Which neck injuries do you have to worry about at work?

There are a variety of injuries that workers can suffer on the job. The ones that you may be vulnerable to suffering vary depending on your industry and the nature of your job.

You might assume that the only workers vulnerable to suffering neck injuries would be those who engage in strenuous work. That’s not necessarily the case. Workers in all different jobs may have to deal with neck injuries. Is your condition described below?

Pinched nerve

This type of injury may result from twisting and turning, crouching or otherwise maintaining an abnormal posture for too long. Individuals who have a pinched nerve often experience sharp pain that radiates from their neck down their arm. Workers employed in warehouses or who work in tight spaces, such as pipe diggers, may be particularly prone to such an injury.

Whiplash

One type of neck injury that commonly plagues workers is whiplash. While it’s common among those employed as delivery drivers, it can also happen to any heavy equipment operators or sanitation workers and virtually any other job in which there’s a chance for their heads to shift back-and-forth abruptly. Injuries of this sort generally only leave behind soft tissue damage resulting in neck stiffness, headaches, radiating pain and numbness that runs down your arm and dizziness.

Vertebral disk damage

This injury often afflicts individuals who do a lot of heavy lifting, such as package carriers and warehouse workers. Much like pinched nerves and whiplash, people with this type of injury often experience radiating pain into their legs if they suffer vertebral disk damage.

Repetitive strain injuries

People who are clerical workers are vulnerable to suffering repetitive stress or strain injuries. These injuries often result from the worker consistently sitting in an awkward position or maintaining a poor posture.

Neck injuries can affect work performance and decrease your quality of life outside of the workplace. Texas law requires most employers to provide workers’ compensation coverage for injured employees. Not every worker is covered by such benefits, though. If you aren’t, it’s crucial to find out what other options you have for seeking needed compensation for medical care, lost wages and more.