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How Chiropractic Care Helps After a Workplace Injury?

Did you recently slip on the workplace premises and experience muscle pain? Or perhaps, you’re having neck pain from constantly typing away from your computer. You may have a workplace injury.  

Typically, a workplace injury occurs while performing work tasks or on company premises during work hours. In most scenarios, the injuries are sudden. You may be lifting a heavy object, and you experience a strain around the shoulders.  

To get immediate relief from the pain, over-the-counter medications are available. However, they come with an array of side effects.  

If you’re experiencing repetitive strain or a sudden neck lock from slipping on the office premises, opt for a non-invasive process.  

We are talking about chiropractic care for work injuries. It is a holistic approach to deal with sudden and chronic pain or poor posture that is common after a workplace injury.  

A trained chiropractor will utilize manual adjustments and techniques to manipulate your musculoskeletal system. Such manipulation eases tight muscles and relieves pain or strain in the workplace.  

With regular follow-up, you may have a chance of faster recovery. Moreover, it can help you sustain pain against any physical, demanding, or repetitive work.  

This blog explores how chiropractic care can help individuals after a workplace injury. Furthermore, it will discuss the causes and symptoms of workplace injuries, as well as the expectations for a chiropractic session.  

What is a Workplace Injury?

A workplace injury is an incident that causes physical harm to employees due to their work-related activities. These injuries can range from minor mishaps to severe accidents that can impact your alignment or posture.  

For instance, you slip on a wet floor of your workplace premises, leading to a serious back injury. It will cause excruciating pain in your sciatic region. As a result, you may start slouching, resulting in poor body posture.  

Moreover, the pain itself can disrupt your productivity. And you may not be able to perform your daily activities, such as walking or running, as before. It is an extreme case of workplace injury.  

In other cases, individuals may experience a sudden lock in their neck movement due to constantly sitting in one position. While slow neck rotation exercises may ease movement, people often take medication to relieve pain.  

As they come with various side effects, people often rely on chiropractic injury treatments in the workplace. Using a series of manual adjustments, stretching, and exercises, a professional chiropractor targets the affected areas to release tension. It thus supports you in speedy recovery from the injury.  

Causes and Symptoms of Workplace Injuries

After learning what a workplace injury is, let’s understand how it occurs and its symptoms. For every person, workplace injuries can be different. To get relief from the injury, it is essential to address it.  

What are the causes of workplace injuries?

When a person accidentally slips or lifts a heavy object, it can strain muscles around the neck, shoulder, or spine. Such a strain can cause workplace injuries.  

Moreover, repetitive work, such as typing or assembly-line tasks, can put pressure on your muscles, increasing the risk of injury. Other causes of workplace injuries include: 

  • Contact with equipment/objects: People working with heavy machinery or in warehouses may come into contact with equipment or objects. The incident can lead to bruising or swelling.  
  • Overexertion: Heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling can strain your neck, shoulders, and lower back. These are the most common causes of workplace injuries.  
  • Slips or falls: Accidental falls on wet floors or in cluttered areas can cause you to slip or fall. It thus results in sprains or broken bones.  
  • Environmental factors: Working in poor lighting or extreme temperatures can lead to workplace injuries. Suppose you’re working in an area with inadequate lighting; it will reduce visibility, and you may trip. That will result in muscle strain or swelling.  
  • Awkward postures: Prolonged sitting or slouching can strain your neck or shoulders. Eventually, it results in alignment issues.  

What are the symptoms of workplace injuries?

Depending on the cause, there may be different warning signs of workplace injuries. Every person experiences unique symptoms with such injuries.  

For instance, you may accidentally slip on the floor at your office, and that may trigger pain in your lower back. Also, you may experience sudden pain while pulling a heavy object in the warehouse.   

Apart from these, there are other signs of workplace injuries: 

  • Sharp or sudden pain from performing work-related tasks.  
  • Stiffness or poor range of motion in the back, neck, or joints.  
  • A tingling sensation or numbness in your musculoskeletal system.  
  • Bruising or swelling resulting from slips, falls, or falling objects. 
  • Fatigue or dizziness from working in extreme weather conditions.  
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How Chiropractic Care Helps After A Workplace Injury?

A mild workplace muscle spasm can resolve on its own. But when you experience excruciating pain, it’s better to stick to conservative pain management.  

It involves a safe, non-invasive process that addresses sudden pain or discomfort in the joints, neck, shoulders, or lower back. That process is popularly known as chiropractic care.  

A professional chiropractor will perform various hands-on movements on the target areas after addressing the root cause of the workplace injury. It will thus support a speedy recovery.  

Moreover, a work injury chiropractor incorporates various techniques and adjustments into their treatment plans to release muscle tension, thereby minimizing pain and discomfort.  

The following are the ways chiropractic care helps after a workplace injury:

Workplace injury assessment

Injuries can occur at any time in the workplace. While some cases can be mild, others require utmost attention. In a scenario where a person is experiencing acute neck or shoulder pain from constant typing, chiropractors can take a look.  

They can review your medical history or conduct a physical examination to pinpoint the areas of discomfort. Through imaging, the chiropractors will understand the extent of the injury to offer appropriate treatment plans.  

Spinal adjustments

After assessing the extent of injuries, chiropractors may combine spinal adjustments with the treatment plan. The professional uses manual hands-on movements to restore joint mobility and eliminate pain.  

Sitting straight in front of workstations and typing constantly can put pressure on the shoulders, neck, and back. Chiropractors can help with shoulder pain or other areas by targeting the spine. They may use circular movements in these areas to relieve tension and improve spine flexibility.  

Soft tissue therapy

Another way chiropractic care for work injuries helps is through soft-tissue therapy. It involves massage and a series of other therapies, such as trigger point and myofascial release, to treat ligaments, muscles, and tendons from repetitive motion, strains, or sprains. 

From targeting connective tissue to applying pressure to specific points, the therapy supports flexible movement and releases muscle knots. Moreover, the overall massage will improve circulation, break adhesions, and reduce pain. 

Ultrasound therapy

In addition to soft tissue therapy, a chiropractor may use ultrasound therapy for workplace injuries, depending on the condition. Lifting heavy objects or sudden falls in the workplace premises can trigger sharp pain or bruising. Using non-invasive high-frequency sound waves, the chiropractors can address these issues.  

They integrate a device that provides constant heat to the target areas. The heat helps break adhesions and knots and release muscle tension, thus reducing discomfort.  

Electrotherapy

In chiropractic care, electrotherapy is a valuable tool for addressing work-related injuries. The technique involves low-voltage electric pulses to block pain signals. With Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), chiropractors deliver electrical pulses to stimulate the release of endorphins (pain-relieving hormones).  

It thus helps reduce muscle pain (acute or chronic). When a person is in excruciating work-related pain or strain, electrotherapy can be helpful.  

Stretching exercises

Besides using electrical signals, chiropractors use stretching exercises to aid with workplace injuries. The key stretches include the executive stretch, shoulder rolls, and diagonal neck stretch. An executive stretch involves sitting and locking the hands behind the head. Such a stretch can help ease shoulder and neck muscles, reducing pain.  

Shoulder rolls, on the other hand, involve bringing the shoulders to the ears and rotating them back and forth. The exercise promotes shoulder and neck range of motion. Chiropractors may assist you with a diagonal stretch, where you slightly turn your head to release muscle knots. It will improve circulation and ensure muscle flexibility.  

Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Work Injuries

Learning how chiropractic care helps after a workplace injury can help you make an informed decision. The drug-free treatment mostly addresses neck and back pain that happens due to work-related tasks.  

Since living with the pain can be devastating, people lean towards chiropractic care for work injuries. Through manual adjustments and therapies, chiropractors can help with workplace injuries.  

The benefits of holistic chiropractic care are as follows: 

  • Addresses the root causes: Chiropractic care helps find the underlying issues of the injury. They physically examine the target areas to understand the cause of the work injury, which helps them create a suitable treatment plan for the workers.  
  • Medication-free relief: By addressing spinal misalignments, chiropractors can alleviate discomfort from work injuries. They use hands-on techniques to naturally reduce pain in muscles, ligaments, and tendons.  
  • Fast recovery time: Through targeted massage, chiropractors stimulate blood circulation. It thus helps heal injured tissues more efficiently. Better circulation delivers essential nutrients and oxygen to the target areas, speeding up the regeneration process. People who rely on chiropractic care can continue with normal activities after a significant number of sessions.  
  • Better mobility and flexibility: Workplace injuries cause stiffness in muscle movement, making everyday tasks challenging. Chiropractors use various therapies, spinal adjustments, and stretches to enhance joint function and muscle movement. As a result, the holistic approach promotes better mobility and muscle flexibility in workers.  
  • Reduced inflammation: Inflammation is a response to workplace injury that can lead to chronic pain if left undiagnosed. To effectively reduce inflammation, chiropractors use ultrasound and soft-tissue therapies. The electrical pulses and massage stimulate circulation, enhancing the body’s natural healing process against inflammation.  

What to Expect From a Chiropractic Session for Workplace Injuries?

After exploring the benefits of chiropractic care for a workplace injury, you may have certain expectations from the process. From assessing the injury to creating treatment plans, professional chiropractic care covers everything.  

Here’s what you can expect from a chiropractic session after a workplace injury: 

  • Consultation and assessment: The chiropractor will discuss the root cause to understand your injury symptoms and pain levels. Using imaging techniques, they can detect areas of pain that lead to strain in the neck, shoulder, or back.  
  • Treatment plan: For mild discomfort, the chiropractors can start with a gentle spinal adjustment. But if you have severe pain, the chiropractor may use high-frequency waves or electrical impulses to stimulate muscle movement.  
  • Techniques: Depending on your condition, the chiropractor will combine massage, spinal adjustments, soft tissue therapy, and stretching exercises. All these techniques break adhesions and improve the range of motion.  
  • Pain relief: Chiropractors address the injured areas, such as the neck, shoulders, and back. They massage and make hands-on movements to improve blood flow. It helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to the target areas, reducing pain. Hence, after subsequent sessions, you can achieve a sense of relaxation from the treatment.  

How Long Does it Take for Work Injuries to Heal with Chiropractic Treatment?

Because chiropractic care naturally helps with work-related injuries, it is worth considering. With proper assessment of the root causes, chiropractors can help patients heal from work injuries in 4 to 8 weeks.  

However, that depends on the severity of the cases and your pain levels. For instance, typing for long hours can cause shoulder cramps. It may not affect your productivity, but it results in mild discomfort. In such a scenario, 3-6 weeks of chiropractic care can alleviate the discomfort.  

People with sprained joints due to accidental falls may experience more pain. To reduce pain and support a speedy recovery, chiropractors may recommend 4-8 weeks of sessions. In addition to manual adjustments, they may use electrical pulses to stimulate muscle movement, improving range of motion.    

Say Goodbye to Workplace Injuries with Action Chiropractic and Sports Injury Center

Workplace injuries occur suddenly, causing mild to severe discomfort. Be it joint cramps from accidental falls or a strained neck or shoulders from lifting heavy objects, performing daily activities becomes a challenge. To regain stability, chiropractic care for work injuries is an ideal choice.  

The medicine-free approach combines spinal manipulation, various therapies, and stretching exercises to ensure proper alignment of the back, neck, and shoulders. Moreover, a professional chiropractor involves gentle massage to improve blood circulation and reduce inflammation and pain.  

If you’ve experienced an injury from performing activities like constant typing or pulling heavy objects, then you can see a professional chiropractor.  

At Action Chiropractic and Sports Injury Center, renowned chiropractors Dr. Jason Durnas and Dr. Sam Norgaard assist individuals with neck pain, shoulder cramps, or joint misalignment.  

After running a series of orthopaedic tests, we create a personalized chiropractic care plan for your issues. Moreover, we use specialized tools to target the areas to support a speedy recovery.  

Contact us today to live a pain-free life. You can schedule an appointment through our website or call our Naperville office. With our flexible scheduling, you can seamlessly carry out other activities.  

Embrace chiropractic treatment and gradually recover from workplace injuries.  

Tagged
Dr. Norgaard’s first exposure to chiropractic was when he was a high school football player at Neuqua Valley in Naperville, Illinois. Nagging injuries led him to Action Chiropractic and Dr. Durnas. He was amazed with the results he got and knew that the treatments provided at Action Chiropractic were the best way to address his ailments.
After high school, Dr. Norgaard left Naperville and attended Central College in Pella, Iowa. While at Central, he majored in biology and played football, further piquing his interest in sports injuries and how to treat them. When he wasn’t in the classroom or on the football field, Dr. Norgaard spent his time volunteering at hospitals, and at various clinics. This is when he really developed a passion for helping people get better.
His experiences as an athlete, chiropractic patient, and volunteer shaped his decision to become a chiropractor.
After graduating from Central, Dr. Norgaard continued his education at Palmer College of Chiropractic.
While at Palmer, Dr. Norgaard took several extracurricular courses focusing on spinal diagnosis and therapy, soft tissue care, and diagnosis and treatment of the extremities. He completed a 4-month internship with Dr. Durnas at Action Chiropractic and Sports Injury Center and further developed his skills as a physician.
He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Palmer in October of 2021 and received the Academic Excellence Award.
After graduation, Dr. Norgaard joined the team at Action Chiropractic and Sports Injury Center. He currently resides in the Naperville area with his wife, Shannon, son, Parker, and dog, Alby.
“I chose to become a chiropractor because I was helped by chiropractic. I was in such discomfort it took me over 3 minutes to put on my socks. After seeing a chiropractor, and regaining the ability to tie my shoes, I realized that taking loads of NSAIDs did not address the fact that there was something causing the pain. The more I learned about it, I found that Chiropractic doesn’t just hide symptoms, like I was trying to do with pills, it fixes the origin of the problem.”
Dr. Durnas graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Biology and Bachelors of Arts degree in Chemistry. After graduation he worked in research and development for 3 years and dabbled in powerlifting and professional wrestling. That’s what lead him to chiropractic school. While at Palmer College of Chiropractic, he focused on learning how to best help the athlete. He took several extracurricular courses on how to address soft tissue injuries, how to adjust extremities, and how to better manage sports injuries. He graduated in June of 2012, where we were the Palmer Clinical Excellence Award winner and a keynote speaker at commencement.
In 2019, Dr. Durnas earned his Diplomate from the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (DACBSP)®. He is only the 427th chiropractor in history to earn this designation, and only the 6th recipient in the history of Illinois. He completed over 300 hours of classroom and online courses focusing on in depth on the diagnosis and treatment of sports injuries, concussions, and emergency procedures, and had over 100 on the field hours with athletes that ranged from cross fitters, professional and high school football players, professional BMX and Motocross riders, triathletes, and runners. Dr. Durnas passed a 6-part practical exam and a 250 question Board exam and contributed a case study involving nerve damage in a professional athlete following a hit to the shoulder.