Businesses that operate HVAC and steel fabrication shops need to invest in tools and equipment such as Baileigh bead rollers if they wish to solve one of the growing workplace problems: musculoskeletal disorders.
What Are Musculoskeletal Disorders?
Musculoskeletal disorders are injuries or health conditions that affect the skeletal system such as the joints, bones, and muscles. They can also affect the blood vessels and soft tissues within the area. The common body parts affected by this condition are the neck, back, and limbs, such as the arms, wrists, and hands.
These injuries can happen suddenly. For example, a worker might have fallen from the ladder, hurting the hip. Someone can slip and bang their knee onto the floor. Another reason is inflammation. Take, for instance, arthritis, a joint disease characterized by painful swelling and stiffness of the joints. It can also be due to an autoimmune disorder, such as in the case of osteoarthritis. It means that the body’s immune system is attacking the joints.
A person who tends to be sedentary can become prone to musculoskeletal injuries once they engage in physical activity. This is because they have not trained their bodies, such as their joints, to work correctly. In many cases, though, these musculoskeletal disorders occur due to repetitive use of the body part. The bones, joints, and muscles can work to adapt to movements. But constant use can wear them over time.
The Cost of Musculoskeletal Disorders
Musculoskeletal injuries are not cheap. In fact, they can drain the coffers of the business, the government, and the patient. According to Bone and Joint Burden Report, about 77% of health care visits due to injury are related to musculoskeletal disorders. Annually, the cost reaches over $175 billion.
In 2012, the average annual cost for every person was close to $8,000. Considering health care spending tends to increase in the long run, getting treatment today can now be at least $10,000. These conditions can also lead to missed work days. In 2012, over 25 million people weren’t able to report for an average of 11 days due to neck or back pain. Overall, sufferers missed more than 290 million working days. These injuries can also drag on for years, in which it becomes chronic. It, therefore, makes an even more expensive and debilitating condition for the workers.
In a dissertation by Hitesh Chandwani of the University of Texas at Austin, he asserted that chronic back pain, which is one of the top five costliest conditions in the United States, could mean spending of not less than $185 billion in only two years. About $175 billion of it were direct costs. These referred to inpatient admissions, emergency visits, and ambulatory visits. The rest were indirect costs.
Minimizing Musculoskeletal Injuries
Most jobs have musculoskeletal injury risks. Those who work in steel fabrication or HVAC shops can wear down their wrists and hands. Prolonged periods of standing can strain the back. The work can also affect the neck and shoulders.
Using tools, though, especially those electric-powered ones, can not only make them efficient but also reduce the use of their muscles and joints.
