Knee Injuries and Workers Compensation Claims
Knee injuries often occur on the job, making these injuries common in workers’ compensation claims.
Most injuries to the lower body affect the knee. You can have this injury in any workplace environment—manufacturing, manufacturing, or agriculture.
Your knee injury is considered work-related if you were injured at work or your work worsened a pre-existing physical condition.
According to OSHA Standard 1904.5, a work incident or hazard must be pinpointed only as the cause of a work-related illness or injury. It involves the worsening of a pre-existing condition. Therefore, an event or exposure need not be the prevailing cause of the injury.
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How can knee injuries happen at work?
Knee injuries at work can result from the following activities:
- slipped
- it’s falling
- lifting heavy objects or boxes
- wear and tear over time
In many cases, a knee injury can develop from wear on the cartilage. This can lead to arthritis, inflammation, and in some cases, chronic or ongoing pain.
This type of pain can greatly reduce your quality of life. Knee injuries can also result from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear — a frequent problem at work.
ACL tears and sprains
An ACL tear or sprain affects the ACL – a strong band of tissue that connects the shinbone (tibia) to the thigh bone (femur). Tears can occur if you suddenly stop and turn sharply while loading a box or change direction while jumping from a height.
Sometimes a person may hear a popping sound in the knee. Afterward, your knee will wobble and swell, or you’ll have difficulty bearing any weight.
To recover from an ACL injury, you will often need to rest your knee and undergo rehabilitation exercises to regain your stability and strength. In some cases, surgery may be required to replace the torn ligament.
Chondromalacia patella
You can also injure your knee if you fall on your knee. This is because the cartilage under the kneecap (patella) wears down. Often workers will suffer from osteoarthritis after this happens.
This can result in swelling and inflammation. According to the Arthritis Foundation, this condition is called the chondromalacia patella.
Often called runner’s knee, chondromalacia patella causes tenderness and swelling on one side and front of the knee. You will feel frequent pains if you sit or get up from the chair for a long time. You may also experience symptoms when sitting, kneeling, or going up and down stairs.
Kneecap fractures or dislocations
If you dislocate or fracture your kneecap, you must file a worker’s compensation claim immediately. Other common knee injuries are meniscus tears. These tears in the knee area result from hyper-flexing the knee joint or a twisting motion at the knee.
To temporarily treat a minor knee injury, you must follow the principle of RICE, rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Never put off treating any knee injury, as it can get worse over time. This antidote is also good to follow if you have osteoarthritis in the knee area.
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Knee injury treatment
Some treatments for knee injuries include:
Immobilizing the knee to immobilize it to avoid further injury.
Give anti-inflammatory medicine if the knee is swollen or the patient has bursitis. Bursitis affects the bursae, the fluid-filled sacs that surround and protect the knee bones.
Surgery is often necessary for more severe ligament damage or meniscus tears. In some cases, if multiple parts of the knee have been damaged or you have had a high-impact injury, you may need immediate surgery.
What should you do if you find out that you have injured your knee?
If you discover that your knee injury resulted from work or you were injured at work, file a workers’ comp claim immediately. You will also need to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Whether your knee injury was from an on-the-job accident or repeated use, you must file a workers’ comp claim.
If you have this complaint, it should not become an adversarial process. Employers pay in worker’s compensation to prevent lawsuits by employees and to fulfill their obligation to provide a safe workplace.
To be sure of their workers’ compensation entitlements for knee injuries, it is often helpful for employees to discuss their situation with a workers’ comp attorney. Working with an attorney will ensure that the paperwork is filled out correctly and that you don’t make any mistakes.