Are you wondering how common are back and neck injuries during the holidays? The answer may shock you, as it turns out you’re at risk of getting injured both at home and at work.
Fact: more than one million Americans suffer from back injuries in the workplace every year.
The winter holidays usually present us with a plethora of factors that contribute to back and neck injuries.
Whether you have a sedentary job and are required to work extra hours to finish projects before Jan. 1, or your employer orders you to lift heavy objects to help decorate his office… there are plenty of risky work-related activities during the holidays.
But your home is no safer place when it comes to back and neck injuries, as in addition to decorating your house, you will also most likely be shoveling snow and carrying heavier packages containing food and Christmas gifts (not to mention that cold weather stiffens up your muscles, which makes back pain even worse).
How common are back and neck injuries in the U.S.?
If you experience pain in the back or neck, it’s critical that you take certain precautions to avoid aggravating your back & neck pain in the workplace and at home.
During the holiday season, you may want to avoid certain activities that put a tremendous amount of stress on your back and neck, our Van Nuys workers’ compensation attorneys warn.
Fact: Statistics show that about 80% of all Americans are estimated to experience a back injury at least once in their lifetime.
In fact, back injuries are one of the most common work-related injuries in the U.S., and workers with sedentary jobs are at a higher risk.
If your employer orders you to spend more hours in the office to get work done by Christmas, you may have no choice but to comply. But what if those extra work hours cause you a back or neck injury?
In these cases, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation if you prove that your injury is work-related and occurred due to or while performing your duties, our lawyers at Koszdin, Fields & Sherry explain.
How to prevent back & neck injuries during the holidays?
You may have heard it already, but if you have a sedentary job, you should stay active throughout the day and take breaks every 1-2 hours to minimize your risk of back and neck injury.
If your employer threatens to fire you for taking frequent breaks during work hours, you may want to consult an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to find out whether or not you have the right to take breaks to prevent back injury at work.
Fact: there’s a sharp increase in personal injury claims during and after the holiday season, so you may want to return to your job duties slowly and smoothly to prevent overworking and overloading your spine and neck.
While preparing for the holidays at home, take the following precautions to minimize your risk of back and neck injury:
- Use proper lifting techniques when carrying and decorating a Christmas tree (always keep your spine straight when lifting heavy objects!)
- Use chairs to decorate top branches of the Christmas tree in order to prevent straining your back
- If you opt to spend the holidays on your couch, don’t forget to stay active, stretch and perform exercises throughout the day
- If you’re going to shovel snow outside, use proper shoveling techniques and never carry too much snow at once.
If you suffer a back or neck injury during the holidays and you believe that it was caused by certain conditions in the workplace, consult our workers’ compensation attorneys to find out whether or not your injury could be covered by workers’ compensation benefits.
Call the offices of Koszdin, Fields & Sherry at 818-812-5639 or 800-747-3447 or fill out this contact form for a free case evaluation.
