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Your back is an intricate structure of bones, muscles, and other tissues extending from your neck to your pelvis. Back injuries can result from sports injuries, work around the house or in the garden, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident. The lower back is the most common site of back injuries and back pain. Common back injuries include
These injuries can cause pain and limit your movement. Treatments vary but might include medicines, icing, bed rest, physical therapy or surgery. You might be able to prevent some back injuries by maintaining a healthy weight, lifting objects with your legs and using lower-back support when you sit.
The human spine and associated muscles are particularly vulnerable to some types of injury, being both a highly flexible structure and subject to a great deal of stress as the main load-bearer of the torso. Preventing '''back injuries''' is a major workplace safety challenge. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one million workers suffer back injuries each year, and back injuries account for one of every five workplace injuries or illnesses. Further, one-fourth of all compensation indemnity claims involve back injuries, costing industry billions of dollars on top of the pain and suffering borne by employees. Moreover, though lifting, placing, carrying, holding and lowering are involved in manual materials handling (the principal cause of compensable work injuries) the BLS survey shows that four out of five of these injuries were to the lower back, and that three out of four occurred while the employee was lifting. No approach has been found for totally eliminating back injuries caused by lifting, though it is felt that a substantial portion can be prevented by an effective control program and ergonomic design of work tasks. OSHA is considering ways to help employers and employees reduce these injuries. The agency requested public comments October 2, 1986 to help it develop either guidelines or regulations for manual lifting. The agency is looking at both major categories of methods for preventing lifting injuries--administrative controls and engineering controls. The former includes carefully selecting and/or training workers so they can safely perform lifting tasks. Engineering controls attempt to redesign a job so lifting becomes less hazardous. Suggested administrative controls include: * Strength testing of existing workers, which one study showed can prevent up to one-third of work-related injuries by discouraging the assignment of workers to jobs that exceed their strength capabilities. * Training employees to utilize ... [ Read More ]
Zytron Sports Injury Products - Analgesic products for joint inflammation and stiffness, sore muscles, spasms, tendonitis, tennis elbow, fibro myalgia, leg cramps, back pain, aches, pains, strains and restless leg syndrome.
FitThotic - Custom foot care orthotics to help foot, knee, back and heel pain, improve performance and prevent sports injuries.
Cornell Medical Distributors - Supplier of patient lifting and pulling devices designed to reduce caregivers lower back injuries in the home and in institutions.
Delan Products - Sells Ergoboard ArmRest for relief and prevention of repetitive strain injury for back, arm, and neck.
Weed Bandit - Tool for removing weeds while prevent back injury.
BackTech, Inc. - Bio-Mechanical solutions for back injury prevention. Speciacilizes in lightweight ergonomic lifting and transport equipment for weights up to 500 lbs.
Bauerfeind USA OnLine - Braces for ankle, back, leg, elbow, and knee. Product information, including product research and comparative tools. Features a Glossary of body parts and injuries.
Add On Head Rest - Low back pain and neck pain relief plus whiplash injury protection. This ergonomic cushion improves the comfort and safety of your car's head restraint.
Theralase, Inc. - Low level laser drug free non invasive therapy for low back pain, sports injuries, accident rehabilitation, carpal tunnel.
About.com - Back and Neck Injury - Information, links, and a chat room, on the subjects of back and neck injury.