Whiplash and the Workplace

WorkPlace Modifications For The Whiplash Victim

Something I have seen frequently during my 16 plus years treating car accident victims is the prevalence of work place aggravation.  Many times the things that were not a source of pain or stress before an accident become extremely painful or aggravating after.  One form of impairment is any reduction in your ability to perform your job at a level you were accustomed to prior to your automobile related injury.  With that in mind here are some things to consider as you return to a more normal work schedule.

On the job There are several modifications that you can make at work that can greatly reduce the strain imposed by your job. Although it is impossible to account for every job description here, there are a few ergonomic points that can be made which are relevant to many jobs. Foremost among them is lifting. It seems that anyone who's never had serious back pain claims to have a "strong back." These often become the proverbial famous last words when the back is injured. And frequently, years later, the same folks will tell you that their back has never been the same since the injury. Chronic back pain is one of the most common disabling conditions in America today. So, if you do have a strong back, the best way to keep it healthy is to start lifting correctly. And, if your back hurts or is prone to injury, you certainly need to learn how to lift correctly if you don't already follow safe lifting guidelines.

The four most important components of safe lifting are 1) lift with a straight back, 2) avoid coupled motions (in other words never twist while you are lifting; there is a good reason for the song being called "Twist and Shout"), 3) avoid lifting too much weight, and 4) keep the load close to your body while lifting.

Almost every workplace can be made safer in one way or another. If you sit in a chair while working, as most of us do, you could be placing a lot of strain on your neck without realizing it. That's right, your neck. Chairs that have no forearm rest are the big offenders here, particularly for those of us who work at a computer terminal. Here's why. When you type, you are suspending your arms in space. The weight of your arms is not insignificant and must be supported by the trapezius muscles, which run from the base of your skull and bones of your neck, out across your shoulders, and down into the upper back. These muscles are often sore after whiplash injury and subsequently are easily inflamed or irritated by activities that might never have bothered you in the past. Prolonged sitting with the arms suspended can send these muscles into spasm, which can cause headaches, neck and shoulder pain, and upper back pain.

Is Your Chair Aggravating Your Whiplash

The easiest solution is to get a chair with forearm rests-preferably the adjustable type. If you spend a large portion of your day sitting, that chair can be as important as the bed you sleep on at night. A quality chair is another very wise investment. Most employers will respond to a note from your doctor suggesting a change in seating arrangements and will provide an adequate chair. Your productivity, as well as your well being, will likely be improved.

If you work in front of a computer monitor and frequently view other documents placed to the side, you may find that your neck motion is not symmetric. That is, the monitor may be directly in front, and your other work to the right (or left for you southpaws). This asymmetric repetitive motion can also aggravate an injured neck if prolonged. The solution may be to place the monitor and your work equal distances to the right and left so that your left-to-right rotation is symmetrical. Alternatively, you might try placing your work to the left for a period of time to help balance out your neck rotation.

Here are a few other computer screen related ergonomic considerations. If the monitor is too small or too far away, you might find yourself craning your neck forward to see the small details on the screen. This, too, over the course of the day, can take its toll. The solution might be to bring the monitor closer or to get a larger screen monitor. The somewhat larger 15-inch and 17-inch monitors are much easier on the eyes than the more common 14-inch monitors. Old monitors or outdated graphics cards will also be a strain for someone who spends many hours in front of the computer.  Also consider the height of your monitor.  You may have been taught to keep the center of your monitor at eye level.  I have found that by putting the bottom of the monitor at eye level you are less likely to aggravate strains of the trapezius muscle group that is oftened injured in a whiplash inducing collision.

Another important consideration is your vision. If you wear reading glasses for close work you might find that they are not quite right for the monitor. The newer so-called progressive lenses allow a smooth and progressive transition from the lower bifocal portion of the lens to the distance portion above. However, if you find that you need to repeatedly tip your head back slightly in order to find the perfect focus for the monitor, you're likely to be aggravating the neck once again. The best solution for this is to simply get a dedicated pair of glasses specifically for the monitor. Measure the distance from your eyeball to the monitor so that the eye doctor can give you the right prescription.

Proper Telephone Use Can Spare More Pain In The Neck

Telephones pose another common problem: cradling the receiver between your shoulder and your ear. This should be strictly avoided by anyone with a neck problem, especially those suffering from whiplash injuries. Here are a few solutions: 1) take the time to hold the receiver the right way, 2) use a speaker phone, or 3) get a hands-free headset. Many of these are now wireless, so you can walk around the office and have a hands-free phone connection. Again, most employers will be willing to provide these items, particularly when they essentially translate into increased productivity and/or decreased worker absenteeism.

If your job requires long periods sitting and other long periods standing, and one or the other seems to aggravate your condition, you might find that switching back and forth more frequently during the day will help. Try to rearrange your day to allow equal distribution of time between sitting and standing. If the standing portion of your day has you standing in one spot, you might try standing on a shock absorbing mat. These can make long periods of standing much more bearable, especially in offices where there is no carpeting or where industrial grade carpeting is glued directly to concrete floors. Also consider your footwear. If your stylish footwear is not the most comfortable-and that usually is the case-have a pair of comfortable shoes to slip on at work. Another trick for standing in one place comfortably for long periods is to rest one foot on a raised platform. A small step stool or even a phone book will do.

Do any of these things apply to you? As a general rule of thumb, if you feel worse at the end of the day than at the beginning, there's a good chance that something at work is aggravating your condition. If so, there's also a good chance that it can be corrected or at least improved. If you don't find the solution here, be sure to ask your doctor for help. In many instances we are able to provide work place assessments with the permission of your employer to determine ways to reduce aggravating factors of your condition.  This is something we are glad to do to help enhance your expereince with us and help you get the most out of your chiropractic treatment.