Preventing Overexertion Injuries while Working in Tennessee

By Thomas Greer | January 18, 2013

Overexertion is the third leading cause of unintentional injuries in the United States and the leading cause of workplace injury. Overexertion accounts for approximately 25 percent of Tennessee workers’ compensation claims and about 3.5 million emergency room visits each year.

Whether you are at home or at work, our Memphis workplace injury attorneys recommend taking the following steps to prevent an overexertion injury:

  • Warm up and stretch before lifting or doing physically demanding work.
  • Avoid working in an awkward or uncomfortable posture. Instead, set up your workspace so the objects you need are as close to you as possible and your body is positioned to face your work with your toes and nose in the same direction.
  • Take regular, short breaks to give your muscles a chance to rest. This is especially important when performing repetitive tasks, which create muscle tension because your muscles don’t get time to recover between movements.
  • When lifting, keep your back straight and bend your knees. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms close to your body.
  • Limit the amount of weight you carry. If you must lift a heavy, bulky or large object, get help.
  • Keep your tools well-maintained so your body doesn’t have to compensate for tools that are worn or broken.
  • Report early signs of discomfort before overexertion causes a full blown injury.
  • If you are not sure how to do a job safely, ask for extra training.

If you are injured at work, it is important to know your rights. Look through our website to learn more about Tennessee workers’ compensation. If you have questions or would like to discuss your own Tennessee work injury claim, please contact the Memphis workers’ compensation lawyers at Bailey & Greer at 901-680-9777.

Posted in Blog

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.