Common Tradesmen Injuries and what to do about them!

Over a quarter of UK tradespeople say they have experienced serious injury from a workplace during their career, whilst over half know someone who has.

Facts and Statistics:

• Around 20-30% of all workplace injuries are muscular stress related, with upper and lower back cases accounting for almost half of these.

• 20% account for falls, trips and slips; ankles, backs, knees and shoulders suffering the most with this.

Many tradies complain with lower back pain, neck pain as well as shoulder and knee problems. Their bodies are being used for labour intensive work and with this pain, it can make it difficult to continue working.

Back pain

Back injuries can occur for many reasons; such as having decreased mobility, using improper lifting techniques and poor posture, as well as incorrect management of current injuries.

Neck Pain

Looking up all day or wearing heavy PPE gear can have a toll on your neck and can cause limited movement, dull aches or shooting pains, and some can even get headaches.

Shoulder Problems

There is a lot of potential shoulder wear and tear injuries as well as general problems with posture due to repetitive movements and load that some may need to carry. This may cause limited movement, kyphosis (curvature of the spine) and dull aches.
Knee Problems

Any trade involving kneeling for a prolonged amount of time, such as tilers, carpenters and plumbers, are most affected by this. Prolonged kneeling can cause unnecessary pressure on the soft tissue structures around the knee.

 How can Sports Therapy help with this?

Methods such as sports massage therapy, manual therapy and stretching techniques can help to:

• Reduce tension in muscles and improve blood circulation to promote recovery.

• Increase joints mobility to stiff joints and improve range of motion.

• Increasing the length of the muscle to help improve muscle flexibility.

As well as the ‘hands on’ approach, having a personalised rehabilitation plan can help to give support for surrounding joints as well as helping with general mobility. Sports Therapists can also educate you in what you should and shouldn’t do surrounding your work – for example, having a good stretching routine before and after work which may help to prevent any injuries.

If you find that you are struggling with pain in you lower back, neck, shoulders or knees as a result of your work, you can give us a call on 01202 604070 or email admin@wimbornewellnesscentre.co.uk.