4 common causes of back pain while at work

Ouch! Is your back acting up again? Well you are not alone.

According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), about 31 million Americans suffer from lower back pain. In fact, experts estimate that 80 percent of the population will experience some sort of back-related issue during their lifetime. This statistic is disheartening if you consider how much you need your back muscles for everyday activity, especially at work.

In fact, many people injure their backs while at work. Here are four common work-related causes of back injuries.

Poor Posture

Remember when your parents told you not to slouch? Now you know why. Poor posture is probably the number one way that most people develop back problems. Whether walking lurched over or sitting at your desk with your shoulders hunched, poor posture puts undue stress on your back (especially lower back).

Sitting For Long Periods Of Time

Other than poor posture, the primary way to develop back pain is by remaining seated for lengthy periods. For this reason, people who work desk jobs are very susceptible to back pain. Also, sitting hunched over or in a chair with poor spine support leads to back issues.

Lifting Something Too Heavy

Have you ever lift something that felt like it weighed a ton? Your lower back probably didn’t appreciate that. Lifting heavy objects puts tremendous strain on your lower back, especially if picked up too fast. Jobs that require heavy lifting lead to some of the most severe back problems in workers.

Falling

Who hasn’t tripped and fell over their own two feet before? Falling is one cause of people injuring their backs while on the job, and it is especially common in workplaces like factories, construction sites and medical facilities.

As you can see, back injuries occur across all industries and affect everyone from construction workers to secretaries. While employers and employees can attempt to prevent injuries, they still occur based on the nature of many jobs.

What You Can Do

If you suffered your back injury while at work, you have the legal right to file a worker’s compensation claim. Workers’ compensation helps cover medical care, rehabilitation, and some wage replacement if you have to miss work. So please don’t continue to sit there at work with a bad back; take the necessary steps to file a worker’s compensation claim.