There are some tasks that simply require a little bit of muscle and know-how to get done. However, in terms of lifting, the result can be problematic if a person does not use the correct technique or is attempting to lift something clearly too heavy or awkward to allow for a decent grip. If a person puts too much weight or lifts multiple items in a repetitive motion, that worker may damage the muscles in his or her shoulders.
While the majority of lifting injuries that occur when someone tries to pick something off of the ground affect the back, the muscle groups in the shoulder are similarly susceptible to injury when large weights are moved above the head. This means that shoulder injuries are common for those working in storage areas, where tall shelves can require workers to frequently pick up objects and move them to storage spaces at different heights.
In addition to lifting over the head, repetitive movements can cause shoulder injuries to occur. This can impact workers who may not regularly lift heavy objects or materials, but do sustain injuries from muscle strain from moving objects with some frequency. In part, injuries may occur to the shoulder muscles in this way due to the large range of motion that the shoulder has. Although the back is used in many different types of lifts to support other parts of the body, the shoulders are in active use whenever a person lifts their arms. This strain can easily contribute to tissue damage.
A person may also injure their shoulder muscles whenever they attempt to lift too much weight with their arms extended or only using the support of their upper-body. The arms, and shoulders in particular, are not meant to work with that kind of weight and without support from the back or legs.
To learn more about workers’ comp benefits if these injuries occur on the job, contact a workers’ compensation lawyer.