Health care workers at high risk for back, neck injuries

When you work in health care, you are at high risk for certain injuries. If you work as a hospital porter, a nurse’s aide, a nurse or something similar, you face a high risk of suffering back and neck injuries, among others, some of which may impact you for the rest of your life.

How does your line of work place you in danger of these injuries, and is there anything that may help protect you on the job?

Lifting-related injury risks

Any time you have to lift or shift a patient, you run the risk of a lifting-related injury. In your line of work, you may have to move patients in and out of bed, to and from the bathroom and so on. You may also have to place your body in awkward positions when working with patients who are laying in bed. This, too, increases your injury risks.

Common injuries in health care

Lifting heavy patients puts you at high risk of a lifting-related injury. These risks continue to grow as Americans become more obese and hard to move. The highest injury risks you face in your field involve sprains and strains, and the parts of your body you are most likely to strain or sprain are your shoulders and lower back.

Lifting devices

Patients who lack mobility are always going to need help getting around, and many health care settings invest in lift-assistance equipment to help them do so. This equipment may help patients because it may give them more dignity. It may, too, help you and other health care workers stay safe by reducing how much heavy lifting you must do on the job.