Have you ever tried laying down without putting pressure on your mid-back? Have you tried to drink a cup of coffee without bending your elbow? These are almost impossibilities. Imagine going for months without being able to drink a cup of coffee normally. And stomach sleeping? That isn’t good for you, so why try and start that habit now? Shoulder and Elbow injuries are more linked than you think. The shoulder commands much authority over your arms. Once you lose the ability to move on, all the tendons and ligaments connected are also strained and can render you incapacitated. If you can’t sleep or drink your coffee, you certainly cannot work, which is the real problem.

Shoulders and elbows are vulnerable body parts prone to many injuries when completing tasks requiring recurring and constant motion like lifting, pulling, or reaching for items. Employees in the workplace can also be susceptible to injuries whenever a machine malfunctions if they slip or trip on wet floors. Either way, you are entitled to workers’ compensation if these injuries are sustained at work due to employer negligence.

California laws on shoulder and elbow injuries for workers’ compensation require that an employee who has suffered a work-related injury get the proper medical coverage, disability insurance, and vocational rehabilitation.

Those who work in health care are one of the top class of people who struggle with shoulder and elbow injuries. Other reasons for this kind of injury are slip, falls, and repeated behavior. For example, if you constantly lift medium to heavy materials, you are at risk for shoulder and elbow pain symptoms. If you are a landscaper, construction worker, manufactory worker, retail worker, or health care worker, you are subjected to constantly putting things over your head. You are always reaching up or down or to the side. These kinds of movements, if done with repetition and weighted, can result in harm done to your shoulder and elbow. If you are feeling pain while doing routine chores, you are likely feeling pain at work. The best way to treat this pain is to start early on recovery and rehabilitation. Do not wait.

Shoulder and elbow injuries occur from everyday wear and tear, overuse, or an injury that goes undetected over time. The process of natural aging is also a critical factor in determining shoulder and elbow injuries or how our body functions as a whole. For workplace shoulder and elbow injuries to happen, there has to be too much stress placed on the joint or other tissue. When that is done repeatedly or overdone in exercise, problems arise.

Shoulder injuries can either be minor or major enough to justify medical attention. Symptoms of shoulder injuries are excruciating or mild pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, or general weakness of the shoulder or elbow; if you notice any changes in color or temperature and range of motion, that is also a telltale sign.

With elbow injuries, you need your elbow for almost every motion with your arm. You use your elbow to throw, lift, swing, and hug family members. Injuries to the elbow pose a significant inconvenience and must be tended to quickly to get you back to everyday life. The two categories of elbow injuries one may suffer in the workplace are either one-time or wear and tear. Past injuries happen instantly and cause immediate harm, like a dislocated elbow, strains and sprains, and fractures. Conversely, wear and tear injuries occur over time after certain repetitive motions or activities. Bursitis, stress fractures, and trapped nerves fall into this wear and tear category.

Shoulder injuries are classified into two main categories: sudden or acute and overuse. Each classification consists of shoulder-related problems and is treated differently. Regardless of your injury classification, you want a trusted expert to evaluate your symptoms for a proper diagnosis before treatment. Otherwise, you will have another issue on your hands.

Here are some common injuries to shoulders and elbows:

  1. Rotator cuff: Controls the main movement in your arm going up, down, and around. When this is affected, nearly all activity is involved. This means that you are unable to do your job. If this is your problem, you need specific medical attention to the area that may result in specialized exercises, steroid shots, and surgery.
  2. Elbow joint overload syndrome: An injury like this doesn’t go away. It is rooted in repetitive injuries like sports players, those in the service industry, or health care who repeat the same bending motions multiple times a day. This can also be treated with medicines and sometimes warrants surgery.
  3. Arthrosis of the Shoulder Joint: As we age, it is natural for the cartilage to deteriorate, but repeating behaviors at work can increase this deterioration, which can then completely inhibit movement.

Any worker is prone to shoulder and elbow injuries in the workplace; no one is immune. Some jobs offer more risk for shoulder and elbow injuries, like construction, manufacturing, assembly line workers, truck and bus drivers, butchers, farm and field workers, mechanics, and cleaning industry workers. The best advice we can offer before you accept a position is to know what you are getting yourself into, what is expected of you, and the risks involved with the job.

These are just some injuries; as you can tell, they don’t just go away overnight. Hiring a workers’ compensation attorney can ensure that your job is taking you seriously and not blaming your injuries on other activities or age. Call 818-610-8800 or click here to speak securely with our Los Angeles workers’ compensation attorneys at JML Law, a Professional Law Corporation.

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