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How Chiropractic Can Help with Work-Related Injuries

By Dr. Jon Thomas, DC, PSc.D, Board Certified Chiropractic Physician.
What is Labor Day All about?

Courtesy of Wikipedia
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It is an annual national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. In 1884, Labor Day was celebrated in New York on the first Monday in September. The idea of a holiday for workers spread rapidly to other cities and states. Labor organizations played a big part in that.  
By 1885, Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers throughout the United States. On June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making Labor Day a legal holiday.
Common Workplace Injuries
Work gives people a sense of purpose and fulfillment. For most people, work is a major part of life. Unfortunately, work can sometimes lead to injuries. Here are some of the most common causes of workplace injuries:
Overexertion: Lifting, pulling, pushing, reaching, holding, and carrying, can all cause serious injuries, especially when a person is attempting to work with something that’s simply too heavy to easily lift. Overexertion is the number one cause of workplace injuries. If an object is too heavy or awkward, or the person lifts with the back as opposed to the legs, injury can result.
Slips and falls: Although slip and falls can frequently be avoided, slips and trips they are the number two cause of workplace injuries. Falls on wet and slippery floors or tripping over an object causes many serious injuries every day. One of the best ways to avoid slips and falls is to simply pay attention to the potential hazards in the workplace. (This is hard to do if your nose is constantly buried in your smartphone)
Courtesy of Wikipedia
Repetitive Motion: Repetitive motions such as typing and using a computer for most of the day can strain muscles and tendons. This can lead to back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Setting up a workspace that’s ergonomically correct can reduce the incidence of this type of injury. Getting up from the chair and stretching for a few minutes each hour can also help.  Raising a computer monitor to a higher position can also help.
Vehicle Accidents:  When car accidents happen, people usually get hurt. Workers who drive as part of their jobs are on the road more than others so they are statistically more likely to be involved in car accidents. Distracted driving due to texting and other activities cause many car accidents. When driving, it’s very important to focus completely on driving.
Falling Objects: Head and neck injuries are a common result of falling objects in the workplace. That’s why hard hats are required at construction sites. It’s important to be aware of areas where things may be prone to falling. As much as possible, it’s a good idea to avoid standing in spots where things might fall.
Falling from High Places: Falling from a roof, a ladder, or down a stairway can cause serious injuries. Even a fall from a chair that someone stands on to change a light bulb can cause a serious injury. Paying attention and being careful are the keys to avoiding these injuries.
Walking Into Things: People walk into walls, doors, cabinets, glass, windows, tables, chairs, and other solid objects all the time. Some suffer from knee, neck, and foot injuries. Like other types of injuries, most of these can be avoided simply by paying attention.
How Chiropractic can help after a workplace injury?
Courtesy of Vibrant Life Health Center
When you are injured on the job, you want to get back to normal as soon as possible. Chiropractic care is the best treatment option for many common workplace injuries, including back injuries, neck injuries, bursitis, tendinitis, and rotator cuff tears.
Seeing a chiropractor as soon as possible after a work-related injury can dramatically improve your chances for a speedy recovery. People sometimes think that the body will heal itself over time. Occasionally, that’s true. However, some injuries don’t get better. Some injuries get worse.
An experienced Chiropractor can put patients on the road to recovery from an injury. After a careful and thorough evaluation, a Chiropractor will develop a treatment plan that will address the specific nature of the patient’s injury.
At Vibrant Life Health Center, I’ve helped many patients get back to work and back to their lives as quickly and as safely as possible. My goal is to help you to reestablish a normal and healthy life. If you're looking for effective relief after a work injury, call our office today to set up a consultation. 
Life in Balance Tip of the Week: Chiropractic works!
Courtesy of Vibrant Life
A growing body of research shows that the services provided by chiropractic physicians are effective, safe, and cost-effective for many conditions. The following are excerpts from some of the recent research.
“Acute and chronic chiropractic patients experienced better outcomes in pain, functional disability, and patient satisfaction; clinically important differences in pain and disability improvement were found for chronic patients.”Haas et al (2005), Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
“In our randomized, controlled trial, we compared the effectiveness of manual therapy, physical therapy, and continued care by a general practitioner in patients with nonspecific neck pain. The success rate at seven weeks was twice as high for the manual therapy group (68.3 percent) as for the continued care group (general practitioner). Manual therapy scored better than physical therapy on all outcome measures. Patients receiving manual therapy had fewer absences from work than patients receiving physical therapy or continued care, and manual therapy and physical therapy each resulted in statistically significant less analgesic use than continued care.” Hoving et al (2002), Annals of Internal Medicine
“Chiropractic patients were found to be more satisfied with their back care providers after four weeks of treatment than were medical patients. Results from observational studies suggested that back pain patients are more satisfied with chiropractic care than with medical care. Additionally, studies conclude that patients are more satisfied with chiropractic care than they were with physical therapy after six weeks.”Hertzman-Miller et al (2002), American Journal of Public Health
“Many treatments are available for low back pain. Often exercises and physical therapy can help. Some people benefit from chiropractic therapy or acupuncture.”Goodman et al. (2013), Journal of the American Medical Association  
For more interesting research excerpts, go to the ACA Today website.
To find more research about chiropractic services, visit the World Federation of Chiropractic's Reading List
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This article provides a brief history of Labor Day and a list of common workplace injuries. I’ve also discussed how chiropractic can help when a person has a workplace injury.  
If you have a comment about this article, please leave it in the comments section below. If you know of someone who might benefit from the information in this blog, please share it with your friends and colleagues, and also on social media.
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At Vibrant Life, we address all of the key elements to add vibrance and vitality to your life. This includes nutrition, chiropractic care, and fitness. If you need to consult with a chiropractor about your neck, back, or any other health concern, please contact our office to set up an appointment.

Courtesy of Vibrant Life 
Dr. Jon Thomas is a Board Certified Chiropractic Physician. His practice, The Vibrant Life Health Center, is located in the Mandarin section of Jacksonville. His interest in health and fitness started early, and his athletic pursuits have included BMX racing, Professional Snow Skiing, Water Skiing, Baseball, Weightlifting, and Martial Arts. After studying and learning from some of the top health experts throughout the world, Dr. Thomas dedicated his life to helping people of all ages to transform their lives. The objective for each patient is to initiate the body’s healing and to work progressively toward a body that functions optimally. Dr. Thomas is seen regularly on TV on First Coast Living, where he discusses the transformations of his patients. He also speaks at events throughout the community and writes informative articles to improve the health of residents throughout Jacksonville.

4 comments:

  1. Most workplaces are hazard zones. Even the act of sitting in front of a computer all day long can take a toll on your neck. That's what led me to include a chiropractor as part of my health maintenance plan.

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  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. Suffering after a workplace injury should not be the first alternative. The first alternative should be chiropractic treatment.

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