Do you work in a physically demanding field? If so, then you are at a higher risk of suffering from an orthopedic injury. Orthopedic injuries often involve the foot, knee, ankle, hip, shoulder, wrist, elbow and spine. They can happen any time and anywhere. Injuries can range from mild to severe or be somewhere in between. A serious injury could mean you will be off work for a long time. It could also mean you will never be able to return to your job.
Common Orthopedic Injuries
The more physically demanding or dangerous your job is, the more likely you will be to suffer an orthopedic injury. Some of the most common orthopedic injuries are:
- Sprained Ankle: A sprained ankle can happen if you are involved in vigorous sports or work activity. If you are involved in a lot of jumping, running and pivoting, then you will likely experience a sprained ankle at some point.
- Plantar Fasciitis: This is the most common cause of heel pain. This pain occurs when there is repeated stress on the ligament that connects the heel to the toes.
- Tennis Elbow: This condition occurs when there is overuse of the arm, forearm and hand that results in elbow pain.
- Dislocated Shoulder: This injury causes intense pain and looks out of place when in certain positions. Your doctor can often use maneuvers to put the bones back in place.
- Stress Fractures: This injury can result from the overuse of muscles. The muscles become fatigued and are too weak to absorb the shock. Over time, this leads to fractures or cracks.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: This condition can have many underlying causes and is aggravated when overused, such as with typing or texting, occurs. However, such activities are not the cause of this injury.
Jobs Where Orthopedic Injuries Are Common
While it is true that you can suffer an orthopedic injury even if your job isn’t necessarily dangerous or physical, you’re more likely to suffer an injury if you have a job that keeps you active. The following are some jobs that lead to orthopedic injuries.
- Logging is a dangerous job that is very physically demanding. This occupation has one of the highest fatality rates at 135.9 deaths per 100,000 workers. If you’re a logger then you need to be super vigilant when it comes to safety to avoid injury.
- Fishing is right behind logging when it comes to danger. There are many things that can go wrong for fishermen. Due to the rough waters and heavy equipment onboard, there’s plenty of room for injuries.
- Airplane Pilots and Engineers are involved in a taxing occupation where those in the industry suffer from injuries. Deaths occur at 55.5 deaths per 100,000 workers.
- Roofers work in a dangerous environment. A fall from a roof could cause several injuries and these can range from mild to very serious.
- Trash Collectors are constantly jumping on and off the truck, lifting heavy objects and operating heavy equipment. On top of the danger they face, they also have a high risk of suffering an orthopedic injury.
- Iron workers also have a dangerous work environment for obvious reasons. They are usually several stories high and must operate heavy equipment. If you’re afraid of heights, this isn’t the job for you.
When you work in a dangerous profession, it is easy to see why you might suffer from an orthopedic injury. Even if you work a desk job, it’s important to pay attention to your surroundings and work carefully so that you may avoid injury. Obviously, not all injuries are avoidable. But staying vigilant and carefully performing your duties will reduce your chances of being hurt on the job.
Author Bio:
Tom Moverman established the Lipsig Bronx Law Firm with Harry Lipsig and his partners in 1989; The firm’s focus is in products liability, personal injury, construction accidents, car accidents and medical malpractice.
