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Table of contents:

1. On-site therapy and the injured worker
2. Chronic headache and TMJ - with headache self-treatment strategies
3. Think Safe! - Ergonomic tip to decrease shoulder injury in assembly line workers

CIS Onsite Home

On-site therapy and the injured worker

Lost work time is unnecessary. A survey conducted by ManagedComp, Inc. showed that only 10% of all workers compensation related injuries required more than three days off work for medical problems. The national statistic now stands at 24%. The physicians surveyed noted the following problems that created costly lost time:

• No light duty program at the work site
• No modification of the current job
• Physician hears differing scenarios of the job situation from the employer and the employee
• The physician does not have enough information to establish correct limitations/restrictions
• Conflicting reports involving the primary physician and secondary physician
• Actual job performance requirements are not relayed to the physician

On-site therapy may be the answer to these problems. Here are just some advantages:

• The employee is in the true work setting commiserating with fellow workers - not at a clinic and returning home. This helps to minimize the psychological issues associated with being away from the workplace and that can impede a successful return-to-work
• The therapist can see first-hand what the job tasks are for the injured employee
• No job simulation. Actual work equipment can be used for therapy
• Your supervisor, employee and the therapist identify the actual limitations and abilities of the worker
• Co-workers see the injured employee back in the workplace being productive - not just sitting at home collecting a paycheck

If requested, the therapist can create a Functional Job Description that details the physical demands of the job. This would allow the physician to have a better understanding of the injured worker's job in order to better define limitations and restrictions.

For more information on CIS Onsite services, visit our website or call us toll-free at (866) 298-1312

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Chronic headache and TMJ

with headache self-treatment strategies

Chronic headache is common in many jobs. While headache is rarely a serious medical problem, it is a barrier to successful work and a happy life. Headache is very often due to work posture and neck stress on the job. These headaches usually respond well to self-care treatments.

Forward head posture or rounded shoulders posture (see picture below) greatly increases pressure on neck joints. These joints feel this stress as headache. The nerves and blood vessels to your scalp pass between the skull and upper neck bones. They can get squeezed between these bones during forward head posture or other neck over-work, creating a headache. Muscle tension caused by excessive neck muscle work trying to support your head in forward head posture can bring on a muscle tension headache.

A habit of teeth clenching, chewing habits, poor jaw position and jaw muscle tension can bring on severe headaches and pain in the face, neck or upper back. This is called TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder. General muscle tension throughout the upper body will further contribute to headache stresses. This may come from personal stress or work stress. The headache itself makes more stress.

Certain foods may trigger headache. The list of these is long and varies among individuals. Food and food addititives that may contribute to headache include too much caffeine found in coffee and many sodas, too much sugar, chocolate, cheese, nuts, and certain food preservatives like monosodium glutamate. Chewing hard or tough foods can also aggravate headaches that are coming from jaw joint (TMJ) problems.

HEADACHE SELF-TREATMENT

Avoid forward head posture! Correct your head posture and restore neck flexibility and relaxation. Hold your head an inch taller. Posture your jaw so that your tongue rests flat on the roof of your mouth and your teeth do not touch. Develop the ability to relax...on the job and at home. We lose this ability very easily during times of emotional or physical stress.

forward head posture | correct posture

Many headaches come from jaw problems. The jaw joint (TMJ) is very sensitive to tension and bad posture. A simple exercise can greatly relax the stress coming from the jaw. This TMJ exercise is done by placing your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Keep it up there as you open and close your jaw ten times. Do this every hour. This reduces tension in the jaw muscles and restores good jaw posture.

Believe it or not, acupuncture techniques (without needles) can work for many headaches! The Chinese have used it for centuries. One of the best methods is to rub ice for one minute on a few key points. Why it works is not clear. The location of the headache points is shown. Simply rub an ice cube on each point for one minute. Give it a try!

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