Ergonomically Yours

Work related injuries of the upper extremities (shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands) are a significant economic burden to many different industries in the United States.

I have spent that last fifteen years treating a variety of upper extremity injuries in my San Diego chiropractic clinic.  From the perspective of a doctor, regarding costs, all I see are the medical expenses – which can get quite high, especially if the patient is concurrently undergoing physical therapy, acupuncture treatments and / or orthopedic management.  Special testing such as nerve conduction tests or MRI exams add substantial additional costs to these types of injuries.

One of the things that I have learned from practice is that patients can not afford to delay care once they realize that they are coming down with symptoms.  Typical upper extremity injuries begin with weakness, numbness or tingling sensations, pain at night and cramping sensations in the neck, shoulder, forearm or hand.  These symptoms typically accompany conditions such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tennis Elbow, Golfers Elbow, DeQuervain’s Syndrome, Tendonitis and Tenosynovitis.  Delay of care at the onset of symptoms greatly increases the duration of treatment as well as the costs of that care.

Repetitive stress injuries, typically known as cumulative trauma disorders are not only difficult to treat but in many cases are incurable.  Those who come down with one of these conditions may never completely regain motion, strength, sensation or stamina again, regardless of how much treatment the sufferer receives.  In addition to the emotional well being of the patient, the financial costs for these injuries is staggering.

According to OSHA, work related injuries of the upper extremity account for approximately 35% of all lost workdays in the United States.  In 1996, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 647,000 lost days of work directly attributed to upper extremity injuries with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome being the most common.  To put the severity of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome into the proper context, those suffering with this condition miss an average of 30 days of work while those with amputated limbs miss 20 days and those with fractures miss 17 days following their injuries.

Between the days lost at work and the other non-work comp related costs, the medical costs of these injuries is the minor portion of the total injury expenses.  In fact, most experts conclude that the actual medical expenses with these injuries only accounts for somewhere around 25% or less of the total of the expenses related to these injuries.

As with most disorders, the best treatment is prevention.  Early identification of stressful work environments is crucial.  Treatment can be effective, but timely ergonomic evaluations, work stress analysis and job task assessments are of vital importance.  In many cases, minimal alterations to work stations or job duties can be enough to prevent injury, prolonged disability and the expenses that accompany them.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554