitive Stress Injuries
Overexertion and repetitive stress injuries typically occur over time/years of engaging in the same strenuous activity regularly. However, an overexertion injury can occur with one sudden or extreme movement. A worker can injure muscles, tendons, joints, and ligaments. Overexertion can lead to musculoskeletal disorders with symptoms including:
Inflammation
Swelling
Numbness
Stiffness
Chronic pain
Limited or total loss of mobility in the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints.
Types
A few of the most common examples of overexertion injuries include:
Soft-Tissue
Injuries to muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints.
Back
Pulled, strained back muscles.
Herniated discs.
Compressed nerve roots.
Fractured vertebrae.
Dehydration and Heat Stroke
Most common among workers doing outdoor manual labor.
Repetitive and Overuse
Injuries range from carpal tunnel syndrome to stress fractures.
Often the result of weeks, months, or years of repeated movements
In many cases, two or more injuries can happen simultaneously.
For example, a worker is more likely to sustain an injury if they are dehydrated or they are performing dual tasks.
Causes
Certain movements and activities are more likely to cause overexertion injuries. Some of the most common include:
Daily lifting of objects, light and heavy.
Performing awkward movements that cause the body to be in unhealthy positions.
Standing and/or sitting or for long periods.
Using excessive force to perform tasks.
Operating heavy machinery.
Working in hot and/or humid conditions.
High-Rate Injury Industries
Industries in which overexertion injuries are most common include:
Education.
Health services.
Manufacturing.
Construction.
Warehouse work.
Transportation.
Wholesale trade.
Retail stores.
Chiropractic Treatment
These injuries can lead to missed work, debilitating pain, and medical bills. Depending on the severity of the injury, chiropractic care will use massage techniques, spinal manipulation, traction, and decompression therapies, to increase flexibility and mobility to reduce the chances of a recurring injury. The benefits of chiropractic include:
Prevents the risk of worsening or future injuries.
Expedites recovery to help individuals rehabilitate and get back to work sooner.
Improves physical and mental well-being.
Provide recommendations on how to properly stretch and strengthen muscles.
Nutritional anti-inflammatory recommendations.
By learning how to avoid overexertion injuries, workers can be more productive, enjoy work, and improve their quality of life.
From Injury To Recovery
References
Anderson, Vern Putz, et al. “Occupational fatalities, injuries, illnesses, and related economic loss in the wholesale and retail trade sector.” American Journal of industrial medicine vol. 53,7 (2010): 673-85. doi:10.1002/ajim.20813
Choi, Hyun-Woo, et al. “Characteristics of occupational musculoskeletal disorders of five sectors in the service industry between 2004 and 2013.” Annals of Occupational and environmental medicine vol. 29 41. 19 Sep. 2017, doi:10.1186/s40557-017-0198-4
Friedenberg, Rivi, et al. “Work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries among emergency medical technicians and paramedics: A comprehensive narrative review.” Archives of Environmental & occupational health vol. 77,1 (2022): 9-17. doi:10.1080/19338244.2020.1832038
Galinsky, T et al. “Overexertion injuries in home health care workers and the need for ergonomics.” Home health care services quarterly vol. 20,3 (2001): 57-73. doi:10.1300/J027v20n03_04
González Fuentes, Aroa, et al. “Work-related overexertion injuries in cleaning occupations: An exploration of the factors to predict the days of absence by means of machine learning methodologies.” Applied ergonomics, vol. 105 103847. 30 Jul. 2022, doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103847
Schoenfisch, Ashley L et al. “Declining rates of work-related overexertion back injuries among union drywall installers in Washington State, 1989-2008: Improved work safety or shifting of care?.” American Journal of industrial medicine vol. 57,2 (2014): 184-94. doi:10.1002/ajim.22240
Williams, J M et al. “Work-related injuries in a rural emergency department population.” Academic emergency medicine: official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine vol. 4,4 (1997): 277-81. doi:10.1111/j.1553-2712.1997.tb03548.x
The lower back plays a huge, important role in providing stability to the body and supporting the weight of the upper portion. It comprises the lumbar spine, which starts at the bottom of the thoracic spine region (T12) and ends at the sacral region (S1). The lumbar spine is surrounded by muscles, ligaments, and nerves that control functions such as leg movement, bowel and bladder control. Excessive pressure on the lumbar spine can lead to low back pain and other issues that can cause disability and dysfunction. This common issue affects many people, leading to missed work and limited daily activities. Fortunately, there are available treatments, both surgical and non-surgical, that can help reduce the effects of low back pain and its associated symptoms. Two such treatments are epidural injections and spinal decompression. We work with certified medical providers who use our patients’ valuable information to provide musculoskeletal therapies for low back pain that can affect the lower body extremities. We encourage patients to ask essential questions and seek education from our associated medical providers about their condition. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., provides this information as an educational service. Disclaimer
What Are Epidural Steroid Injections?
Are you experiencing low back pain? Does it prevent you from working or participating in activities? Have you noticed any pain radiating down your legs or feet? These symptoms are often associated with low back pain and can limit mobility. Many people suffer from low back pain, leading to missed work. The causes include disc herniation, arthritis, and nerve compression. For relief, some people turn to epidural injections. Research studies revealed that these injections could help reduce pain caused by spinal nerve root issues affecting surrounding muscles. As additional studies showed, epidural injections are a minimally invasive procedure involving injecting local anesthetics or steroids into the epidural space where the pain originates in the spine, and they have proven to be an effective treatment option.
How Do Epidural Injections Reduce Low Back Pain?
Low back pain can cause several symptoms, such as radiating pain down to the back, hips, and legs, numbness, tingling sensations, muscle spasms, and joint dysfunction. Some people opt for an epidural injection containing an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid to ease the pain. In “The Ultimate Spinal Decompression,” Dr. Eric Kaplan, D.C., FIAMA, and Dr. Perry Bard, D.C., stated that this hormone is injected into the affected area near the spinal cord but outside the surrounding membranes. While epidural injections are a common interventional treatment for spine-related issues, they only provide temporary relief and do not address where the root cause of the pain. However, they can help individuals manage chronic pain and engage in collaborative or alternative treatments to alleviate the pain-like symptoms associated with low back pain.
Say Goodbye To Pain With Chiropractic Care-Video
Are you experiencing pain radiating in your back or legs that spread outwards? Do you feel strain in your muscles when lifting heavy items or struggle to walk short distances? These symptoms are often associated with low back pain and can lead to a life of disability. This can be especially challenging if it prevents you from working. Fortunately, surgical and non-surgical treatments can reduce pain and address risk factors associated with low back pain. While surgical treatments are an option, they can be expensive. Many individuals opt for non-surgical treatments, which are safe, gentle, and cost-effective. These treatments can identify the root cause of the problem and incorporate various techniques to reduce pain symptoms. For example, chiropractic care and spinal decompression can help realign the body, reduce pain, and promote the body’s natural healing process to ease low back pain, as demonstrated in the video above.
The Effects Of Spinal Decompression On Low Back Pain
Consider trying spinal decompression if an epidural injection for low back pain doesn’t work. Low back pain can be caused by pressure on spinal discs and nerves. Spinal decompression is a safe and gentle non-invasive treatment. Research shows it can gently pull discs back into place, relieve pain, and improve joint function using negative pressure. This treatment allows muscles to relax and reduces nerve stress, promoting the body’s natural healing process and increasing disc height. With spinal decompression, individuals can learn how to prevent low back pain from recurring by being more mindful of their actions.
Conclusion
You may benefit from epidural injections and spinal decompression if you are suffering from low back pain. Low back pain can be disabling and cause you to miss work. These treatments can relieve pain by reducing pressure on the nerve roots and easing referred pain. By using these treatments, you can experience relief and return to your daily activities with a greater understanding of how to care for your low back.
Steroid injections into the cervical spine can help with�radiating�neck pain. Neck pain affects people all over the world. Although it is not as common as back pain, neck pain can really take a toll on a person�s quality of life and ability to work.� This comes in the form of:
Sleep problems
Radiating/Spreading pain
Mental health issues and more
Much like back pain neck pain can be hard to treat effectively without identifying the root cause known as the pain generator. If natural treatments like chiropractic aren’t working then injections could be the next phase.
Injections can help with:
Identifying the source/root cause of the pain as a diagnostic
Treats the pain as a therapeutic
The most commonly used are cervical epidural steroid injections,medial branch blocks (MBBs), and facet joint injections. Learn about what they are, what they treat, and the scientific research behind their risks and benefits.
Cervical Epidural Steroid
The phrase cervical epidural steroid injection:
Injection means that medicine is delivered through a needle.
Cervical means the cervical spine, which is the neck.
Epidural means the dura or outer layer of the soft tissue that encases the spinal cord, nerve roots, and cerebrospinal fluid. Epidural means the medicine goes into the space around the dura.
Spine specialists use image guidance with a contrast dye called fluoroscopy ensuring the medicine gets delivered to the proper area.
2 Types
The needle enters the space through a transforaminal approach or interlaminar approach. Words like epidural just refer to where the needle goes. These injections also called nerve root blocks, are performed by entering the epidural space through the opening where the nerve roots branch out. This space is known as the intervertebral foramen.
When it is called a selective nerve root block, this is for cases where multiple nerve roots are being compressed and the injection is being used in a diagnostic purpose to identify which nerve is the pain generator. The needle in an interlaminar epidural injection goes through the opening that exists between two adjacent vertebrae.
Candidates
Cervical epidural steroid injections may be appropriate for someone who has severe neck pain with:
Numbness
Weakness
Altered sensation in the arm, shoulder, or between the shoulder blades
Cervical epidural steroid injections are reserved as a second-line treatment for individuals that have neck pain that does not stop for more than 4 weeks despite conservative treatment like physical therapy, chiropractic, or medical pain management using NSAIDs or acetaminophen.
The source of the pain is usually what determines if injections are appropriate.
With a patient�s:
Past medical and surgical history
Pain history
Physical exam findings
Imaging Results like CT computed tomography scan, MRI magnetic resonance imaging or a nerve test like an EMG�electromyography test all can help in finding the source of the pain.
If a spine specialist thinks the nerve compression was brought on by a disc herniation, spondylolisthesis or the shifting of vertebral levels, scarring, or arthritic conditions is causing the pain, then an injection may be appropriate. If the pain comes from an infection or cancer, then this treatment is unlikely to be recommended.
Potential Benefits
The effects of injections are different for everyone, because of the variables:
The Duration of symptoms
The Cause of symptoms
Any Additional treatment
More than 50% will have at least 50% improvement in their pain for around 4 weeks. Then there are individuals that experience relief, up to 6 months. There are no significant differences in outcomes between the transforaminal and interlaminar approaches.
Overall alleviation from the pain is enhanced/improved when the injections are combined with a full-on treatment plan that includes physical therapy/chiropractic and pain medications.
Possible Risks
Common complications associated with injections are usually minor and temporary. These are:
Headache/s
Facial flushes
Light Headedness
Rash
Pain increase
Extended Numbness
Major complications are rare, but they can happen. These include�infection, paralysis, stroke, and death. However, this happens in less than 1% of individuals undergoing this treatment. These complications are thought to happen from direct spinal cord penetration of the needle, bleeding into the spinal canal, or the medicine inadvertently getting injected into the blood vessels. Surgical groups and facilities have strict guidelines to limit these complications.
This treatment is commonly used, and when done correctly can be a powerful tool in the treatment of persistent, severe neck pain. Everyone is different so if you are considering a cervical epidural spinal injection find a qualified spine specialist or consult with a chiropractor to find out if injections are necessary.
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