Back injuries are a serious health issue for people in many professions. Nurses could throw out their backs while lifting patients. Office workers or truck drivers can develop back injuries due to a lack of lumbar support in the chairs where they sit for hours.
A back injury can slow someone down and reduce what job functions they can perform without pain. Workers trying to ignore these symptoms of a back injury need to understand that they could potentially be serving as signals of a host of other consequences as well.
A back injury can affect someone’s quality of life
Someone with a back injury may find that it affects nearly every aspect of their daily life. The chronic pain that they experience could affect their overall mood and enjoyment of daily activities. Their pain levels could also interfere with their sleep, which can have a domino effect on their overall health.
Back injuries have a strong association with depression and a reduction in overall mental health. Not only can a job-acquired back injury potentially affect someone’s work performance, but it can also affect their relationships. They may struggle to enjoy their time at home or fulfill their responsibilities to people other than their employers because of their pain.
Speaking up about a back injury and pursuing workers’ compensation benefits can be a very smart move. Workers can receive coverage that pays for their care costs and also their lost wages. They may also have an easier time receiving accommodations that can help them avoid worsening their back injuries. As such, understanding the true impact a job injury could have may help workers overcome their initial aversion to reporting their injury and seeking workers’ compensation benefits.
