Going to work is a part of life. Once you get to a certain age you work. Depending on the profession, the potential for injury varies. Working in construction in a high rise building or on a road crew is certainly more hazardous than working in an office setting. The safety measures we see today were not always available to protect employees. In fact, it took a book to raise awareness and create change in the workplace.  In 1906, Upton Sinclair published “The Jungle” highlighting the extreme dangers workers faced in the Chicago slaughterhouses. His intention was to stir up outrage so as to improve these work environments. His efforts paid off. Wisconsin passed the first workers compensation law in 1911.

Workers compensation is legislation designed to provide medical and wage replacement benefits for injured employees. In exchange for this benefit, the employee waives the right to sue their employer for negligence. An injury can be physical, a pre-existing condition that gets worse while on the job, or even work stress (depends on the state).

The most important thing to remember is to get medical attention as soon as the injury happens. In many cases the first stop is a medical doctor. However, depending on the injury there is more recovery that needs to happen before a person can return to work. While the acute pain and initial healing may have taken place, there may still be chronic pain and lack of mobility. It is very common in these instances for individuals to seek the care of a chiropractor after a work-related injury to address these ongoing issues.

The goal of a chiropractor is to bring the body back in alignment, without pain or limited function. In other words, the body may have morphed into a new position as a result of the injury to compensate. For example, lean to one side to reduce pain. This new position changes the natural alignment of the bones, not to mention the muscles and tendons surrounding them. In order to correct this situation, a series of spinal adjustments combined with massage therapy and rehabilitation are required. Just as it takes time for a wound to heal, the same applies to what lies beneath the skin.

Remember, if you are ever in a workplace accident, think of your recovery in two phases. The first is the immediate phase where medical attention is necessary for survival. The second phase is intended to get your life back on track once again through the benefits of chiropractic care.