Workplace Injury

Injuries are a common occurrence in workplaces. According to a report by Safe Work Australia, workplace injuries seriously affects the Australian economy. Costing around $ 40 billion every year, or almost 5% of our nation’s total GDP! 

This goes to show that unfortunately, a lot of employees are getting injured in work environments. 

Workplace injury occurs for a variety of reasons, and some of the common ones are categorised below.

Slips & Falls

This is the most frequent injury experienced in Australian workplaces, and it is generic to all work environments. From falling from height in construction sites to slipping on wet floors in corporate offices, this workplace injury is a common occurrence.?

The aftermath of tripping or slipping is even worse. Complications like bone fracture, disclosures, and contusions are some of the consequences of falling on hard surfaces. 

These complications can result in swelling and throbbing pain that can hinder your productivity or worse, prevent you from working at all.

If the initial swelling or pain lingers for more than 48 hours, it is advised you get it checked out by a GP or physiotherapist. 

Muscle Damage

The common strain or sprain is the biggest workers compensation issue in Australia. It could be as a result of twisting your ankle going up the stairs, maybe its a back strain from overextending yourself, or knee ligament strains from the improper lifting of heavy items.

Asides these causes is another known as repetitive strain injury (RSI). Most workplace activities require repetitive actions, like typing on the keyboard, for example, and overworking these joints, muscles, and tissues could lead to swelling or even degenerative diseases like arthritis.?

If you are feeling pains in joints you frequently use to work, do not ignore them. It is probably a precursor to some serious complications in the future, and it is best you get it assessed and treated by an expert.?

Ergonomic Hazards

Most people have the idea that a workplace hazard is an unsecured load, a strain, or a slip. But did you know that ergonomically incorrect work practices are one of the leading causes of workplace injuries in Australia? 

Simply put, an ergonomic hazard is any situation or behaviour that can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). They are typically repetitive and long-lasting and will most definitely lead to a chronic pain injury.

Poor ergonomics can cause musculoskeletal disorders like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) - which is a condition where a particular nerve in the wrist is pinched, thereby causing extreme discomforts and serious pain. Another is tendonitis, which is an inflammation of the tendons, often caused by incorrect posture. 

Poor ergonomics can also lead to chronic back pain. This is usually due to your sitting position in your workplace. We are told to maintain a 90-degree sitting posture with our work desk, but research shows that only 30% of employees actually follow this rule. Prolonged slouching and bad sitting position can lead to serious back complications.

Workers Comp Treatment

If you've suffered an injury at work and believe it will need treatment, make sure you claim through your employer. 

Within 5 Days of your injury, you should submit your claim to the Workers Compensation board, who are there to help, and generally cover your initial assessment by a professional such as our leading physiotherapists.

So if you are an employer looking for a company physiotherapist for your workers or an employee that is an unfortunate victim of any of these workplace accidents, Align Motion Physio has the right treatment plans for you.

Our physiotherapy treatments include electrotherapy, a range of movement exercises, soft tissue mobilisation (remedial massage therapy), and so on. This is sure to restore you to your workplace full of life, vigour, and pain-free.

For any questions regarding Workers Comp and general workplace injury, give our friendly client care team a call on (02) 9849 2855.