Back Injuries

• We Assist With:

• Neck Injuries
• Back Injuries
• CTS and Epicondylitis
• Shoulder Injuries
• Brain and Head Injuries
• Lower Extremities Injuries
• Repetitive Motion Injuries
• Old Injuries
• Nerve Injuries
• Psychological Injuries

Most injuries concern the spine, muscles around the spine, or the discs between the vertebrae (bones) in the lower portion of the spine. This is because the lower back is the primary power source in most work activities. Repetitive heavy lifting, lifting one very heavy object, or even simply improperly pushing and pulling can cause low back injury.

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Medical imaging by MRI can show tissue damage more accurately than simple x-rays, but often the full extent of such injury may not be apparent until a surgeon performs actually looks at the damage during the procedure.

In evaluating a low back injury it is important to understand the complex terminology because minor changes in the terminology can make a big difference:

Spondylosis - can mean any lesion of the spine causing degenerative process, reduced flexibility, bone joint stiffness or rigidity, can be caused by inflammation of the tendon or muscular supportive structure, may eventually result in joint ends growing or “fusing” together due to lack of normal joint movement; articulation.

Spondylolysis - loosening of an otherwise firm attachment of the contiguous (neighboring) vertebrae. A general breaking down of the body of a vertebra or a cleft formation in the vertebral body.

Spondylolisthesis - a shifting movement of one vertebrae upon the one below it. Because of the substantial pressure placed upon the joints in your lower back, it is susceptible to disc injury. Although the word “disc” sounds as if it would be a hard object, it is actually a flexible, shock absorbing, cushion like structure placed between back bones (vertebrae) to assist in the fluidity of movement and to reduce grinding or wearing down of the vertebrae.

The disc is primarily made up of water, think of a soft plastic ring encompassing a rubber bladder full of pulp and water. Unfortunately, if too much pressure is applied, the soft plastic ring bulges in one direction or another and fails to contract back into its normal, more round shape.

If the wall of the ring weakens too much the rubber bladder and the pulpy interior is allowed to extend beyond the wall. This ruptured disc is called a herniation. Because the inner rubber bladder is called the nucleus pulposis you may see the letters HNP in your medical records. This is an abbreviation for herniated nucleus pulposis.

The extension of these materials beyond their normal limitations can cause them to impinge into areas otherwise only allowed for nerves that are exiting the spinal cord. The impingement upon the nerve causes pain and weakness into the areas of the body (dermotomes) served by the nerve. For example, herniation of a lumbar nerve can cause radiation of pain (radiculopathy) down into one’s buttocks, thigh, lower leg, and even in the foot.

Pressures on the lumbar nerve roots are not limited to herniated discs, they can be caused by inflammation and even bone buildup (spinal stenosis) due to joint injury.

Remember, you do not have to have one specific accident in order to receive workers' comp for your back injury – but you do need to report it to your supervisor and make sure you get some unbiased medical treatment to document the problem as soon as it becomes evident. If you have sustained a back injury due to one particular event or repetitive use injury, it is time to get the help you need.