Understanding Musculoskeletal Injuries and Missouri Workers’ Comp

A workers’ compensation lawyer can help you protect your legal rights, prioritize your health, and seek workers’ comp benefits for work-related musculoskeletal injuries.

The human body is greatly limited in its capacity for physical activity. Unrealistic deadlines and milestones can put workers at risk of muscle strains, tears, and overextension injuries. These are painful and can significantly compromise your ability to work efficiently. Working with these injuries only exacerbates the situation, leading to a much longer healing time.

Thankfully, workers’ comp exists. This article will discuss what you need to know about workers’ comp and musculoskeletal injuries.

What Are Musculoskeletal Injuries Injuries?

Musculoskeletal injuries are generally caused by the stretching, laceration, and bruising of the muscles. They’re caused by overexerting the muscles with repetitive and awkward movements, straining muscles by lifting heavy loads, and blunt force trauma.

The risk of this type of injury is present in most occupations. Still, they’re most common in occupations involving a lot of physical work and heavy lifting. The most common fields with musculoskeletal injuries are:

• Freight loading
• Construction work
• Maintenance
• Janitorial work
• Truck driving

Common Types of Musculoskeletal Injuries

Common musculoskeletal injuries in the workplace include:

Back Strain

A back strain occurs when you strain one or more back muscles or their tendons. The back has 40 different muscles, 20 on each side, involved in most body movements. Most workers pull their latissimus dorsi (lower back muscle) when lifting heavy objects from the ground. This dramatically limits their mobility and worsens with continued movement.

Rotator Cuff Injuries

Although the muscles and ligaments around the shoulder are stretchy, they’re prone to injuries. The rotator cuff is a cluster of muscles and tendons encompassing the shoulder, keeping it in place. Repetitive and awkward arm movements can cause tears in the rotator cuff, leading to severe pain and compromising your shoulder movement.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

CTS is among the more severe musculoskeletal injuries. It occurs when inflammation presses the median nerve located in the wrist. This causes a numbing and tingling sensation in the hand and arm. Sometimes carpal tunnel syndrome can also cause pain in the arm. Left untreated, it could lead to permanent arm dysfunction.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

An anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, injury is a type of injury that occurs when the anterior cruciate ligament tears or sprains. This mostly happens when a rapid change in direction or a sudden stop stretches and tears the ligament. The ACL is a ligament that connects the thigh bone to the shinbone.  

Get Compensation for Your Musculoskeletal Injuries

Workers’ compensation generally covers injuries involving muscle tears, stretching, and direct damage. To ensure you receive the compensation you deserve, consider speaking with a workers’ compensation lawyer who can help you navigate the process of filing a claim. This may include seeking compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, and rehabilitation costs. It’s essential to report any work-related injuries, including musculoskeletal injuries, to your employer as soon as possible. It’s also crucial to prioritize your health and only return to work when you have fully recovered.

Speak with an experienced Missouri workers’ compensation attorney at the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann 24/7 to learn more about protecting your legal right to compensation after a work injury.